NBC Does an About Face and Reverses Decision on Freedom’s Watch ads Thanking the Troops …

NBC caves in to run Freedom’s Watch ads to thank our US military.

As was reported the other day, NBC had nixed a thank you message to our US military from Freedom’s Watch claiming that the organizations web site was too political. It now appears that NBC has reversed their decision and decided to air a conservative group’s television ad thanking U.S. troops. Thanks to all those on the internet and to those that voiced their opinions to NBC regarding their initial ridiculous decision. People can affect change.

What NBC should have stated as the reason for the reversal was the fact that their telephones and emails were overloaded due to upset viewers that were appalled by NBC’s actions in being so callous as to nix an ad thanking our military. NBC feared the backlash, nothing more, nothing less.

“We have reviewed and changed our ad standards guidelines and made the decision that our policy will apply to content only and not to a referenced Web site. Based on these amended standards the Freedom’s Watch ad will begin to run as early as Sunday.”

NBC’ head of standards and practices, Alan Wurtzel, notified Freedom’s Watch’s media consultant Saturday by e-mail, writing: “This will confirm that the Freedom’s Watch spot is approved for air.”

NBC initially said that airing the spot would violate the network’s prohibition on controversial issue ads. Wurtzel, in an interview Friday with The Associated Press, said NBC found nothing wrong with the ad’s content, but rather objected to the link to http://www.FreedomsWatch.org, viewing the Web site as too political.