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NY Fox Affiliate refuses to air anti-Bush campaign ad for local Democrat, AP
By Sara Kugler
Associated Press
September 6, 2005, 4:38 PM EDT
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--campaignaddenied0906sep06,0,6633102.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

NEW YORK -- The Fox affiliate television station rejected a campaign commercial for a Democrat running in a local 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 the station had agreed to air his ad for the two weeks leading up to the Sept. 13 primary. But Fox 5 pulled out of the deal after it saw the 30-second ad, which features Bush's head superimposed onto a bare torso as the voiceover intones, "He claims he's a uniter, but New Yorkers know the emperor has no clothes."

Ellner's advertisement has already drawn attention because it concludes with a scene in which he throws his arm around his partner of three years, Simon Holloway. His campaign says no openly gay candidates for public office have ever featured their significant others in political advertisements.

Ellner said Tuesday that 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."

WNYW 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…


So. We’re censoring political ads now? Does anyone really believe anymore that we’re living in a free country? What right does FOX have to dictate the content of a candidate’s ad? We’re not too far away from propaganda all the time. Should we have FOX write their speeches? Should we add the disclaimer “I’m so-and-so and FOX has approved this ad? Has FOX approved this blog? Does the bullshit ever end? how much longer are the American people going to put up with the snatching of their rights? Will FOX even let them know?