News
2005-09-08
Fox affiliate
refuses to air TV ad by gay candidate
A Fox affiliate
television station has rejected a campaign commercial for
a Democrat running in a New York City race, and the
A Fox affiliate
television station has rejected a campaign commercial for
a Democrat running in a New York City race, and the
candidate alleges it's because the ad slams President Bush.
Brian Ellner, one of nine Democrats running for
Manhattan borough president, said Tuesday that the
station had agreed to air his ad leading up to the
September 13 primary. But WNYW Fox 5 pulled out of the deal
after it saw the 30-second ad, which features Bush's head
superimposed onto a bare torso, with the voice-over
intoning, "He claims he's a uniter, but New Yorkers
know the emperor has no clothes."
Ellner's TV spot has already drawn
attention because it concludes with a scene in which
he throws his arm around his partner of three years.
His campaign says no other openly gay candidate for public
office has ever featured his or her significant
other in political ads.
Ellner said Fox told the campaign media adviser
and the ad buyer that the spot was refused because it
was "disrespectful to the office of the president."
Fox 5 spokeswoman Brandii Toby said, "We're not
running the ad." But she said the station had no comment on
why the decision was made or who was responsible for it.
Ellner spent about $290,000 to air the spot for
two weeks on several network and cable affiliates,
campaign manager David Meadvin said. No other stations
refused to run it. Meadvin said the campaign was
considering filing a complaint with the Federal
Communications Commission, which regulates broadcast
channels. (AP)
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