MTV refuses to air anti-war ads

(Reuters) - Groups opposed to the U.S.-led campaign against Baghdad complain they have been blocked from airing anti-war advertisements on broadcast media increasingly dominated by giant corporations forbes.com reports.

The anti-war group Not In Our Name said MTV refused to air its spots in which young Americans in New York's Times Square talk of their opposition to war. The spots were shot by acclaimed documentary maker Barbara Kopple.

However the "be all you can be" army recruit advertisments run on MTV.

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Robblink's picture

I think you're right Dabitch. With all the Army, Navy and Air Force ads running on MTV, there's no room for the anti-war ads. Barbara Kopple should stick to the Hamptons!

tlevitz's picture

Hey, that Hamptons-umentary was good, trashy viewing!

I knew there were other reasons I stopped watching MTV (above and beyond having "aged out of it...")

In all seriousness, when it comes to issues, perhaps the networks should follow the same rules as they do for political advertising during elections: equal time for all sides.

Dabitch's picture

MTV 'bans' half of Madonna's videos, but lets any booty-shaking rapper's video both visually and lyrically degrading to women/cops air a thousand times a day. MTV refuses 'pro-peace' ads but lets Army ads buy as much time as they want. MTV is the zombie-farm of the new generation. MTV is the black tar on your third eye preventing all from seeing.

AnonymousCoward's picture

mtv [and other media outlets] are afraid to appear unpatriotic by accepting ads from groups opposed to the war.

some do-gooder group would see the spot and call for mtv to be pulled off the air.

then again, spots on mtv aren't cheap so folks like 'not in our name' and others can get a huge p-r lift about publicizing the places they can't run their ads -- snippets show up on the news for free as the "commercial that was too hot for mtv" or some such nonsense.

empty-v is becoming less and less relevent these days. do cool kids still watch? seems way too mainstream to capture the hearts and wallets of the opinion leaders in high school.

anonymous's picture

What's ironic is that when the original Gulf War started, MTV ran non-stop peace appeals and songs such as "Give Peace A Chance". Kurt Loder was on the streets interviewing protesters.

I guess MTV developed a corporate conscience over the last 11 years. What a shame.

tlevitz's picture

As for that and the question, "do the kids still watch anymore?"

The answer... yeah, the 'tweens do... MTV is bending so far over , its nose is getting road rash.

VH1 is cool as hell by comparison.

Print, my friends, print. Or, lets pray for a UHF revival.

AnonymousCoward's picture

or godspeed muchmusic or fuse or whatever they are calling themselves now.