Fox Refuses To Air Gay N.Y. Candidate's TV Ad

[lithuanianmafia]

A New York City affiliate of broadcaster Fox News has rejected a campaign advertisement for a Democratic politician that lampoons President George W Bush by superimposing his head on a naked torso.

The ad, produced by Brian Ellner, an openly gay candidate for Manhattan Borough president, opens with a close-up of Bush's face and zooms out to show the torso from the hips up, with a voice-over saying, "New Yorkers know the emperor has no clothes."

Ellner also introduces his male partner during the 30-second commercial.

A spokeswoman for Fox's WNYW/Channel 5 affiliate said the channel was not running the ad, but declined to say why. A spokeswoman for Fox News Channel said: "The decision was made at the station level."

Ellner said on Tuesday, "This is censorship and it's un-American. ... It's either anti-gay because I introduce my partner, or it's anti-free speech because I criticise the president."

He said the three major networks and many other cable channels accepted the ad.

Ellner said WNYW representatives told his campaign officials that the ad was rejected because Fox viewed it as disrespectful to the office of the president.

"Fox claims that this ad is disrespectful to the president. What is truly disrespectful to Manhattan voters is to deny them the chance to hear a serious message from a candidate for public office," Ellner said.

Part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp empire, Fox News operates under the slogan "Fair and Balanced."

According to an annual report by a research arm of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, its audience is increasingly more Republican than viewers of other cable channels.

Now the question is was his ad not aired because of the fact he's a Democrat, or that he's gay? Either way, I believe this is giving an unfair advantage to his Republican opponent because his ads will be shown exclusively on the channel. "Fair and Balanced" my ass

[Esperante]

Here's the news.


It's FOX.


There is no news.

[my porsche]

they do have the right to choose who they let advertise, you know

[lithuanianmafia]

they do have the right to choose who they let advertise, you know

regardless, it still gives an advantage to the Republican candiate over Ellner

[ZeTurbo]

Now the question is was his ad not aired because of the fact he's a Democrat, or that he's gay? Either way, I believe this is giving an unfair advantage to his Republican opponent because his ads will be shown exclusively on the channel. "Fair and Balanced" my ass

are you even surprised FOX did something like this?

they do have the right to choose who they let advertise, you know

True. But it shows plainly FOX's real colours.

Here's the news.


It's FOX.


There is no news.

GOLD!

[Egg Nog]

they do have the right to choose who they let advertise, you know

It's brutal that they'd do something like this regardless of situation. I'm hardly surprised though.

Are you in favour of this then? It's hard to defend what they've done without sounding homophobic - what's your stance?

[my porsche]

ok well lets see, really when you get down to it only republicans watch fox news, so it really wont give any advantage what-so-ever, my opinion :P

[Egg Nog]

ok well lets see, really when you get down to it only republicans watch fox news, so it really wont give any advantage what-so-ever, my opinion :P

Sounds like you're dodging what I'm trying to get at...

[my porsche]

what? no no no... im in no way a homophobe, im just stating in this age of free rights freedom of speach etc. that choosing advertisers to the taste of the channel isnt that bad, fox is a conservative channel...no big news there, so they qould choose a non gay non democrat candidate's commerical over a gay democrat's commercial

do you understand what im saying? i probably was confusing

[Matt]

I thought there were laws dictating that when a network gives time to one candidate, they have to give equal time to the other. Or is that only in the Presidential race?

[my porsche]

i think thats only the presidential race

[PininfarinaPIMP]

Typical ne-con conservative, republican, anti-gay, bible bashing, asswipes...

[ZemoButts]

FOX airs the Jerry Springer show they have no true colours

[scottie300z]

regardless, it still gives an advantage to the Republican candiate over Ellner

I always thought the media had to give equal coverage. So in some way they may have to make up for it.

And it is fox's right they can do that if they want to. Frankly this is one subject where they do have some taste, superimposing george W's head on a naked torso and making a reference to the emporer has no clothes? not very tasteful and frankly pretty stupid. And i dont like the ol george W. This candidate should thank fox for not showing something that will most likely do more harm to his campaign then otherwise.

[crisis]

Without seeing it, its hard to say but if it is purely a sensationalist exercise in trying to shock and goad conservatives by attacking their beliefs and morals then he got what he deserved. I have kind of a low tolerance for people who take the cheap easy way out to get coverage. Has this guy actually got anything usefull to contribute?If so pehaps run with that. Crying homophobe soundls like the angle this guy was looking for.
Also creating an image of someone that is purely intended to offend them is chaep as well.