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Opponents of Dr. Laura Schlessinger are taking to newsprint to get their message across to would-be advertisers. A coalition of advocacy groups has taken out ads in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times warning marketers not to tie their brands to the outspoken and controversial radio star. The ad quotes Schlessinger on such issues as homosexuality and affirmative action before saying, "Laura Schlessinger has angry and hurtful things to say about all kinds of Americans." It also cautions, "Consumers judge brands by the company they keep." The ad was paid for by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and three other groups: the National Conference for Community and Justice, the National Medical Health Association and People for the American Way. Last week, Procter & Gamble, the nation’s second largest advertiser, pulled its ads from Schlessinger’s upcoming syndicated television show, produced by Paramount Television. Meanwhile, Toysrus.com and Xerox have ceased to advertise on her radio show, and United Airlines announced it would no longer accept ads for the radio show in its in-flight magazine, Hemispheres.
NOW raps Fox for
anti-feminist shows
The National Organization for Women (NOW)
announced it is giving a "network of shame" award to Fox, based
on a "feminist primetime report card" it prepared on the
programming aired by the big four broadcast networks this February. NOW
evaluated shows based on their violence, gender composition, sexual
exploitation and social responsibility. NBC came out the best while Fox
fared the worst, losing points for such programs as "Who Wants to Marry
a Multi-Millionaire?" and "Getting Away With Murder: The
JonBenet Ramsey Story." Fox declined to comment on the dubious award.
NOW is reportedly planning protests across the country based on its findings. The organization also plans to meet with advertisers in hopes
of convincing them to yank their support from objectionable programming.
NY Post launches sports
weekly
The New York Post is launching a weekly sports newspaper that
will cover local teams in major sports. Matt Romanoski, former editor of
the Post's Sunday paper, will run the 50-page tabloid, which launches on
June 1. Romanoski said the paper will have more in-depth stories and
statistics, and will also take advantage of the use of color photographs.
Primarily, the paper will focus on major sports, but it will also cover
auto racing, tennis and golf. Three new reporters have been hired to write
exclusively for the paper and the Post’s sports staff and columnists
will also serve as contributors. All articles will be original, not
reprinted from the Post. The initial print run will be 75,000 to 100,000.
The paper will sell for $1.50.
Fox rejiggers its new
fall schedule
Even though Fox just released its fall schedule last week, the
network is already changing its new lineup. Fox has decided to push back
the premiere of its new comedy "Schimmel," which was slated to
run on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m., after the new John Goodman comedy
"Don't Ask." According to Variety, the program will now not air
until January. The delay is due to concerns over "Schimmel"’s
executive producer Mike Scully’s busy schedule. Scully, who also
produces "The Simpsons," supposedly decided over the weekend
that running the two shows would be too much to handle. Scully said he did
not want to end up doing a bad job on both shows. Now, Fox plans to move
"Don't Ask" into the 8:30 slot, while running original episodes
of "Malcolm in the Middle" at 8 p.m. until December. New
episodes of "Malcolm" will also continue to air on Sunday
nights.
WB: Have a beer on us.
We're sold out.
The network TV upfronts have been
kind to the WB, and the fledgling network is not above flaunting it.
"Sold out. Gone drinking," read a sign posted at the WB’s New
York offices on the second day of ad sales sessions. One media buyer
speculated that the WB would see large CPM increases for this season
thanks to its strong draw among young women. Tomorrow Media Life will
feature its wrap-up of this season’s network upfronts.
