CBS Cuts MoveOn, Allows White House Ads During Super Bowl

[leQ]

{snip}
CBS on Thursday rejected a request from MoveOn to air the 30-second spot, saying "Child's Pay" violated the network's policy against accepting advocacy advertising, a company spokesperson told reporters.

At the same time, CBS is allowing ads placed on the docket by the White House's anti-drug office. For the third year in a row the White House has paid between $1.5 and $3 million each for 30-second spots during the broadcast. The 2004 ads, produced for the White House by Ogilvy & Mather are expected to convey a message similar to their previous Super Bowl spots. While CBS would not reveal the content of the upcoming ads, previous White House Super Bowl spots drew a controverial link between casual drug use and the financing of global terrorists.

MediaChannel
i say we boycott the superbowl.

[mbperrin]

1. Okay, (but mine won't count for much) - haven't watched in years!

nt

[loudnclear]

20. MoveOn should be preparing some huge banners for outside the stadium

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Every fan entering the stadium should have to see the message. Also, movie theaters are a great place for ads.

[PaDUer]

37. Or find someone who knows

how to hack their broadcasting system and put on moveon.org's ads!

[Robb]

2. Unreal.

I guess CBS is against "advocay advertising", but "sheer propaganda" is OK. :eyes:

[rfranklin]

3. Since the Bush junta has made it safe for opium cultivation...

in Afghanistan (and current record-breaking harvests0, does this mean that they are supporting terrorism?

[Zhade]

19. Yes.

But considering the fact that the Traitor Brigade in the White House is comprised of domestic and international terrorists, this should come as no surprise.

[KeepItReal]

4. CBS policy against "advocacy advertising"? WTF?

Advocacy: "The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support"

So a "No-Advocacy Policy" would also mean no United Way ads, not anti-drug ads, no think-before-you-drink ads... right?

Viacom is full of you-know-what.

[Nashyra]

5. I just sent an e-mail to CBS

stating that I will boycott the superbowl and CBS in general for their partisan act. I told them that it was paramount to endorsing the current resident of the White House.

[kainah]

41. Yes, send feedback to CBS

Go to http://www.cbs.com/ At the very bottom of that page is a small link for "feedback." If you click that, a form will appear. GIVE 'EM HELL!

[rfranklin]

6. Reagans Redux...They are very obviously courting the Bush junta...

It's getting embarassing but there is no shame in the unholy alliance between the corporate media and the BFEE.

[alfredo]

9. Selling is advocacy. You are selling a person on a product. That product

could be an idea, drink this beer and get laid.

[ima_sinnic]

7. boycotting is painless for me, since I hate football

but I just sent them a nasty e-mail

[Newsjock]

8. Complain to your local CBS affiliate

The network doesn't care what you and me think, but they do care what their affiliates say. And it doesn't take much to get the affiliates stirred up, especially in these days of sour affiliate-network relationships.

Make the stations feel the pain of their CBS affiliation. Let them know, and let their advertisers know. If the affiliates get pissed off, the network will take notice.

[artfan]

10. CBS is immune from most of what we can do

the fcc will back anything they do to promote the Republicans and the SB is so popular they will not care about a few people not watching. So I am contacting other advertisers and complaining that by buying time on a blatently partisan program they will lose my business. If others to the same it will put some heat on CBS

[maxrandb]

11. Will Rush appear in the "drug-use = terrorism support ads"? n/t

[cosmicdot]

12. Viacom Board of Directors and Beneficial Ownership of Stock

the powers behind the logo; and, decisions


George S. Abrams
Age 71
Director since 1987 Attorney associated with the law firm of Winer and Abrams in Boston, Massachusetts since 1969. Mr. Abrams is a trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Harvard University Art Museums and The European Fine Arts Foundation. Mr. Abrams is a director of National Amusements and Sonesta International Hotels Corporation.

