Saturday, January 30, 2010
Superbowl Ad Controversy
Just to be clear on this up front, I am not gay and I am not a woman. Therefore, I have no horse in this race.
While I haven't seen either of the ads in question I am interested in the situation that CBS has apparently put itself in. They have accepted the 'Focus on the Family' ad that discusses abortion, and stars College football star Tim Tebow's mother. The other ad in the situation for a gay men's dating website called Mancrunch.com.
I am not sure that the Superbowl is a good place for politically charged advertising. I have always enjoyed the entertainment value of the advertising during the Superbowl, and for the most part they have been interesting and creative. (The cat wrangling ad from several years ago still makes me chuckle when I think about it.)
To state clearly on both these issue. Abortion: I can't have one. I do believe that they should be legal in the US but I also believe that they should be rare. My instincts tell me that a good number of the abortions preformed in the US are for 'convenient' birth control and not for other medical reasons. Homosexuality/Gay dating: I have some friends from both high school and college that are gay. I really couldn't care less. On a religious basis I have a problem with the activities of homosexual men, but only on a religious basis. My religious feeling on the matter does not have an affect on the legal positions I take, they are based on what the US law says or should represent.
Having said all that I have. I really don't want to see either of these ads during the Superbowl. I have a problem with CBS accepting the 'Focus on the Family' 'Pro-Life' ad and rejecting the 'Mancrunch.com' ad. This shows a bias towards a particular political agenda which I don't feel should be a part of a major sporting events broadcast.
As an added note: this is not the first time that CBS has rejected ads that don't fit a certain political agenda for a Superbowl broadcast. While they have the right to broadcast what they wish, I don't think this is a good venue for them to be displaying a political agenda.
