NBC, CW Ban Ads for Dixie Chicks Film

[Sauniere]

Talk about censorship, I hope these ladies gain success from this film because to have their career ruined because they spoke out against the President just tells me how far this country has sunk in the last six years; another sad day in America.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2006-10/29/content_719231.htm

-snip-

Citing its policy barring ads dealing with "public controversy," the NBC network said on Friday it rejected a TV commercial for a new film documenting the furor over the Dixie Chicks' criticism of President George W. Bush.

Ads for the documentary Shut Up & Sing also were rebuffed by the smaller CW network, though local affiliates of all five major broadcasters, including NBC and CW, ran promotional spots for the film in New York and Los Angeles, the two cities where it opened on Friday.

The ad features footage of lead singer Natalie Maines declaring during a London concert in March 2003 that the band was "ashamed" to come from the same state--Texas--as Bush.

The film's distributor, the Weinstein Co., seized on the rejection of its spots as evidence of political censorship by NBC and CW and said it was "exploring taking legal action."

The studio provided media outlets copies of "clearance" reports from NBC's standards and practices department bearing handwritten notations stating the ads were deemed unacceptable because "they are disparaging of President Bush."

Similar documents from the CW cited "concerns we do not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot."

"It's a sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a movie about a group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted for exercising their right of free speech is now itself being blacklisted by corporate America," studio co-owner Harvey Weinstein said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Weinstein, renowned for aggressive marketing tactics as former co-chief executive of Miramax Films, dismissed suggestions by several industry sources that his attack on NBC and CW amounted to a publicity ploy...

[green lantern]

bummer :lol: :lol: :rofl:

[Jarlaxle]

They can't sing...I have no reason to think they can act.

[green lantern]

They can't sing...I have no reason to think they can act.

:eek: :eek: :D :lol: and i thought i was harsh on them :D

[Sauniere]

They can't sing...I have no reason to think they can act.

yeah, thanks for the contribution, and BTW the movie is a documentary.

I don't expect you or GL getting in line for this one.

But I'm sure you'll want to check out these sites... :rolleyes:

http://www.dixiechicks.msn.com/
http://www.weinsteinco.com/
http://www.dixiechicks.com/

[green lantern]

yeah, thanks for the contribution, and BTW the movie is a documentary.

I don't expect you or GL getting in line for this one.

But I'm sure you'll want to check out these sites... :rolleyes:


http://www.weinsteinco.com/
http://www.dixiechicks.com/ you are correct, i won't be seeing it:cool:

[Sauniere]

you are correct, i won't be seeing it:cool:

Dude, mine were rhetorical comments, i.e., no reply necessary. As long as you have, how about the real issue, I.E., these chicken stations NBC and CW afraid to show ads for a movie because of theoretical "controversy." Give me a frigging break, this is censorship pure and simple.

oh my, the church might complain
oh my, other advertisers might pull out
oh my, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear
oh my, let freedom right... :Peace: :Peace: :Peace:

[green lantern]

Dude, mine were rhetorical comments, i.e., no reply necessary. As long as you have, how about the real issue, I.E., these chicken stations NBC and CW afraid to show ads for a movie because of theoretical "controversy." Give me a frigging break, this is censorship pure and simple.

oh my, the church might complain
oh my, other advertisers might pull out
oh my, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear
oh my, let freedom right... :Peace: :Peace: :Peace:what about those stations?? they made a choice that airing them would probably, quite possibly, have a negative impact on the bottom line, so they chose not to air them.

[Sauniere]

what about those stations?? they made a choice that airing them would probably, quite possibly, have a negative impact on the bottom line, so they chose not to air them.

Since when do you stand up for the mega-conglomerate multi-national humungo world-dominating corporations?

Who cares about NBC shares, unless of course you are a stock owner... :rolleyes:

[green lantern]

Since when do you stand up for the mega-conglomerate multi-national humungo world-dominating corporations?