David R. Andelman
Age 63
Director since December 2000

Attorney associated with the law firm of Lourie & Cutler, P.C. in Boston, Massachusetts since 1964. Mr. Andelman serves as a director and treasurer of Lourie & Cutler, P.C. He is a director of National Amusements.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
Age 72
First Time Nominee for Director

Chairman of the Board and President of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York City since 1992. Mr. Califano has served as Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Columbia University's Medical School and School of Public Health since 1992 and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Mr. Califano was senior partner of the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Dewey Ballantine from 1983 to 1992. Mr. Califano served as the United States Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from 1977 to 1979, and he served as President Lyndon B. Johnson's Assistant for Domestic Affairs from 1965 to 1969. He is the author of nine books. Mr. Califano is a director of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.


William S. Cohen
Age 62
First Time Nominee for Director

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Cohen Group, a business consulting firm, since January 2001. Prior to that, Mr. Cohen served as the United States Secretary of Defense since January 1997. He served as a United States Senator from 1979 to 1997 and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. He is a director of Cendant Corporation, Critical Path Software Inc., Head N.V., IDT Telecom, and NASDAQ.

Philippe P. Dauman
Age 49
Director since 1987

Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DND Capital Partners, L.L.C., a private equity firm, since May 2000. Mr. Dauman served as Deputy Chairman of the Company from 1996 until May 2000 and Executive Vice President from 1994 until May 2000. From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Dauman also served as General Counsel and Secretary of the Company. Prior to that, he was a partner in the law firm of Shearman & Sterling in New York, which he joined in 1978. Mr. Dauman is a director of Blockbuster Inc. ("Blockbuster"), a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, Genuity Inc., Lafarge North America Inc. and National Amusements.

William H. Gray III
Age 61
Director since May 2000

President and Chief Executive Officer of The College Fund/UNCF since 1991. From 1979 to 1991, Mr. Gray served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, Chairman of the Budget Committee and House Majority Whip. He is a director of Dell Corporation, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, Ezgov.com, J. P. Morgan Chase & Co., Pfizer Inc., Prudential Financial Company, Rockwell International Corporation and Visteon Corporation. Mr. Gray was a director of CBS Corporation until the merger of CBS Corporation with the Company in May 2000 (the "CBS Merger").

Alan C. Greenberg
Age 75
First Time Nominee for Director

Chairman of the Executive Committee of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. ("Bear Stearns"). Mr. Greenberg served as Chairman of the Board of Bear Stearns from 1985 to 2001 and as its Chief Executive Officer from 1978 to 1993.


Mel Karmazin
Age 59
Director since May 2000

President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since May 2000. Mr. Karmazin served as President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation from January 1999 until the CBS Merger. He was President and Chief Operating Officer of CBS Corporation from April 1998 through December 1998. Mr. Karmazin joined CBS Corporation in December 1996 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Radio and served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CBS Station Group (Radio and Television) from May 1997 to April 1998. Prior to joining CBS Corporation, Mr. Karmazin served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Broadcasting Corporation ("Infinity") from 1981 until its acquisition by CBS Corporation in December 1996. Mr. Karmazin served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Infinity from December 1998 until the merger of Infinity with the Company in February 2001 (the "Infinity Merger"). Mr. Karmazin is Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Museum of Television and Radio and is a director of Blockbuster, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE") and Westwood One, Inc. Mr. Karmazin was a director of CBS Corporation at the time of the CBS Merger and was a director of Infinity until the Infinity Merger.


Jan Leschly
Age 62
Director since May 2000

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Care Capital L.L.C., a private equity firm, since May 2000. Mr. Leschly served as the Chief Executive Officer of SmithKline Beecham Corp. from 1994 until April 2000. He served as Chairman of SmithKline Beecham's Worldwide Pharmaceutical business from 1990 to 1994 and has been a director of SmithKline Beecham Corp. since 1990. Prior to that, Mr. Leschly was President and Chief Operating Officer of Squibb Corporation. Before joining Squibb Corporation in 1979, he served as Executive Vice President and President of the Pharmaceutical Division of Novo-Nordisk for eight years. Mr. Leschly serves on The International Advisory Board of DaimlerChrysler and is Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He is a director of the American Express Co. and The Maersk Group and was a director of CBS Corporation at the time of the CBS Merger.

