CBS spokesperson Dana McClintock e-mailed Media Matters for America in response to our June 18 report about Citizens United's rollout of its new anti-Clinton ads “to air” during the June 20 edition of CBS's 60 Minutes interview with former President Bill Clinton.
Following is the full text of McClintock's e-mail to MMFA:
“CBS” did not air the new “anti-Clinton” ad. Certain local stations may have, many of whom also have run the moveon.org and PETA ads. Let me know if you have any questions, otherwise we'd appreciate it if you update your Web site.
Thank you.
McClintock did not address the larger question of CBS's inconsistency in rejecting advocacy ads. As Media Matters for America noted, CBS refused to air the MoveOn.org and PETA ads, claiming, in McClintock's words, “We have a policy against accepting advocacy advertising.”
Yet, as MMFA noted, CBS has recently aired advocacy advertising produced by the Bush administration and others. U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and others have noted that CBS also runs “advocacy” ads about smoking and other topics.
Media Matters for America is happy to note, as McClintock requested, that CBS did not air the Citizens United ad at the network level. We await CBS's explanation of its policies regarding advocacy advertising -- and, more importantly, the network's consistent application of those policies.
Related Links