Boycotting NBC

The public airwaves are the public airwaves. A simple enough conclusion. But, just as we in the United States have a major portion of our daily pablum of media filtered through an Australian billionaire who made his money with softcore tabloids in England, buys a financially troubled studio and hires every Right wing nutcase with an axe to grind against the major outlets that didn't give them the airtime or promotions they thought they deserved, and call it "fair and balanced"...I now have a moral dilemma.

I see where NBC has rejected advertisements for the new documentary about the Dixie Chicks because "They are disparaging to President Bush" (A man who once had his attack dogs claim that Senator John McCain (a real war hero, not given to parading around in the flightsuit his father bought for him to keep him out of war) had fathered an illegitimate child of "mixed race", to carry the white vote in a Southern state)...so, I am going to have to step away from my two favourite TV shows, both on NBC, "Heroes" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip", and ask others to do so, just for one week, to protest this ridiculous censorship of the public airwaves.

It is not up there with a fast or setting myself on fire or running for office (with my marital history? the press would have a field day...). It is depriving myself of two hours of TV. A citizens of a nation that prides itself on its ability to engage in self-sacrifice when called upon in times of turmoil certainly can do that...no? Watch CBS or ABC for two hours, they'll appreciate the ratings bump.

But I am asking all persons of conscience to express their displeasure by, this Monday at 9 pm, Eastern Time, switching off NBC (and CW, who also rejected the ad, but I have no idea what that network plays during that timeslot). A corporation should not be making political exposure decisions for a nation that claims to be a free and democratic society.

I work at a business where for Halloween we are encouraged to dress up, but they are asking we do not wear anything that might upset anyone. First on that list? Witches. Both because some Christians find them irredeemably evil, and we also have people who work there who are members of various witchcraft or wiccan denominations. Funny, these people have no problem working alongside each other (it means a paycheck)...but when it comes to a Halloween costume, it is offensive. We, as a nation, are so afraid of the image and so unwilling to address real issues

Sorry, NBC, I know that "Studio 60..." is probably the best written show on television, and your ratings have been weak because it is over the heads of the average viewer, and it seems a shame to throw another spanner in the works, but I bet Danny and Matt would do the same. As for "Heroes"...sigh, someone else is going to have to "Save the cheerleader...save the world".

For one week.