David T. McLaughlin
Age 71
Director since May 2000

Chairman of the Board of Orion Safety Products (formerly Standard Fusee Corporation) since 1988 and Chief Executive Officer from 1988 to December 31, 2000. Mr. McLaughlin served as Chairman of The Aspen Institute from 1987 to 1988 and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 1988, a position he held until 1997. Upon his retirement from The Aspen Institute in 1997, he was named president emeritus. Mr. McLaughlin was President of Dartmouth College from 1981 to 1987. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Toro Company from 1977 to 1981, after serving in various management positions at Toro Company since 1970. Mr. McLaughlin became Chairman of the Board of CBS Corporation in January 1999 and served as a director of CBS Corporation from 1979 until the CBS Merger. He served as a director of Infinity until the Infinity Merger. Mr. McLaughlin is Chairman of the American Red Cross.


Shari Redstone
Age 49
Director since 1994 President of National Amusements since January 2000. Prior to that, Ms. Redstone served as Executive Vice President of National Amusements since 1994. She practiced law from 1978 to 1993; her practice included corporate law, estate planning and criminal law. Ms. Redstone is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the National Association of Theatre Owners, Co- Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of MovieTickets.com, Inc., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CineBridge Ventures, Inc., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rising Star Media, a member of the Board of Trustees at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and a member of the Board of Directors at Combined Jewish Philanthropies. She is also on the Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the Board of Overseers at Brandeis University and was formerly a member of the Board of Trustees at Tufts University. Ms. Redstone is a director of National Amusements.

Sumner M. Redstone
Age 79
Director since 1986 Chairman of the Board of the Company since 1987 and Chief Executive Officer since 1996. Mr. Redstone has served as Chairman of the Board of National Amusements since 1986 and Chief Executive Officer of National Amusements since 1967. He also served as President of National Amusements from 1967 through 1999. He is a member of the Advisory Council for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation and is on the Board of Trustees for The Museum of Television and Radio. Mr. Redstone served as the first Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Theatre Owners and is currently a member of its Executive Committee. Since 1982, Mr. Redstone has been a member of the faculty of Boston University Law School, where he has lectured on entertainment law, and since 1994, he has been a Visiting Professor at Brandeis University. He has also been a frequent lecturer at colleges, including Harvard Law School. Mr. Redstone graduated from Harvard University in 1944 and received a LL.B. from Harvard University School of Law in 1947. Upon graduation, Mr. Redstone served as Law Secretary with the United States Court of Appeals, and then as a Special Assistant to the United States Attorney General. He served as a director of Infinity until the Infinity Merger. Mr. Redstone is a director of Blockbuster.

Frederic V. Salerno
Age 59
Director since 1994 Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Verizon Communications Inc. ("Verizon"), formerly Bell Atlantic Corporation ("Bell Atlantic"), from June 2000 to October 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Salerno served as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Bell Atlantic since August 1997. Prior to the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX Corporation ("NYNEX"), he served as Vice Chairman Finance and Business Development of NYNEX from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Salerno was Vice Chairman of the Board of NYNEX and President of the NYNEX Worldwide Services Group from 1991 to 1994. Mr. Salerno is Chairman of the Board of Lynch Interactive Corp. and a director of Akamai Technologies, Inc., Avnet Inc., The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., Consolidated Edison, Inc. and Dun & Bradstreet Corp.


William Schwartz
Age 69
Director since 1987

Counsel to Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft since 1988. Mr. Schwartz also served as Vice President for Academic Affairs (the chief academic officer) of Yeshiva University from 1993 to July 1998 and has been University Professor of Law at Yeshiva University and the Cardozo School of Law since 1991. He was Dean of the Boston University School of Law from 1980 to 1988 and a professor of law at Boston University from 1955 to 1991. Mr. Schwartz was Chairman of the Board of UST Corporation and is a member of the Advisory Board of WCI Steel, Inc. He is an honorary member of the National College of Probate Judges. He served as Chairman of the Boston Mayor's Special Commission on Police Procedures and was formerly a member of the Legal Advisory Board of the NYSE.

