Pubdate: Fri, 21 Dec 2001
Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI)
Copyright: 2001 Eau Claire Press
Contact:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Jay Ambrose

TV EXECS MUST RESIST BOOZE AD TEMPTATION

Alcohol is a deadly drug that kills in a variety of ways and ruins lives in 
even more ways, but many people do use it in harmless moderation, and 
outlawing it, this nation learned during Prohibition, causes more problems 
than it solves.

Our society's compromise solution has been to keep it legal but to try to 
encircle its abuse through such means as close regulation of liquor stores 
and even, up to five years ago, a policy of the liquor industry that it 
would not advertise on TV.

Sad to say, the liquor industry abandoned its noble stance, leading some 
cable networks to begin accepting hard-liquor ads. But not the broadcast 
networks. Not until now, anyway. This month, NBC decided to break from the 
pack and accept booze ads.

It is not hard to figure out why -- the broadcast networks are suffering 
because of increased competition, a serious advertising recession and all 
the non-commercial time devoted to coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist 
attacks. The alcohol industry can provide millions that could help make up 
for some of the financial damage.

NBC should return to its former policy, and that's true even though its new 
policy would include a number of strict rules about the advertising, such 
as being careful to air the commercials mostly from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. when 
the little ones are supposedly in bed.

National advertising is powerful, which is why people pay so much money for 
the chance. TV advertising could lead to more drinking, and not just by 
adults, but also by those teens who weren't tucked in at 9 p.m. If NBC 
should profit handsomely from the venture without too much negative 
feedback, other networks will likely follow suit.

NBC -- and the cable networks, too -- need to do some reconsidering here in 
part because of the heavy responsibilities implied by the extraordinary 
privilege they have of reaching out to homes across the nation. They have 
and should have considerable leeway to do what they like, but as the 
founders of this nation understood, freedoms can endure only when 
accompanied by "public virtue," that is, by the willingness of people to do 
the right thing for the larger community even when not compelled to by law.

The social costs of the advertising could be extremely high. While 
Prohibition will not return and free speech should be allowed, lawmakers 
could well decide that legislative toughness is needed to compensate for a 
lack of good citizenship.
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MAP posted-by: Beth