Who cares about NBC shares, unless of course you are a stock owner... :rolleyes:nope, no stock here....not sticking up for anyone either, just giving my opinion of why they won't air them

[Sauniere]

nope, no stock here....not sticking up for anyone either, just giving my opinion of why they won't air them

okay, but IMHO it's a case of, "cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck..."

[green lantern]

okay, but IMHO it's a case of, "cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck..."hmmm..would that make them a bunch of 'dixie' chickens???:D

[Sauniere]

hmmm..would that make them a bunch of 'dixie' chickens???:D

hmmm, let's analyze that, the Dixie Chicks speak their minds, and get condemned roundly by country western stations & so-called "fans" almost everywhere.

no chickens on the menu there

but, NBC & CW refuse to air ads for their documentary, hmmm... if it smells like a chicken and looks like a chicken, well, it IS a chicken...

[chukster8614]

They can't sing...I have no reason to think they can act.
First of all, it's a documentary, so they're not acting.

Second of all, though I'm not really a fan of their music, they CAN sing, and they are excellent musicians who can play a variety of instruments -- which is more that can be said for a lot of "entertainers" out there, especially in the mainstream country music industry, which really isn't about country music anyway.

I saw the movie recently and enjoyed it. It's really quite something to see that there are Americans behaving like they're at a book burning rally -- all over a pretty off-hand comment that was meant as a joke. Besides, it wasn't like they said they were more popular than Jesus, or something that extremists who oppose free speech would get reactionary and hysterical over.

[lord tammerlain]

So goes the theory of the liberal media right

Why if they wont air a Dixie Chicks ad, they can be all that left wing

[Ethos]

This is in no way censorship. This is a business decision.

Ethos

[chukster8614]

This is in no way censorship. This is a business decision.

Ethos
Yes, a business decision that is essentially amounts to self-censorship.

It's amazing that NBC will run campaign attack ads that spread misinformation, but refuse to air a movie ad about the irrational reaction against a C&W group whose singer made a crack about Bush on the eve of a war that has turned out to be a disaster.

Anyway, it's not like the country music community (i.e., Nashville) knows what constitutes greatness. They seem to have a history of shunning the greatest stars (e.g., Hank Williams, Johnny Cash).

[bluestaterinred]

I think it's ultimately a silly decision on the parts of NBC and the CW, however, in the end, it's garnered more free publicity for the movie than the commercials likely would have.

[Jarlaxle]

First of all, it's a documentary, so they're not acting.

Second of all, though I'm not really a fan of their music, they CAN sing, and they are excellent musicians who can play a variety of instruments -- which is more that can be said for a lot of "entertainers" out there, especially in the mainstream country music industry, which really isn't about country music anyway.

I saw the movie recently and enjoyed it. It's really quite something to see that there are Americans behaving like they're at a book burning rally -- all over a pretty off-hand comment that was meant as a joke. Besides, it wasn't like they said they were more popular than Jesus, or something that extremists who oppose free speech would get reactionary and hysterical over.

I don't know (nor do I really care) which of the 3 does vocals, but she sounds like a cat being tortured. I didn't really like them before the stupid stunt...I still don't like them. Excuse me, but I want to hear this song...

*adjusts volume on Red Sovine CD*

[Dutch]

So goes the theory of the liberal media right

Why if they wont air a Dixie Chicks ad, they can be all that left wing

The dixie chicks have the right to say what they want. I have the right to not spend any more money on them. Apparently I'm not alone. As far as the "media" is concerned, money is the primary motivator here.

[chukster8614]

I don't know (nor do I really care) which of the 3 does vocals, but she sounds like a cat being tortured. I didn't really like them before the stupid stunt...I still don't like them. Excuse me, but I want to hear this song...

*adjusts volume on Red Sovine CD*
OK, so long as you're turning up Red Sovine. That's cool. You have every right to trash whichever band you want.