Ivan Seidenberg
Age 56
Director since 1995

President and Chief Executive Officer of Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic) since April 1, 2002. Mr. Seidenberg served as President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Verizon from June 2000 until April 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Seidenberg served as Chairman of the Board of Bell Atlantic since December 1998 and Chief Executive Officer since June 1998. Prior to the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NYNEX since 1995. Mr. Seidenberg is a director of Honeywell International Inc., Verizon and Wyeth.

Patty Stonesifer
Age 46
Director since May 2000

Co-Chair and President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (the "Foundation") since 1999. From 1997 to 1999, Ms. Stonesifer served as Chairwoman and President of the Gates Learning Foundation until it combined with the William H. Gates Foundation to form the Foundation. Prior to that, Ms. Stonesifer ran her own management consulting firm from 1996 to 1997. From 1988 to 1996, she held various senior management positions at Microsoft Corporation including Senior Vice President, Interactive Media Division, and Senior Vice President, Consumer Division. Ms. Stonesifer is a director of Amazon.com and she was a director of CBS Corporation at the time of the CBS Merger.

Robert D. Walter
Age 57
Director since May 2000

Founder, Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cardinal Health, Inc. since 1971. He is a member of the Boards of Trustees of Battelle Memorial Institute and Ohio University. Mr. Walter is a director of American Express Co. and was a director of CBS Corporation at the time of the CBS Merger and a director of Infinity until the Infinity Merger.

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/813828/000104746903014091/a2108902zdef14a.htm


Beneficial Ownership of Equity Securities - owns 5% or more
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- National Amusements, Inc.
200 Elm Street
Dedham, MA 02026

Viacom Class A Common 93,658,828 68.8% ownership
Viacom Class B Common 104,334,828 6.4
Blockbuster Class A Common 144,466,800 80.4
Blockbuster Class B Common 144,000,000 100%


http://www.national-amusements.com

Media mogul Sumner Redstone puts the business in show business through National Amusements. What began as a humble operator of drive-in theaters has evolved into a powerhouse that controls about 68% of media giant Viacom. Redstone is chairman and CEO of Viacom.


- Capital Research and
Management Company
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Viacom Class A Common 7,570,600 5.6%

Mario J. Gabelli
Gabelli Asset
Management Inc.
One Corporate Center
Rye, NY 10580-1435

Viacom Class A Common 8,342,535 6.1%


Current directors and executive officers as a group other than
Mr. Sumner Redstone
(24 persons)

Viacom Class A Common 81,186
Viacom Class B Common 4,076,912
Blockbuster Class A Common 3,028
Blockbuster Class B Common

[Panda1]

18. More about the Viacom monopoly

http://money.cnn.com/2003/06/19/news/companies/viacom_cnn/
Viacom-CNN merger?

Trade paper says Viacom president had made an offer to buy the news network from AOL Time Warner.
June 19, 2003: 5:44 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Viacom President Mel Karmazin has his eye on CNN, a trade paper reported.

Broadcasting & Cable said Karmazin told a small group of executives at the Association of National Advertisers Wednesday that he approached AOL Time Warner Inc. (AOL: down $0.30 to $15.88, Research, Estimates) last week with an offer to buy the news network, which he sees as a cable counterpart for Viacom's CBS.
...
http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/apr/apr106.htm
Viacom announces changes in board of directors

Indiantelevision.com Team

(14 April 2003 2:00 pm)


NEW YORK: This is a move through which media conglomerate Viacom is hoping to push towards corporate governance. The owner of MTV and Nickelodeon has announced that Joseph A. Califano, Jr., William S. Cohen, and Alan C. Greenberg have been nominated to stand for election to its directors board at the company’s annual meeting on the 21st of next month.
...

http://www.surferess.com/CEO/html/sumner_redstone.html
SUMNER M. REDSTONE
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom Inc.
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, National Amusements, Inc.


