CNN has taken a roundabout route to have a ad produced by Media Matters, directed at Lou Dobbs, kept off its airwaves.
Media Matters went to local cable systems, which meant CNN couldn’t simply decline the ad as that decision is left up to the local cable providers. Instead, CNN openly objected to its airing and released this statement: “CNN retains the right to object to any ad run by the cable operator on our network whose purpose is to attack CNN or our employees.”
As a result, according to HuffPost, the ad will have a smaller reach in the New York metro area.
Five of the six cable providers contracted for the project have informed the group that they are declining to put the spot on CNN. All of them will air the ad on Fox News and MSNBC.
The ad was originally slated to run on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC in New York, Atlanta and Washington D.C. during the 7pmET hour, when “Lou Dobbs Tonight” airs.
Click continued to see the ad…
As an aside, at least one prominent action hero has sided with Dobbs.
> Update: Media Matters has posted this response with a statement from MM president Eric Burns:
“This seems like the actions of a network desperate to provide cover for its primetime host rather than living up to its standard of being the most trusted name in news.”