[JPI] more (good) news on UCC ad story

[Cecelia Hawkins]

>From the UCC national office:

Let's recap Day 1, shall we?

Unbelievable web traffic
On launch day, (as of 8 p.m.), there were 38,500 viewers on
<stillspeaking.com> (compare that to just 3,400 visitors the day before)
and 22,000 viewers on <ucc.org> (compare to 8,000 the day before). The
news release about the CBS/NBC controversy was the most popular hit on
<ucc.org>.

Even non-UCCers want to contribute
Financial Development reports 23 online contributions on Wednesday to
the Still Speaking initiative. Twenty were non-UCC members who were
excited by the campaign and wanted to support it.  Some comments from
the non-UCC
contributors:

   "Wow, a Christian organization that actually practices tolerance and
   acceptance."
   "You are doing God's work. Thanks."
   "Finally, breathing room..."
   "Thank you for running this important message of inclusivity. I am
also
   writing CBS and NBC in protest."
   "Blessings on your historic church for continuing to lead the
struggle
   against demeaning others."

The UCC story is everywhere -- literally

We fielded calls from no less than 50 reporters. John Thomas and others
were interviewed by numerous news outlets, including National Public
Radio in Washington, D.C.  At the time of this writing, John Thomas was
scheduled to appear on CNN's Paula Zahn, and mention of the CBS/NBC
controversy was expected on CNN's NewsNight with Aaron Brown.

A google news search reveals more than 60 news stories. Here's a rundown
of some of the more-prominent mentions of the ads and the ad
controversy:

CNN
http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/01/news/fortune500/jesus_ad_ban/index.htm

People for the American Way
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=16842&action=1477
(story, action alert and link to ad)

Associated Press (and hundreds of affiliated newspapers)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug
=Church%20Advertising

The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/thebeat/index.mhtml?bid=1&pid=2039

The Progressive
http://www.progressive.org/webex04/wx120104.html

The Advocate
http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=14473&sd=12/02/04

Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/12/01/ad/index_np.html

Media Matters
http://mediamatters.org/

ElitesTV.com (major online feeder news source)
http://www.elitestv.com/pub/2004/Dec/EEN41ae2786ef296.html

UCC Take Action
http://www.ucctakeaction.org/action/

Here's the story from Religion News Service wired to news outlets on
Wednesday night:
Ads Welcoming Gays to Church Rejected by NBC, CBS
    (RNS) The United Church of Christ is protesting a decision by the
NBC and CBS television networks to reject as "too controversial" a
national ad campaign that highlights the church's acceptance of gay
couples.
    The UCC's $1.7 million "Still Speaking" ads debuted on Wednesday
(Dec.
1), the latest attempt by a mainline Protestant church to use television
to increase visibility and build membership.
    The 30-second spots feature beefy bouncers outside a church denying
entry to various people, including a gay couple. Written text on the
screen says, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." A narrator
says, "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you
are welcome here."
    CBS, in a response provided by the UCC, said it refuses any issue ad
that "touches on and/or takes a position on one side of a current
controversial issue of public importance."
    "Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples ...
and the fact that the executive branch has recently proposed a
constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and
a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the (CBS and UPN)
networks."
    The network said it would accept ads that "deliver secular messages
that are beneficial to society in general" but none "that proselytizes
on behalf of any single religion." A CBS spokesman said a different UCC
ad was accepted.
    A rejection notice from NBC called the ads "too controversial." The
ad has been accepted on several cable channels, including ABC Family,
Black Entertainment Television, Fox, TNT and TBS.
    Church officials hoped the ads, scheduled to run through Christmas,
would reach at least 60 percent of the U.S. population at least three
times. The Rev. Robert Chase, director of communications for the
Cleveland-based denomination, said the networks' decision doesn't make
sense.
    "We find it disturbing that the networks in question seem to have no
problem exploiting gay persons through mindless comedies or titilating
dramas, but when it comes to a church's loving welcome of committed gay
couples, that's where they draw the line."
    Dana McClintock, a spokesman for CBS, did not return calls, and NBC
officials said they were "not commenting yet" on the decision.
-- Kevin Eckstrom