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ABC, NBC Won't Air Ad Critical of Obama's Health Care Plan?
Q: What is your opinion of this?
The refusal by ABC and NBC to run a national ad critical of President Obama's health care reform plan is raising questions from the group behind the spot -- particularly in light of ABC's health care special aired in prime time last June hosted at the White House
The refusal by ABC and NBC to run a national ad critical of President Obama's health care reform plan is raising questions from the group behind the spot -- particularly in light of ABC's health care special aired in prime time last June and hosted at the White House.
The 33-second ad by the League of American Voters, which features a neurosurgeon who warns that a government-run health care system will lead to the rationing of procedures and medicine, began airing two weeks ago on local affiliates of ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS. On a national level, however, ABC and NBC have refused to run the spot in its present form.
"It's a powerful ad," said Bob Adams, executive director of the League of American Voters, a national nonprofit group with 15,000 members who advocate individual liberty and government accountability. "It tells the truth and it really highlights one of the biggest vulnerabilities and problems with this proposed legislation, which is it rations health care and disproportionately will decimate the quality of health care for seniors."
Adams said the advertisement is running on local network affiliates in states like Louisiana, Arkansas, Maine and Pennsylvania. But although CBS has approved the ad for national distribution and talks are ongoing with FOX, NBC has questioned some of the ad's facts while ABC has labeled it "partisan."
"The ABC Television Network has a long-standing policy that we do not sell time for advertising that presents a partisan position on a controversial public issue," spokeswoman Susan Sewell said in a written statement. "Just to be clear, this is a policy for the entire network, not just ABC News."
NBC, meanwhile, said it has not turned down the ad and will reconsider it with some revisions.
"We have not rejected the ad," spokeswoman Liz Fischer told FOXNews.com. "We have communicated with the media agency about some factual claims that require additional substantiation. As always, we are happy to reconsider the ad once these issues are addressed."
Adams objects to ABC's assertion that his group's position is partisan.
"It's a position that we would argue a vast majority of Americans stand behind," he said. "Obviously, it's a message that ABC and the Obama administration haven't received yet."
Dick Morris, a FOX News political analyst and the League of American Voters' chief strategist, conceptualized the advertisement and said its purpose was to "refocus" the debate on health care reform.
"I feel the whole debate on health care reform needed to be refocused on the issue of Medicare," he told FOXNews.com. "Most of the debate had been on issues of socialized medicine and cost. I felt that the impact of the legislation in cutting the Medicare program and enforcing rationing needed to be addressed."
Morris, a onetime advisor to former President Bill Clinton, said he was particularly troubled by ABC's decision not to air the spot.
"It's the ultimate act of chutzpah because ABC is the network that turned itself over completely to Obama for a daylong propaganda fest about health care reform," he said. "For them to be pious and say they will not accept advertising on health care shuts their viewers out from any possible understanding of both sides of this issue."
By Joshua Rhett Miller
I have seen ads supporting Obama on FOX NEWS.
21 Answers
- sinicLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Well ........Ditto ! ... Kiddo ! ............those networks consider ...an opposing view
of anything "obama" ...to be "a partisan position" ...... it's just "left wing ethics" ....
.... it's a back door to censorship .........a key "left wing policy" ....
- Anonymous5 years ago
I saw the report and you know GE owns nbc and gave BO serious money and then avc is in the sack also and scared with this new FCC diversity community guy (the admitted communist). But don't worry used to sell cable advertising and since the entire country has cable or Directtv the "big three" are just like a cable channel. For instance O'Reilly had over 5 million viewers and maddow had 220,000. Actually the ratings companies have to lean toward the big boys,, but they really ave no ratings, unless it's some special program, but most are like a cable Company. think of it in a good way instead of spending a ton on there and no reaching many, they can put it on other channels and football and reach more people,any more. Hey, if you want to have some fun you can go to the site below and see how much our senators and reps are getting paid by the lobbyists. They got over $3.2 billion in 2008 and by the way the health industry has given over %500 million, don't think they will have a problem with being represented. Take care.
- doug gLv 71 decade ago
OK, I have seen the adds, what I haven't seen is how the plan will effect people with insurance. The whole insurance scheme is flawed.
Changes need to happen. I think insurance companies and the Hospitals are in cahoots together, there is no free market. I am stuck with what my job has and what they pay the Doctors is pre determined.
Where is the Competition there?
I think insurance companies could be broken by the Reiko law.
Or torn apart like Ma Bell was.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
1. It quotes and executive in the article saying the ad is partisan, and that is why they won't air it.. . . And Obama's health care bill isn't? By saying that arguing AGAINST the bill is partisan, wouldn't that mean that arguing FOR the bill is the equal and opposite partisan?
2. In answer to the first guy, name of "a". YES, it IS illegal to discriminate against an ad based solely on the political views expressed in it. That is called censorship. Oh, I'm sorry. It's only censorship when we don't talk about liberal stuff or cults.
3. In answer to "True American Patriot" DUH. Of course 95 percent of people getting hip replacement in Briton are Senior citizens. WHO THE HECK ELSE GETS THEIR HIPS REPLACED GENIUS? Gee whiz. Please tell me you are not old enough to vote. Look up a useful stat for me, like what percentage of people NEED hip replacements per age bracket. Hey, do you know how many dead people are buried in the cemetery? 95% of 'em.
The decision to not air the commercial is wrong and un-American, regardless of the message. When major network TV decides what political views the public should be exposed to, something is wrong.
Oh, just to point one other thing out, ALL campaign ads are PARTISAN. So hopefully they stop airing them too. I actually wouldn't miss them.
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- PsyengineLv 71 decade ago
"It tells the truth and it really highlights one of the biggest vulnerabilities and problems with this proposed legislation, which is it rations health care and disproportionately will decimate the quality of health care for seniors."
''It rations health care'', well, it is either rational or it is not and ''disproportionately will decimate the quality of health care for seniors." which seniors, the senior population is constantly going up from the 1945-50 baby boom. Due to the ever increasing populations in the USA, the seniors shall disproportionate and thereby decimate health care quality. Tough times are tough times. We don't need new spin.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
"The 33-second ad by the League of American Voters, which features a neurosurgeon who warns that a government-run health care system will lead to the rationing of procedures and medicine, began airing two weeks ago on local affiliates of ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS. On a national level, however, ABC and NBC have refused to run the spot in its present form."
That's because it's a complete lie. There will be no rationing at all. Will you still consider it "rationing" when I tell you that two thirds of all hip replacement procedures in 2008 in Great Britain were done on people 65 and older? Is it "rationing" when 1,600 people in Canada 85 and up receive hip replacements?
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Welcome to Obama's new OPEN DOOR POLICY.What a joke. He preached openness in his campaign, but it's more politics as usual. All I know is I have great Healt Insurance,and I want the stinking Government to leave their grubby Mits off of it! Looks like Obama has the Media in his hip pocket.
- papawLv 71 decade ago
I gave up on ABC,CBS, and NBC long ago along with CNN, and MSNBC (NBC) because of their bias and one sided reporting. Fox is the only credible news media operating today Fox gives both sides, the rest give "their" side.
- 1 decade ago
And Obama held a press conference in the White House but failed to let all major media outlets in.
Whose pocket do ya think they're in?
- Anonymous1 decade ago
We already know where their loyalties lie.
The charade is over.
Those supporting Obama will accept this type of action without a second thought.
Funny thing is, I have seen ads supporting Obama on FOX.
Wonder which station is biased?