Sumner M. Redstone is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom Inc. Under his leadership, Viacom has become one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies, and a leader in the production, promotion, and distribution of entertainment, news, sports, and music.

...

Viacom's properties include the CBS Network, MTV Networks, BET, Showtime Networks, Infinity Broadcasting, TDI Worldwide and Infinity Outdoor, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Paramount Parks, UPN, Blockbuster, Simon & Schuster, and theatrical exhibition operations in North America and abroad. The company's Internet businesses include the MTVi Group, the CBS Internet Group, and Nickelodeon Online. Viacom also owns a half-interest in the Comedy Central cable channel. National Amusements, Inc., a closely held corporation which operates approximately 1,300 motion picture screens in the U.S., the U.K., and South America, is the parent company of Viacom.

http://www.viacom.com/sumner.tin

http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=cat&category1=Business&newsitem_no=8336
Sumner Shifts Seats On Viacom Board, Reups With Karmazin

April 10, 2003


Mel Karmazin (left) and Sumner Redstone (right).

Viacom's chairman/CEO Sumner Redstone has been juggling his board of directors, dropping it from 18 to 17 members to "enhance corporate governance," the media conglomerate said in its annual proxy filing. A power debate has been resolved beween Redstone and COO Mel Karmazin. Both have reupped with Viacom signing employment contracts that return significant powers to Redstone, 79, while maintaining Karmazin's authority to run Viacom on a daily basis. It was widely reported that issues had arisen between them when Viacom and CBS Corp., where Karmazin, 59, was CEO, merged. Company insiders have been asked not to stand for re-election, to make room for Wall Street and political figures. Redstone has also sacrificed his son's seat in the redesign of the board. In addition to Brent Redstone, CBS president/CEO Leslie Moonves, financial adviser and former vice chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston, Ken Miller, and George Conrades, CEO of Akami Technology are stepping down to make way for former defense secretary William Conrades, former health secretary Joe Califano and Alan Greenberg, chairman of the executive committee of Bear Stearns. The remaining current board members are up for re-election at the company's annual meeting on May 21, 2003. Shari Redstone, Redstone's daughter and head of movie theater chain National Amusements, will stand for re-election on the board. Redstone and Karmazin received a 2002 salary of $3.6M each, up 9% from $3.3M the previous year. Each executive got a bonus of $16.5M and were granted a package of 600,000 in new stock options, currently valued at $13.8M. In 2001 they each received 750,000 stock options. Redstone recently bought additional Viacom stock and now holds 9.26 million shares.
....

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3169/19_40/61954563/p1/article.jhtml

VIACOM TAKES OVER CBS FOLLOWING FCC APPROVAL.(Brief Article)
Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, May 8, 2000

CBS name disappeared from stock exchange May 4 following closing of $30 billion takeover by Viacom and FCC approval of deal. Closing came amid confidence among officials that FCC would begin proceeding that would allow Viacom to avoid spinning off UPN network because of dual network rule. Officials said FCC, which gave Viacom 12 months to come into compliance, is expected to raise issue of repealing rule as part of biennial review that's due by May 27.

Viacom must divest one of its 2 networks, as well as TV stations reaching more than 6% of national audience and radio stations in 5 markets, FCC said in order approving CBS-Viacom merger. Viacom would have 12 months to come into compliance with dual network and TV ownership cap rules and 6 months to divest radio stations in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, L.A., Sacramento. Approval includes transfer of 38 TV and 162 radio stations to Viacom, plus translator and satellite stations. Commission also said Viacom must preserve UPN as viable network during divestiture period.
....
Viacom had argued that owning both CBS and UPN didn't violate dual network rule since UPN didn't meet audience coverage requirements. Argument was based on claim that secondary affiliates should be counted as, in effect, syndication agreements. In final order, FCC rejected claim, as well as Viacom request for 24 months to come into compliance. It said requirement shouldn't be surprise, and sale of UPN actually has become easier since Viacom bought out Chris-Craft. It also noted that Viacom had pledged to preserve UPN as "a viable, independent voice distinct from that of the CBS TV Network" during 12-month period.
...

