Join the One-Minute Boycott of CBS

[Pale Blue Dot]

This just arrived in my inbox:

The CBS networks still refuses to run our winning ad in the Bush in 30 Seconds ad contest during the Super Bowl. The MoveOn.org non-partisan campaign to get CBS to air issue ads continues, but we're not going to let CBS's censorship stop us in the mean time. That's why we're spending over $1 million to air the ad in our swing states and nation-wide on other channels -- starting with two spots on CNN that will air during the Super Bowl half time.

This Sunday, during the Super Bowl half time show, join us in changing channels on CBS. At 8:10pm and 8:35pm EST, switch over to CNN to watch "Child's Pay" on a channel which doesn't censor its ads. We'd like to keep a tally of the number of people who participate -- you can sign up here:
http://www.moveonvoterfund.org/boycott

The number of groups, individuals, and newspapers that have called on CBS to run our ad is remarkable. The National Organization for Women and the American Civil Liberties Union have asked their own members to call CBS. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) gave a powerful speech about CBS on the floor of the Senate, saying, "Maybe network executives at CBS are so afraid of political pressure from the right wing and their business advertisers who are in league with the right wing politics of America that they are afraid to put anything on the air that might in fact make things uncomfortable. If that is the case, it is time for CBS to announce the name of their network is the 'Conservative Broadcasting System' and come clean with American viewers."

28 members of the House of Representatives wrote a letter to CBS which stated, "The choice not to run this paid advertisement appears to be part of a disturbing pattern on CBS's part to bow to the wishes of the Republican National Committee. We remember well CBS's remarkable decision this fall to self-censor at the direction of GOP pressure. The network shamefully cancelled a broadcast about former President Ronald Reagan which Republican partisans considered insufficiently flattering." Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote a separate letter to CBS urging them to reconsider their decision.

Today, the L.A. Times printed an Op-Ed piece of ours which lays out the case against CBS's censorship. That's attached below. But the editorial pages of the Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other papers came out in our favor as well. As the Globe wrote, "MoveOn.org's 30-second ad, which has aired on CNN, is a gentle yet powerful depiction of how hard today's children will have to work to pay off the country's mounting deficit. That's a vital message that might get lost in a year of campaign rhetoric, and it deserves a response from the White House in its own 30 seconds of imagery. America, sitting on the couch, junk food in hand, just might sit up and want to know more."

Luckily, there are still some networks that do allow the free exchange of ideas. Please join the one-minute boycott: at Super Bowl halftime, switch to CNN and watch "Child's Pay," and let us know at:
http://www.moveonvoterfund.org/boycott

I'm in... who else?

[Bronco69]

1. I don't like football

so I won't be watching the Super Bowl anyway, but I intend to tune in to CNN to watch the ad. :-)

[dusty64]

2. Sounds good!

Will do!

[carpediem]

3. I'll be there n/t

..

[blondeatlast]

4. Thanks--I accidentally deleted it, but was trying to post it.

[blondeatlast]

5. Here's the correct link to sign the pledge:

http://www.moveonvoterfund.org/boycott/

[GinaMaria]

6. I'll try

Going to someone elses house for a superbowl party. My husband and I won't watch the game. We'll try to get them to switch to CNN. One of the hosts is a PIA Repub. We'll do our best. It's a great ad for anyone who hasn't seen it. Very clear message.

Remember all the 'free' showings on the news of the Apple comuputer ad that ran only once during the super bowl? It was a big brother, 1984 type look with a woman shattering the screen. Something like that. It was so talked about that the news kept playing the damn thing. How times have changed. Corporate controlled 'news' won't do the same for the MoveOn ad, no matter how much it's talked about.

[soup]

7. thank you for posting this, FinnFan.

About 10 of us are gathering tomorrow to celebrate our grandson's 2nd birthday :-) and watch the game :-( (not a big football fan here).

8:10
8:35

we're there.

[mike_c]

8. one minute?! is that the best we can do?

Have we become so shallow that the best we can do in opposition to fascism is tear ourselves away from the "bread and circuses" for ONE FREAKING MINUTE?! And at half-time, so that we don't miss any of the real entertainment?

If we have got any principles left we should boycott the whole bloody game and make sure to tell CBS about it. That's what I'm doing.

[Bush loves Jiang]

9. Haven't watched it since '95...lol

Used to be a Cowboys fan, don't really care a lot about sports aside from following the Toronto Blue Jays and our local Junior Hockey team. :-P