CBS is being criticized for the decision to air a purportedly pro-life commercial featuring Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow during the Super Bowl. Groups are urging the network to either accept ads with opposing views or reject the ad featuring Tebow.
Tebow is a very public Christian who has the habit of painting Bible verses on the black paint he wears under his eyes and wrist bands during nationally televised college football games.
The ad, sponsored by Focus on the Family involves Tebow's mother's account of how she ignored a doctor's advice to abort her fifth child, "Timmy." He [Tebow] ended up leading the University of Florida football team to win the national championships in 2006 and 2008.
A liberal Christian denomination, the United Church of Christ (UCC) claims that CBS is showing favoritism to one side of the abortion debate.
UCC attempted to purchase airtime from CBS 2004 for an ad that featured a gay couple, and sought to welcome gays to the denomination. Ben Guess, director of communications for the UCC, asserts that CBS refused the ad because it was too controversial.
The Women's Media Center and other pro-choice groups have launched a campaign calling for CBS to immediately pull what the group called "an anti-choice advertisement."
A Facebook group is also asking CBS either give an ad slot to the UCC or reject the Focus on the Family ad.
CBS officials have said that they had changed their policy against accepting "advocacy" ads for economic reasons.
In the past the network has refused ads sought by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and MoveOn.org.
"We have for some time moderated our approach to advocacy submissions after it became apparent that our stance did not reflect public sentiment or industry norms," spokesman Dana McClintock told the Associated Press. "In fact, most media outlets have accepted advocacy ads for some time."
Written by James Hirsen
HULIQ.com
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