Anti-gay censorship, brought to you by CBS and NBC

CBS and NBC are refusing to air an ad produced by the United Church of Christ on the grounds that it is "too controversial"--because it is inclusive of all people, specifically LGBT folks.

The ad shows two bouncers out in front of a church, not letting certain people in (among them a gay couple), and then switches to the message, "Jesus didn't turn people away.  Neither do we."  And then you see pictures of lots of different types of people who make up the UCC--people of varying ages, races, and yes, a lesbian couple.

And in the words of CBS:

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations, and the fact 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."

In other words, "We're too afraid of rocking the homophobe boat to air this ad.  Plus, we're whores for the Bush administration/agenda."  (That wasn't too harsh, was it?)

NBC has similarly dismissed the ad, calling it "too controversial."  (Notice that they have no problem exploiting LGBT people for profit when it comes to ad revenue via "Will and Grace.")

Here's the UCC ad in question.

And here's the UCC press release in response.

And finally, below is the contact information for NBC and CBS, so you can helpfully deluge their phones and inboxes with your outrage.  Please speak up about this.

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NBC

Randy Falco
President
Phone: 212-664-5083 (Mr. Falco's office)
Phone: 212-664-4444 (general switchboard)
Fax: 212-664-3019
E-mail: nbcshows@nbc.com

Robert C. Wright
Vice Chairman and Executive Officer
General Electric (he is also Chairman and CEO of NBC)
Phone: 212-664-4555 (Mr. Wright's office)
Fax: 212-664-7288

Sumner M. Redstone
Chairman and CEO
Viacom, Inc.
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
212-258-6000
main CBS TV phone: 212-975-4321

Mr. Leslie Moonves
Chairman and CEO
CBS Television
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-575-2600
email: audsvcs@cbs.com