ABC and CBS North Carolina TV Stations Refuse to Air Anti-Obama Ad

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Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC-TV channel 9, and Raleigh CBS affiliate WRAL-TV channel 5, have both refused to air the new ad from North Carolina's Republican Party which declares that two Democratic gubernatorial candidates “should know better” than to endorse Barack Obama since “he's just too extreme for North Carolina,” as evidenced by his long association with Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The ad includes a clip of Wright yelling “Not God Bless America, God [bleep] America!”

A Friday Charlotte Observer article, “2 stations in N.C. will not air GOP ad: Charlotte, Raleigh broadcasters decline controversial spot that quotes Obama's former pastor,” reported:

A Charlotte TV station says it will not air an advertisement from the N.C. Republican Party that uses a soundbite from Barack Obama's retiring minister.

"I just don't think it's appropriate to be on our air," said Joe Pomilla, general manager for WSOC-TV. "I think it's offensive, and I'm not real comfortable with the implications around race."...

Maybe some citizens of the state are not so “comfortable” with a local TV executive deciding the First Amendment doesn't apply in North Carolina.

More from the April 25 story:

Raleigh television station WRAL also said it will not run it....

Jim Hefner, WRAL's vice president and general manager, called the ad "inflammatory" and said his station has turned down ads from conservative and liberal groups, including MoveOn.org. "We're not just an ATM machine," Hefner said. "We're going to make decisions, and it's not going to be a popular decision with all folks."

Video of a WSOC-TV news story on the station's refusal to air the ad.

My April 23 NewsBusters posting, “CBS Condemns Anti-Obama Ad as Proof Campaign Getting 'Nastier.'”