Rolling Stone refuses to run ad for Bible

by William Penwell 17 Replies latest social current

  • William Penwell
    William Penwell

    Is this censorship? From CNN :

    Rolling Stone refuses to run ad for Bible

    Thursday, January 20, 2005 Posted: 1303 GMT (2103 HKT)

    GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (AP) -- -- Rolling Stone magazine declined to run an advertisement for a new translation of the Bible aimed at young people, the nation's largest Bible publisher said Wednesday.

    Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, bought space in the magazine months ago as part of an ad campaign for Today's New International Version, said Doug Lockhart, Zondervan's executive vice president of marketing.

    "Last week, we were surprised and certainly disappointed that Rolling Stone had changed their mind and rejected our ad," he said.

    A telephone message seeking comment was left Wednesday at the New York headquarters of Wenner Media LLC, publisher of Rolling Stone.

    Lockhart said Zondervan, based in Grand Rapids, paid Wenner Media last July to run the ad in February, when the Bible is due on bookshelves.

    On Tuesday, USA Today quoted Kent Brownridge, general manager of Wenner Media, as saying his staff first saw the ad copy last week, and "we are not in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages."

    Lockhart said the ad features the face of a contemplative-looking young man and includes this copy:

    "In a world of almost endless media noise and political spin, you wonder where you can find real truth. Well, now there's a source that's accurate, clear and reliable. It's the TNIV -- Today's New International Version of the Bible. It's written in today's language, for today's times -- and it makes more sense than ever."

    Media outlets that agreed to carry the ad include Modern Bride, The Onion, MTV.com and AOL, Lockhart said. AOL, like CNN.com, is a unit of Time Warner.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/01/20/rollling.stone.ap/index.html

  • Doubtfully Yours
    Doubtfully Yours

    Good for Rolling Stone!!!

    DY

  • funkyderek
    funkyderek
    Is this censorship?

    No, it's an editorial decision made by a privately-owned company.

  • undercover
    undercover
    Is this censorship?

    No. RS just declines to run the ad. They aren't keeping them from buying ad space from anyone else or forcing them to not advertise in other ways.

  • William Penwell
    William Penwell

    I am not against the move as I am sure a conservative magazine would not hesitate to refuse running a liberal based add. Just wanted to throw this out for discussion.

    Will

  • Redneck
    Redneck

    They refused to run the ad because of a UNWRITTEN rule not to run those kind of ads...Sounds to me like they could have a lawsuit if they decided to push it ..

  • Nosferatu
    Nosferatu

    I'd say "sure!" and put an ad on the next page advertising a remastered copy of Ozzy's "Blizzard of Oz" album

  • mkr32208
    mkr32208
    The Onion

    hahaha I love the onion but I would never run an add there for the bible thats like being asked to be interviewed by the daily show... you will not come out looking good!

  • seattleniceguy
    seattleniceguy

    That's totally rad.

  • hillary_step
    hillary_step

    William,

    "In a world of almost endless media noise and political spin, you wonder where you can find real truth. Well, now there's a source that's accurate, clear and reliable. It's the TNIV -- Today's New International Version of the Bible. It's written in today's language, for today's times -- and it makes more sense than ever."

    Perhaps the idea was reliquished in the face of the trades description act.

    HS

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit