Stop Censorship: Tell Networks to Show New UCC Ad

Action Alert from the United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries

In December 2004, the major media networks CBS and NBC refused to air the United Church of Christ’s ad that delivers the message, “God doesn’t reject people, neither do we.”  When this happened in 2004, over 6,000 people took action at UCCTakeAction.org to tell the executives of the networks that they should air the ad.

Once again, a new UCC commercial, which invites all people into the church, has been rejected by the networks, their affiliate cable stations, and Viacom.  Every day, the networks air advertising laced with sexual innuendo, violence, materialism, and the politics of personal destruction, yet the message of openness and welcome stated in the new UCC ad is "too controversial" to be shown.  While some stations are still airing our ad, many communities, particularly those without access to cable, will never see this ad.  To watch the new UCC commercial click http://www.ucc.org/commercial.html and for more information, or to see the old ads, please visit http://www.stillspeaking.org

In response to the decision of the networks, the UCC is launching a petition drive to tell these networks to air the UCC ad!  This petition drive will be conducted online and is also available in PDF to print out and circulate among members of your congregation.  Please have your signatures in by Tuesday, May 9.  On the day after Mother’s Day, Monday, May 15, we will hand-deliver this petition to the executives of NBC, CBS and Viacom in New York City.  To sign this petition online click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/showuccad and to download the petition in PDF format click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/petitionpdf 

The strong response of JPANet advocates in 2004 generated widespread media coverage of the ad controversy and got the attention of network executives.  Your voice makes a difference!