This post has been updated
The One True b!X’s PORTLAND COMMUNIQUE alerted me to some Oregon fallout over the decision by CBS and NBC to ban a new commercial produced by the United Church of Christ to increase the church’s visibility. KGW.com and the AP are reporting that the local CBS and NBC affiliates might air the spot on their own despite the network ban.
"In the spot, there's no advocacy for special groups, gay people, or this people or that people — it is a very inclusive message," said Brenda Buratti, KGW's director of programming.
KGW vice president and general manager Paul Fry said even though NBC rejected the ad, KGW would air it if the church wanted to buy local airtime on the station.
David Lippoff, vice president and general manager of CBS affiliate KOIN-TV in Portland, said he "didn't see anything objectionable about the spot. If they were to approach us, we wouldn't have a problem airing it."
CBS affiliates in Medford and Eugene, as well as NBC affiliates in Klamath Falls, Medford, Eugene and Bend, said they saw no immediate problem with the spot, but several added that they would not air it without first running it past their staffs.
That is encouraging news. Earlier today members of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ held a press conference at Portland’s First Congregational UCC to denounce the decision by CBS and NBC.
"CBS and NBC are seeking to deny a major denomination access to the public airways," the Rev. Eugene Ross, a minister for the United Church of Christ's Central Pacific Conference, said at the protest attended by about 30 people at downtown Portland's First Congregational Church.
Ross asked: "What are these networks afraid of? Why are they doing this? If they can limit the United Church of Christ access to the public airwaves, whose voice will be stifled next month, next year?"
Good questions, Gene.
Local efforts like this challenging network affiliates might go along away toward getting the UCC spot on the air.
Update: You can now watch KGW's story (and hear some of Gene Ross' remarks) by clicking here for the video.
Update: Click here to read a recap of the press conference from the Central Pacific UCC web site.
