_______________________________ 3/20/97 ABC Turns Down Gay Rights Ad The Associated Press By DAVID BAUDER NEW YORK (AP) A gay rights group that wanted an antidiscrimination ad to run during the ``Ellen'' episode where the lead character reveals her homosexuality has been turned down by ABC. Despite the network rejection, the Human Rights campaign said a majority of local ABC affiliates have agreed to run the television commercial. The ad depicts coworkers expressing surprise that a former colleague has been fired from a job because she is a lesbian. It is designed to build support for a federal law banning job discrimination due to sexual orientation. ABC says it has a blanket policy against issueoriented ads and this commercial fell into that category. ``Topics of this nature are better discussed in news programs,'' said Janice Gretemeyer, ABC spokeswoman. The rejection is ironic given ABC's hopes that the April 30 ``Ellen'' episode, which will feature Oprah Winfrey, Laura Dern and k.d. lang, is a big ratings grabber, said David Smith, a spokesman for the campaign. ``They have determined that an actual depiction of a fact of life for gay people in this country falls under the judgment of controversial advertising,'' he said. ``We strongly disagree with that judgment on their part. We believe they have made an error.'' ABC's decision is somewhat mitigated by its courage in permitting the ``Ellen'' story line and strong progay corporate policies, he said. Smith's group went the more expensive route of trying to persuade local affiliates to run the ad. Traditionally on primetime shows, separate time is set aside for ads bought through the network and through local affiliates. The Human Rights Campaign found, to its mild surprise, that 59 of the 74 stations it turned to agreed to run the ad. Seven affiliates turned it down and the rest didn't give an answer, Smith said. Ads were purchased in 29 markets, including Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Seattle and Bismarck, N.D. Cities where affiliates turned down the ad were Chicago; Houston; New York; Philadelphia; Wilmington, N.C.; and Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn. ``We basically don't take advocacy advertising,'' said Art Moore, spokesman for WABCTV in New York City. ABC's Gretemeyer also said there was no inconsistency between turning down the ad and the network's current monthlong antidrug campaign. ABC has been pushing antidrug messages through public service announcements, news specials and story lines in some entertainment programs. ``Public service spots are completely different from ads,'' she said.