Fox cancels Democratic Presidental Debate!

The Fox News sponsored Democratic presidential debate in Nevada has been cancelled.

Some say that this is actually GOOD for Fox (The Sean Hannity Network) because it will show real American's just how UN-American the Democrats are and that they are cowards who are afraid of the very professional news anchors who have always been more fair and balanced than the liberal media. (HAHAHAHAAH! I learned that "Some say, bs debating trick from the great movie Outfoxed." It's a wonderful propaganda gambit to make your point without owning up to your partisan hackery.

Here's the letter from Robert Greenwald.

Dear activists, colleagues and friends,

We have a terrific victory to enjoy today. The Fox News sponsored Democratic presidential debate in Nevada has been cancelled. Activists all over the country came together -- from the netroots to grassroots to MoveOn to bloggers to the film we at Brave New Films created -- in a stunning and powerful rejection of the myth that Fox is a news station.

For those of you who have helped spread the word by spreading our Fox Atacks: Obama video far and wide. Thanks for amazing work. If you missed it, check it out here:
Watch Fox Attacks Obama


We want to continue the work of calling attention to the distortions, lies and propaganda that is Fox News. Please help support our continuing efforts:
1. Donate to Fox Attacks.
2. Watch Fox News and identify local advertisers.
3. Subscribe to the News Hounds weekly newsletter. They watch Fox so you don't have to!

Enjoy this important step in making very clear we will not accept propaganda as news any more.

Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New Films team

Success! Allstate: [We are] "pulling our advertising"

> From: "XXXX, XXXXX" <>
To: xxxxx@xxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:54:39 AM
Subject: RE: E-Mail routed via EchoMail (Ticket#


Hello and thank you for your recent message.

We appreciate the feedback you provided. We are not always able to know the programming where our advertising will run in advance. We were unaware that our commercials were running during this show and are pulling our advertising from it.

Thanks again.

About this email:

This was Allstate's first specific, non-form letter response. First we got the form letter, then Allstate checked out the show, then we got this email. Then, after a few months, they started up again and moved the ads to another time near the news, (clearly to avoid the association factor with some of the outrageous things they say on KSFO). But as we saw earlier, that isn't much distance. For example, immediately after the 6:00 AM ABC Network News on 10/27/2006, Rodgers and Morgan talked about hog-tying and burning an alleged arsonist alive and stomping a protester to death).

Also, based on my email with advertisers, sometimes a new ad or media buying team comes on and doesn't know WHY the previous ads were pulled so they put them back up. So we need to contact them again. Sometimes we find it was simply a mistake, and they didn't intend to advertise again on the show.

Other times they are offered great 'deals' to get them back. For all I know they are giving them ads for free or bundling them with ads on Hannity, Rush or other programs. Of course it will look like a huge bargain at the time, and the sponsors might think "Hey this Gift Horse looks GREAT" so they advertise. But what kind of deal is it when the hosts cross the line yet again to taint their brand?

Of course the sales people will say, "Oh that's an old clip", or "they apologized for THAT". Would they really tell advertisers that they have no control over the hosts? So I just point out the NEW offensive things that they said and the things they have NOT apologized for (and believe me, I got LOTS of new things I never had time to post).

Advertisers: You can listen to Lee Rodgers NOT apologize for what he has said on 1/12/2007 at the KSFO website.

And regarding context? Well the fine folks at Online Blogtegrity have a few thoughts on that and Zombie facts.

I don't know what the good people at Allstate plan for future advertising. They may feel that they have to blast out ads all over the place no matter what the show's reputation is, but for awhile Allstate was paying attention to their own internal guidelines about NOT supporting violent rhetoric directed toward people of different races and religions. That was a good sign.

Wow, It just occurred to me, I certainly hope they didn't return after leaving because they were threatened by Lee Rodgers! That's not a very nice way to treat the people who (paid? pay? might pay?) the bills.

From MediaNewsDaily: Free Registration required

He [Rodgers] also seemed to threaten former advertisers. Responding to an email question, Rodgers declined to name advertisers that have withdrawn their support, but added: "People who want to play that boycott game seem to forget this is a sword that cuts both ways. We have plenty of people that listen to this radio station that say 'hell, if somebody is trying to shut up the people on my favorite radio station, I don't think I want to give them any money,' so it could work two ways."

Why did I run this quote again?
First, to remind advertisers that I'm not the one threatening them.
Second, I never called for a boycott.
Third, I know that the advertisers might not know the whole story and they want context.
Finally, the advertisers can always listen to the show on-line and make the decision themselves.

Success! In-N-Out Burger: "We are pulling our Advertising from this Station"

From: "XXX XXXXX" XXXX@innout.com
To: xxxxx
Subject: FW: KSFO radio
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:12:47 -0800

1/15/06

Dear XXX XXXX:

Thank you for taking the time to call us today to let us know about the negative statements you heard on KSFO Radio in San Francisco.

I just learned that my Supervisor cancelled this station last week, but apparently her request was not yet implemented. We are pulling our advertising from this station and will remind our Agency to follow up immediatley.

We appreciated your feedback, and sincerely aplogize for this incident.

Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention.

Kind regards,

ZZZZ XXXX
In-N-Out Burger
Marketing Department
Phone
Fax

A big thank you to the Spocko's Brain Irregular member who sent this to me. Just a reminder folks, be sure to ask the advertiser to let you know their decision after they have had a chance to check out the situation.

I do hope the agency follows up. A quick note to them:

Dear In-N-Out Burger agency people:

Please note what Melaine Morgan said about you and your clients on their VERY SPECIAL PROGRAM on January 12, 2007. First, A Fresh Insult. Second, for complete context you can listen for yourself! They have helpfully put the audio stream on their site. But here is what Morgan says about you:

If there are sponsors who listen to these idiots, and I'm not sure there are, despite what they say," asserted Morgan, "but if that's the case, I know who it would be. It would be some craven little time buyers at an advertising agency someplace who have no guts whatsoever."

Now I don't know if she "apologized" or not for this comment. I suspect she will say that she wasn't talking about YOU, just all the OTHER Craven Little Time Buyers. She is very clever that way.

Oh and In-N-Out Burger people, PLEASE tell me if Lee Rodgers incites his listeners to boycott you. You will note that I and my readers suggested no such boycott of your products.

From MediaNewsDaily: Free Registation required

He [Rodgers] also seemed to threaten former advertisers. Responding to an email question, Rodgers declined to name advertisers that have withdrawn their support, but added: "People who want to play that boycott game seem to forget this is a sword that cuts both ways. We have plenty of people that listen to this radio station that say 'hell, if somebody is trying to shut up the people on my favorite radio station, I don't think I want to give them any money,' so it could work two ways."

That was Rodgers’ suggested response to how KSFO listeners should deal with an advertiser who made a business decision and decided to discontinue their support. Kind of scary that he would use the power of his position on commerically supported broadcast radio to go after former advertisers. It makes me wonder if the current advertisers are staying to avoid Rodgers unleashing his listeners against them. Isn't there a word for that?