Seven vetted Olympic ads
August 25, 2008 – 7:00 pmBob was kind enough to update us on the GetUp/Channel 7 controversy and it looks like they weren’t the only organisation shafted by the TV network during their Olympics coverage. A Wilderness Society ad relating to the Western Australian election wouldn’t be run ‘until network bosses had seen it.’
“Channel Seven is so sensitive about its Olympic coverage that they’re breaking with standard industry practice to vet advertisements,” said an EMC client manager, Paul Sheridan.
[...]
The managing director of the ad agency Maxus, David Gaines, said approval from CAD was “accepted industry-wide”. “I’m not aware of any situation where a network says, ‘We’ll have a look at an approved ad and then decide whether or not to run it.’ “
Seven also decided not to run the GetUp! ad during their broadcast of closing ceremony because ‘only sponsors’ ads would run during the ceremony.’ I wonder if they’ve settled on an excuse yet?
The ad aired on every other channel.
One Response to “Seven vetted Olympic ads”
Refer letter from Get Up to Kerry Stokes 21st. August 2008
http://www.getup.org.au/files/campaigns/channel7letter.pdf
in part….
“We do not believe that Seven adheres to such a low standard of integrity, and so request that you reverse the decision to refuse our request to purchase airtime around the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics on Sunday night for our Tibet advertisement.
We have advertising space booked on every other network, and would welcome the opportunity to communicate to our 280,000 members (many of whom have expressed their outrage over the apparent censorship of this TVC) that the Seven
Network has agreed to broadcast it this time, and therefore does indeed uphold the values that Australians would expect and demand of their broadcasters.”
——————-
Brett Solomon
Executive Director
CC: Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister
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Note according to Channel 7 commentators there were no human rights issues raised during the whole period of the Olympic Games.
( now for some independent observations )
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/62451/these-games-were-unprecedented-but-what-was-real-and-what-was-illusion/
by Joe Posnanski
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) 23 August 2008
“Friendliness reigned. Then again, friendliness was law. Spitting was outlawed. Dissenters were silenced. There were flashing signs at Tiananmen Square that read: “The Police Reminds You To Smile.”
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In a police state everyone has to smile !
By Bob Bain on Aug 25, 2008