(MTV's gay cable channel) Logo rejects pro-gay church ad

[tuvor]

An ad touting the gay-inclusive policy of the 1.3 million-member United Church of Christ has been refused by at least 17 broadcast and cable outlets, including the Big Four TV networks and the gay-themed cable channel Logo.

The denomination's 30-second "ejector" commercial begins with a shot of an African-American mother in a church pew, trying to calm a fussing baby. As fellow worshippers become more impatient with the baby, someone in the wings pushes an ejector button, sending mother and baby flying from the pew.

A gay couple, an Arab American, a person using a walker and others get ejected as well. The humorous spot suggests that the United Church of Christ welcomes people who may not find a friendly reception at other churches, a theme underscored by the announcer, who says, "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."

Logo, which is owned by Viacom and operated by MTV, rejected the ad, saying that MTV's policy of standards and practices "does not accept advocacy or religious advertising that appears to disparage any organization, denomination or individual." The policy applies to all MTV Networks' channels, which include MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Logo and Nickelodeon, the company said in a written statement.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20060411/co_po/logorejectsprogaychurchad

(So, who exactly is being "disparaged"?)

[DBoon]

1. They are persecuting christians

whose faith requires that they persecute gays and other unwelcome people.

Requiring inclusion and tolerance is a form of religious persecution, if your religion requires exclusion and intolerance

[stevietheman]

2. Didn't you know... that the existence of the Logo channel is...

merely to market corporate products to gay people? Yep, they're setting up that "special" network so they get all the gays huddled to look at the products big business wants to bring to their attention. Maybe I'm cynical. (and gay). And I don't like to be condescended to. This ad rejection by Logo, I feel, proves my position.

[Maat]

5. This PFLAGer was wondering what my GLBT friends were going to think about

this.

I think it stinks (and will be asking questions about how others feel at the next meeting).

The UCC church has been a GREAT resource and friend to my GLBTQ friends and their families (and extended family and friends), as has my church, the Church of Religious Science (and the Unitarian-Universalists and Episcopalians).

I don't get LOGO on my satellite system (DISH). I think that if I were a LOGO customer, and they refused to air this ad, then I would NO LONGER be a LOGO customer, and I would let them know why.

Just this little ol' lady's two cents' worth.

[orleans]

3. good. i think every station should ban religious

commercials--immediately. since bush is messianic--according to what sy hersh wrote in the new yorker, & he's got his finger on the nuke trigger--and he believes in the end times (or does he? didn't he recently go "huh?" when someone asked him a question about that) but we don't need anymore of this dangerous religion.

(even tho that commercial is pretty good--the mormon commercials usually are)

[OneBlueSky]

4. "We control the horizontal . . . we control the vertical . . .

we control EVERYTHING you see and hear" . . .

"And there ain't a damned thing you can do about it, suckas!" . . .

Your Friendly "Neighborhood" Corporate Media

[W_HAMILTON]

6. I don't have a problem with it...

...in fact, if it were up to me, I'd probably prefer not to have the commercial aired either. Gay people get enough crap through just about every other venue in their lives, so why add more? It's nice to see that there are gay-friendly churches out there, but I'm sure there are alot of gay people (including myself) that would just prefer not to see any sort of religious advertisements.

I haven't seen the commercial, but if it starts out like that, and doesn't state its meaning till the end, how many people do you think will turn the channel before they even get the message? I'd be pretty pissed if I was watching a "gay network" and saw a commercial where a gay coupled was "ejected" out of church. Hell, I might not even wait till the end of the commercial to see what it was about.

Just too much could go wrong with it. I agree with Logo's decision not to air the commercial. Everyone's beef shouldn't be with Logo, which apparently refuses most (all?) religious advertisements, they need to question why the big networks will show all these religious ads, but refuse to air the UCC's commercial.

I know people like to bring up conspiracy theories about everything, but I don't think this is just some big business scheme.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. Logo did not reject the ad

The executives of Viacom, the owner of MTV and its subsidiaries, has rejected the ad for all it's media outlets.