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/viacom.asp

WHO OWNS WHAT
Viacom
One of the largest global media empires, Viacom has a financial interest in broadcast and cable television, radio, Internet, book publishing, and film production and distribution. Some of this vertically integrated conglomerate's highly recognizable properties include the CBS network, MTV, Infinity broadcasting, Simon & Schuster, Blockbuster and Paramount Pictures. With such a diverse portfolio of properties, Viacom is one of the most profitable media giants as CBS is a top draw for older viewers while MTV remains the most popular teen orientated media outlet.

Viacom, Inc. Headquarters
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
Ph: 212-258-6000
fax: [phone]
www.viacom.com

Corporate History
Viacom Corporate Timeline
Television
CBS Stations:
KEYE-TV - Austin, TX
WJZ-TV - Baltimore, MD
WBZ-TV - Boston, MA
WBBM-TV - Chicago, IL
KTVT-TV - Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
KCNC-TV - Denver, CO
WWJ-TV - Detroit, MI
WFRV-TV - Green Bay, WI
WCBS-TV - New York, NY
WFOR-TV - Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL
WCCO-TV - Minneapolis, WI
KYW-TV - Philadelphia, PA
KDKA-TV - Pittsburgh, PA
KUTV-TV - Salt Lake City, UT
KPIX-TV - San Francisco, CA
KCBS-TV - Los Angeles, CA


And the list goes on and on and on.........

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/viacom-timeline.asp

Partial piece of Viacom timeline...

2000 - Present
2001 - United States Court of Appeals, DC Circuit gives Viacom temporary approval to exceed the 35% ownership cap

2001 - Viacom completes $3 billion deal for BET Inc.

2002 - Viacom completes acquisition of KCAL-TV (Los Angeles) from Young Broadcasting Inc. for $650 million. The deal forms a Viacom duopoly in Los Angeles raising the number of markets where it owns two broadcast stations to eight.

2003 - Infinity Broadcasting owns and operates 185 radio stations, second in size to only Clear Channel Communications. Viacom Outdoor is the largest outdoor advertising entity in North America. Viacom Television Stations Group owns and operates 39 TV stations.

[lostnfound]

13. Hmm..can we create a new beer called "Anti-Bush" and get it advertised?

Or perhaps if the 'Child's Pay' ad ended with a statement like "Subscribe to Znet Magazine and Learn More!" or "Put your money with Working Assets because your kids are sure gonna need it!"

[Auntie Bush]

42. Hey! Don't name it after me. n/t

[lostnfound]

52. Oops. Sorry. But before you arrived, that was my name for Amy Goodman

the anti-Bush.

It's a GOOD thing. I'm sure it could be a good beer, too. I'd buy it.

[kysrsoze]

14. They made a half-correct decision (for now) - please read b/4 flames

Much as I would like to see the ad running at the Super Bowl, the last thing I want to see running during that event is a corresponding ad from the WH/Neocons - especially considering the testosterone fest that it is.

HOWEVER, I they they have a responsibility to the nation to run that ad during prime time if MoveOn pays for the slot. There will be plenty of Bush ads backed by a lot of cash, so they have a huge duty to present opposing views.

Lastly, if the anti-drug ads are the type which link drug use to supporting terrorism, these should NOT be played either.

OK, flame away....

[Toots]

15. link between casual drug use and the financing of global terrorists.

Oh no, our Government thinks Rush supports Terrorism. Off to Gitmo with him.

[Robbien]

16. Don't tell CBS, tell the sponsors you are boycotting the game

They have more clout with CBS than we do.

