The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

CBS says yes to pro life; no to gay dating

This year’s roundup of Super Bowl advertisements had the usual messages to spread: eat Doritos, drink Bud Light and say no to abortion.Wait, what?What happened to gorgeous blondes selling beer and mud splattered guys driving Chevys?CBS made the bold decision to air a 30-second ad featuring Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow and his mother preaching — albeit ambiguously — about pro-life. The ad was paid for by the ultra-conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, and showed Tebow’s mother holding a picture of her son and exclaiming how he almost wasn’t a part of her life.  The reason for why Tebow almost didn’t exist is left unsaid but it alludes to abortion.  While the ad wasn’t very clear – and left many viewers scratching their heads wondering why CBS aired an ad that appeared to be selling Tim Tebow – it was a controversial decision by the television giant. It was especially controversial when you compare it to an advertisement they refused to air from gay dating site ManCrunch.com. The ad was rejected by CBS because it was “not within the Network’s Broadcast Standards for Super Bowl Sunday.”  It featured man-on-man kissing inspired by accidental hand contact in a chip bowl. Apparently that violated Broadcast Standards, but allowing rock legends The Who to embarrass themselves in front of millions was perfectly acceptable. CNN reported that CBS — in what I believe was an effort to avoid accusations of discrimination  — said another key factor in rejecting the commercial was that they “had difficulty verifying [ManCrunch’s] credit status.”However, ManCrunch.com fired back saying they could easily have paid the $3 million necessary for the ad because they had “recently raised $40 million from investors.”I say CBS was afraid to offend a television audience of the stereotypical manly-man football fans, so they shied away from the subject of homosexual relationships. Advertisements for beer, junk food and erectile dysfunction clogged the ad space.  Having a dozen different Denny’s commercials was apparently more necessary than advertising a site where gay men can meet up and plan a date to Denny’s. However, they didn’t hesitate to air an ad preaching pro-life that was sure to anger every pro-choice audience member.  They weren’t afraid to pick sides in the pro-life/pro-choice debate, but advertising that gay men might want to date each other was apparently too much.What gives, CBS? 

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CBS says yes to pro life; no to gay dating