Yesterday I was floored when an advertisement for firearms manufacturer FN Herstal came on during broadcast of one of the ACC men's basketball tournament games on the local ACC Network affiliate WMYA-40 out of Asheville. I'm not sure whether this was a network ad, sanctioned by the ACC, or a local only ad. FN Herstal, based in Belgium, owns the Winchester and Browning brands in the US, with manufacturing in Columbia, SC, and marketing in McLean, VA.
I have emailed the ACC Commissioner's office, and the leadership at each member institution of the ACC, suggesting that firearms advertising is inappropriate during league-sanctioned broadcasts. I reminded them of last night's mass shooting in Wilkinsburg, a Pittsburgh suburb, as the University of Pittsburgh is now part of the ACC.
I feel strongly that mass media advertising should be banned for a number of products, including prescription drugs, distilled spirits, and firearms.
Comments
Weapons ad policies
According to this article, Comcast/NBC doesn't accept advertising for guns, but other tv outlets do.
Thanks
From what I can tell. the ACC Tournament broadcasts are licensed to Raycom Sports, who sells the advertising, and broadcasts all but maybe the semifinals and finals on the ACC Network, with a large group of affiliates. The channel In Asheville (WMYA) that I was watching yesterday is an independent station, owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which also owns the ABC affiliate WLOS in Asheville.
Certainly the Atlantic Coast Conference and its 16 member institutions have a vested interest in the types of products and services advertised during broadcasts of ACC sporting events. The conference has tight control over all aspects of these broadcasts, including the on-air talent and the advertising.
IMHO, that is where pressure can be brought to bear by those concerned about this advertising.
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The measure of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. - FDR
Email Exchange with Raycom Sports
Jeff Tennant of Raycom Sports confirmed to me in an email exchange that these were network ads. So they were sold by Raycom Sports for airing across the ACC Network during the tournament.
I don't know if that means that Comcast/NBC affiliates who are broadcasting the ACC Network produced games could opt out of airing those ads.
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The measure of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. - FDR