The decision by CBS to accept advocacy ads for this year’s Super Bowl seems to be the weak demand for advertising. By accepting a Focus on the Family ad, CBS has broken with its past policy not to accept such ads. The ad will feature Tim Tebow and his mother. It is said the ad will touch on faith and abortion.
The United Church of Christ has more:
In 2004, CBS said it was rejecting the UCC’s “Bouncer” ad as “too controversial” because it allegedly advocated same-sex marriage. The UCC maintained this was a gross mischaracterization of the ad’s intent which, instead, was to demonstrate that all people, including gay and lesbian people, should be welcome in the church. The church quickly filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, a petition that was dismissed by FCC staff in 2007 and never given full consideration by FCC Commissioners.
The UCC’s second ad, “Ejector,” which debuted in early 2005 was also rejected by the networks and their wholly-owned cable networks, including LOGO, a channel that targets lesbian and gay viewers.
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[T]he UCC encountered a similar situation in early 2005 when it sought airtime on the ABC network, only to be told that ABC did not accept any religious advertising. The very next month, [a UCC spokesperson] said, Focus on the Family was allowed primetime advertising on ABC’s SuperNanny show.
Controversial? See for yourself.
Although CBS has changed its policy, the UCC does not plan a media buy. It’s focusing on saving lives in Haiti:
Our media-buying plan, at present, does not include spending $2.5 million for a single 30-second Super Bowl ad. Our current churchwide fundraising is very much focused on recovery and long term rebuilding efforts in Haiti.