wfn.org | UMNS# 04595-Church communicators support petition with FCC over

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Church communicators support petition with FCC over ad 

Dec. 15, 2004	 News media contact:   * ( ) * {04595}

NOTE: A photograph of the Rev. Larry Hollon is available at
http://umns.umc.org.

CLEVELAND (UMNS) - The United Church of Christ is asking the Federal
Communications Commission to deny license renewals for two network-owned
television stations in Miami, as a result of CBS and NBC refusing to air the
denomination's commercial.

The church is challenging the renewal of licenses for WFOR-TV (CBS) and
WJVT-TV (NBC) because "there is substantial and material question" as to
whether the stations' parent companies, Viacom Inc. and the General Electric
Co., have operated the stations in the public interest.

NBC and CBS have refused to run the commercial because the all-inclusive
message "implies acceptance of gay and lesbian couples," according to the
United Church of Christ. The petitions to the FCC were filed Dec. 9.

A spokesperson for CBS said the United Church of Christ never approached
WFOR-TV about running the ad. A United Methodist News Service query to NBC
had not been answered by press time.

The United Church of Christ is following FCC guidelines that local license
challenges are the best vehicle for the viewing public to hold network
broadcasters accountable for proper or improper stewardship of the airwaves,
church officials said. 

Licenses come up for renewal once every eight years, and in the current
cycle, only stations in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are under
review.

The United Church of Christ ad states that - "like Jesus" - the United Church
of Christ seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race,
economic circumstance or sexual orientation. The ad has been accepted and
will air on a number of networks, including ABC Family, AMC, BET, CNN,
Discovery, Fox, Hallmark, History, Nick@Nite, TBS, TNT, Travel and TV Land.

"Broadcasters are granted licenses to use the airwaves, which are considered
to be owned by the public," said the Rev. Larry Hollon, top executive with
United Methodist Communications, the denomination's communication agency. "As
a result, it has been required that broadcasters serve the public interest.
Today this principle is almost completely forgotten."

The Communication Commission of the National Council of Churches USA called
the networks actions "arbitrary" and contrary to the principles of freedom of
speech and equal access to media. The NCC commission published a list of
religious communicators in support of the United Church of Christ.

"Whether or not this spot is controversial is not for CBS and NBC to decide,"
said the Rev. Daniel R. Gangler, director of communication for the United
Methodist Church's Indiana Area and a signer of the statement supporting the
ad. Nor is it for the networks to decide, "if the spot fits FCC rulings, as
to whether or not these announcements are fit for airing on the public
airwaves," he said.

"The UCC is expressing its opinion of openness in an inviting way and paying
to do so," Gangler said. "Two major networks curbing paid church advertising
sends a disturbing message to the religious communities of this country." 

The Rev. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ's general minister and
president, said, "The religious, ethical and moral rights of members of the
UCC churches and other citizens to have access to diverse programming has
been harmed by the refusal of NBC and CBS to carry the ad, as well as by
their failure to carry programming reflecting the full range of religious
expression in the United States on their networks and on their owned and
operated stations."

"The UCC message is about inclusion, which should not be a matter of
controversy today," Hollon said. "To say the church is open to everyone is a
fundamental principle of Christian teaching. The church cannot say less than
this and be the church. God loves every one of God's creatures. If that is
too controversial for broadcasters, then it's as if the Gospel is too
prophetic for us to hear."

Hollon added that in today's media-saturated society, "if you are not on the
screen, it's as if you don't exist."

"In this case it is the voice of the church that is being denied a hearing,"
he said. "This demonstrates why the church must stand with those who are
without voice. If not, we risk losing our own voice in the public media as
well."

# # #

United Methodist News Service is a unit of United Methodist Communications,
based in Nashville, Tenn.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org. 

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United Methodist News Service