These are the companies advertising in this years game. Announcements from Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi and Apple iTunes, H&R Block, General Motors-Cadillac, Dodge, America Online (also sonsoring the halftime show), Monster.com, Gillette "M3 Power", FedEx, Visa, Frito-Lay, Staples, Procter & Gamble Co.'s Charmin toilet paper, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Walt Disney - Touchstone Pictures., American Legacy Foundation, Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline - (Levitra), Pfizer Inc. - (Viagra), Eli Lilly and Icos Corp.'s - (Cialis), National Football League - (UnitedWay), Philip Morris USA, Pizza Hut (pre-game), Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation PSA (pre-game), Subway Restaurants (postgame)

[thinkingwoman]

17. we can only hope

that viewers link the anti-drug ads with W (I doubt that will happen, truly), because everyone I've ever asked thinks the latest round of drug use supports terrorist ads are possibly the dumbest stuff ever broadcast.

[leetrisck]

21. Are they considered "public service announcements"

If they are, the taxpayers are paying for them and I believe that's what happened before - we are paying for our own demise - don't you love it?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. What they need is a commercial which encourages people to vote...

drawing a link between citizen apathy and terrorist takeover of a country.

[The_Casual_Observer]

23. I never watch the Stupid Bowl anyway

This is the most overhyped idiotic commercial piece of shit waste of time in the history of man/women kind.

Move-on should not be wasting resources supporting that enterprise anyway.

[CBHagman]

24. The Tiffany Network is dross.

And the media whoredom continues.

[BattyDem]

25. Don't boycott the Super Bowl ...

Boycott the companies sponsoring the Super Bowl. After all, they don't care if you boycott the network, they only care if you don't buy their products. (Robbien provided a list of sponsors in post #16 of this thread.) Also, email those companies and let them know about the boycott and why it's being done. If enough people complain, they may put pressure on CBS to change their "policy".

[Zero Gravitas]

26. The Liberal Media Strikes Again

:eyes:

[mikehiggins]

27. There will be ample other opportunities

to show the commercial. It should be made available to anyone who wants it (especially the Daily Show) and be kept in rotation from now until November.

Play it on Nickelodean and the Disney Channel (I don't know whether they'll show it but you get the idea)

The SuperBowl issue is a distraction. The idea is to get the ad in front of the most eyeballs. If it isn't too late it should be run right before and right after Tuesday's SOTU speech by Bozo the Invisible Airman, and saturate the airwaves (and cable) during both partie's conventions. How about setting up a special fund to rent a spot on a Times Square bulletin board?

If anyone has maxed out their candidate's contributions, then send money to MoveOn specifically to push these ads onto the air.

Let a thousand blossoms bloom.

[Dover]

28. Okay, time to hijack the blimp......anybody know how operate one?

Sorry, I'll have to be ground crew...I'm scared of heights and large crowds....and football. LOL!

[creativelcro]

34. easy to manouvre a blimp...

[JohnOneillsMemory]

29. "If you smoke pot, you might be aiding...Canada!!" hee-hee. n/t

[SOS]

35. Those pot ads

have some skeletons in their closet:

Ogilvy Executive Resigns After Arrest (NYT 1/8/04)

Thomas Early, finance director at the New York office of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, resigned yesterday, the agency said, a day after he was charged with conspiring to inflate billings for work on the ad account of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Mr. Early and a former Ogilvy colleague, Shona Seifert, were charged Tuesday by the United States attorney's office in New York with falsifying time sheets and other documents to overbill the drug office from May 1999 through April 2000. Both of them pleaded not guilty yesterday.

(Earlier) government charges against Ogilvy related to overbilling were settled by the agency in February 2002 through measures that included paying the government $689,744 and revising its bills downward by $1.15 million.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/08/business/media/08addes.html?ex=1074574800&en=d66ad759bdc172ee&ei=5070

[otohara]

30. Just Heard This on CBS

Thanks America, for making CBS the most watched network -

Nothing to see hear, moveon.org can kiss Viacom ass....democracy, fuck democracy...

[Fovea]

31. Goodbye CBS

And goodbye to your sponsors whenever I can.

