Feb. 3, 2010 - Sahara Byrne, Cornell University assistant professor of communications, comments on the controversial commercials scheduled to air during the Super Bowl, specifically the possible impact of the Focus on the Family (Tim Tebow) commercial.
Byrne says:
"The controversy over the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad is fueled by a history of CBS rejecting ads that take a stance on issues, particularly those will a left-leaning stance. For example, CBS rejected a United Church of Christ ad in 2004 featuring a white steeple church with a line of people behind a velvet rope waiting to get in, featuring the slogan: ‘Jesus didn't turn people away, neither do we.' Also consider the rejection of a Moveon.org ad protesting Bush policy, an ad from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the recently rejected ad from a gay dating site - Mancrunch.
"With the recent Supreme Court ruling that corporations can buy political ads, there is a lot of money coming up for grabs if networks are willing to air ‘issue' ads, but the networks' motives may backfire through unintended consequences such as a mobilized opposition, a ‘chilling effect' on speech, and potentially endangering lives.
"Acceptance of the Tebow ad will mobilize opposing groups such as the National Organization for women, who are concerned about the push that Focus on the Family (the sponsor of the Tebow ad) has taken toward overturning Roe v Wade. CBS or other networks may eventually refuse to touch any issue-related ads, causing a chilling effect – meaning that fewer voices are speaking out on fewer issues. Finally, it's possible that women suffering from seriously risky pregnancies will follow through with the pregnancy. Prenatal medicine has come quite far since Tim Tebow was conceived and ignoring warnings from a credible doctors could, sadly, result in the loss of women's lives.
"One last issue to consider is the age-old mantra that any publicity is good publicity. Considering the amount of free exposure that Mancrunch is experiencing on YouTube after being rejected by CBS, submitting an ad knowing that it will likely be rejected may be a financially appealing plan."
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