Read Unordained's article before you read this. It is titled "CBS is being mean to me!" I would say that it is pretty much fair and balanced. ::wicked grin:: It exposes bad thought on the left (which I had preached to me yesterday by a far left wing friend of mine) and attacks a possible CBS policy flaw. I would introduce a fact which bolsters one of Unordained's main points: that this ad was not particularly devestating or offensive to the right wing. This ad was aired (I think for free) on "The O'Reilly Factor" and was discussed. Some of you reading this need to ditch one of the two self contradictory ideas in your head: either 1) The so called "No Spin Zone" is a right wing spin factory or 2) CBS censored this ad because they are a wicked right wing conspiracy (RWC) agency with fleets of black helicopters and such. As one of the lower members of the RWC (sarcasm), I can tell you for a fact that CBS is not a force for the Regressive Cause. ::another wicked grin:: With O'Reilly's recent (justified) every day Bush bashing, neither is he.

After reading Unordained's article, I found myself wondering at the obvious conflict in thought. Either CBS can't think or there was something Unordained didn't know. Oftentimes in my life, if it appears that someone is being so stupid or evil that it becomes unbelievable (Bush and Iraq), it means that more information is required (yes but good luck getting that into someone's head...::cough David Kay report cough cough::). So I did a google search and had my answer in 30 seconds.

More information: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040128/nyw155_1.html

This webpage gives us a picture of what it is CBS wants to avoid. Advocacy advertising is not well defined here, but the objective of their policy against advocacy advertising is. CBS wants to avoid broadcasting advertising on extremely contraversial issues. The most revealing quote from this article is: "We have found that people tend to agree with the policy when they disagree with the thrust of the ad, and vice versa." Chew for a while before you swallow. It's tasty.

Frankly, I think this shows a bit of responsibility on the part of CBS (and I don't even like them). Now, it may actually be enlightened self interest (probably a combination of the two), but hear me out. It is one thing to air beer commercials and other such trivial nonsense. That's the kind of thing that keeps TV alive! People are stupid. They buy things because they are told to or because everyone else is or because they are told that everyone else is. This fact makes propaganda a dangerous weapon, and it makes propaganda on events like the SuperBowl far more powerful. CBS and I believe that there are better forums for such advertisements. The garbage for instance would be a good choice. I don't care what wing you're on or how progressive or regressive you are; political advertising sucks.

So. Next time you think something is a result of the vast RWC, please. Just ask us.

ensis

RWC Intern: Mass Education and Sarcasm: Little Read Forums