[Just Me]

32. My short, sweet, letter to all cable networks,...

Dear Corporate Loyalists:

I am writing to inform you that your ratings are going to steadily decline. You should know that I am a moderate and fairly modest American citizen who cares deeply about my family and my country. I used to be quite trusting of everything you published. Now, I have pretty much "turned you off".

The word is getting around that, your allegiance is NOT to serving the American people. We are starting to get that you are failing to DO YOUR JOB which is to provide us with information impacting our ability to make substantive choices. It is becoming blatantly obvious to us that, you serve one master,...the unethical corporation whose only aim is profit.

Your actions are certainly awakening us to the fact that, instead of serving us as human beings, you treat us as mere "consumers",...as if we are merely commodities or things. We are catching onto the fact that your primary interest in us has everything to do with your greatest weakness,...greed. We are also accepting that your greed services us very poorly, and we are turning to other more valuable, more noble, and more ethical resources.

I will close by informing you of my position. You have callously pursued traumatizing little dramas to make the big bucks while simultaneously turning blind to the big traumas which have dramatic impact upon the people in this country. When you fall, as you inevitably will, there will be a great many who will relish in that kind of justice!!!

Your "Former" Viewer,

Just Me

[creativelcro]

33. can they rent a blimp ???

[schultzee]

36. I have already boycotted it. They can show Bushco's ad, but not

a different view. Corporate media are whores for the administration.

[drscm]

38. Are they hiring Rush as their spokesman for these ads? eom

eom

[Piperay]

39. Easy I have never ever watched

the super bowl anyway, I HATE football. :shrug:

[TankLV]

40. Shocked! I tell you. I'm Shocked! ------ NOT!

...and the beat goes on.

[rawtribe]

43. kill your tv

Television is such an ugly and vulgar distraction. Get rid of the damn thing.

[T Bone]

44. Demonstrate in front of their affiliates Superbowl Sunday !!

Thousands of people outside their affiliates in every city during the Superbowl. They will be worried that we are coming to take back the public's airwaves. Hey maybe we just will.

[GinaMaria]

48. I'm in

just told my husband I would not attend friend's super bowl party. Any one else want to join me at the Chicago affiliate?

[Hobarticus]

45. CBS stands for Can't Buy a Spine

What a bunch of tools.

[0007]

46. Listen to it on the radio!

I don't see anyone beating the Pats. The only way is if they self destruct.

[fabius]

47. Ok, I'll boycott the SB

I watched it about five years ago, never since. Not a football fan.

I don't know what CBS' policy really is but they're sure wimping out on a bunch of stuff. "The Reagans", MoveOn, how about just boycotting CBS?

[abelenkpe]

49. already planned to boycott

CBS can go to hell. I will never watch their crappy station again, or any of their affiliates. Hypocrites.

[Wapsie B]

50. Well................

for one thing, many a Super Bowl has turned out to be the most boring game of the year to start with.
Two, we've got Carolina and New England. They both obviously deserve to be there. However, they don't exactly have the biggest fan base in the world. We have another ratings bloodbath in the making.
So if the continental broadcasting system wished to alienate a significant portion of potential viewers of their little game, I say let them cut their own throats. All the bitching and moaning here will tell them nothing. They'll feel it where it hurts when the ratings come in after the game.

[FredScuttle]

51. Panthers vs. Patriots? eh

It won't take much for me to boycott this lame game...yawn

[Puglover]

53. I'll boycott the SB...

hell put the commercial on during Survivor after the Bowl....audience will be huge.

[maxanne]

54. I boycott

every year, leQ :D

No one will notice.

It would be better if we could get some ticketholders to stage a political action at the event.

[Shoedogg]

55. I just sent my E-mail

In addition to informing them of my intention to boycott, I also asked when they decided to become a commercial-free network (since all advertising advocates SOMETHING).

[BiggJawn]

56. Please tell me again about the "Liberal Media"????

Funny, but I always figured they'd let you air 30 seconds of a snuff flick if you had the cash in hand....