

Adbusters closer to winning the right to buy airtime for social marketing messages - mapleoin
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/updates/adbusters_wins_legal_victory.html

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briansmith
This is good because it opens the door to advertising that goes against the
consumerist grain.

This is very bad because it limits the rights of people and businesses to
choose who they do business with. Imagine being _forced_ to run an
advertisement from the KKK or the NRA or any other social group you disagree
with. Imagine a pro-immigration website being forced to run anti-immigration
advertisements. Whichever "social causes" have the most financial backing will
control all advertising on all outlets--worse than what is already happening
now.

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brandnewlow
I agree with point #2, but this is public television they're arguing about,
right?

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chancho
Not quite public television, but public airwaves. Well to be honest I don't
quite know where the CBC fits in that spectrum. Regardless, broadcasters are
just licensing the public airwaves, they don't own them.

There is not slippery slope here, though. Fears about freedom of web
advertising are unfounded. The airwaves are a scarce resource: there's only so
many available frequencies. That's why the government regulates their use.
Websites are not limited in any way, neither are cable television channels, so
those media do not need to be regulated.

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Ennis
This is great news. I know how frustrating and difficult it can be to get the
right message out if you are a social activist.

It is not about the money. My organisation (wpirg.org) has the money to spend
on a quality advertising when it's warranted. We're generally limited to the
newspaper. Public television likes to stay away from anything contraversial.
Why lose viewers if you don't have to?

Fortunately for us, the airwaves are public assets meant to contribute to the
wellbeing of the citizens first and foremost. Companies like CBC and Global
are bound by that requirement. Since the government fell short on enforcing
the public interest it ends up in the hands of Canadian communities to get the
job done -> which is why access to public advertising is so important in the
first place!

Can't wait for the first public Canadian Adbusters ad!

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jderick
Imagine if this was happening on the internet -- your ISP refusing to allow
certain websites. It is amazing how long this has gone on.

