Several Women's Groups Urge CBS To Scrap Tebow Super Bowl Ad

A national coalition of women's groups called on CBS yesterday to "scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which critics say is likely to convey an anti-abortion message," according to David Crary of the AP. The 30-second spot -- paid for by Christian group Focus on the Family -- is "expected to recount the story" of Pam Tebow ignoring a "recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child," which was Tim. N.Y.-based Women's Media Center President Jehmu Greene said, "An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year -- an event designed to bring Americans together."  The center is coordinating the protest "with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups." The protest suggests that CBS "should have turned down the ad in part because it was conceived by Focus on the Family." The letter from Women's Media Center read in part, "CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers." But CBS said that it has "approved the script" for the ad and has "given no indication that the protest would have an impact." CBS Senior VP/Communications Dana McClintock said that the network "would ensure that any issue-oriented ad was 'appropriate for air.'" Focus on the Family VP/Media Relations Gary Schneeberger said the group is "a little surprised" with reaction to the ad. He added, "There's nothing political and controversial about it. When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about" (AP, 1/25).

ALL SYSTEMS GO? In DC, Casey Curlin notes NBC last year "rejected a pro-life Super Bowl commercial because of its policy against running political advocacy or issue ads." However, Schneeberger said that CBS execs have "seen and approved the Focus on the Family script." CBS said that the finished commercial "will be reviewed before it is approved to air, but the network does not anticipate any problems that would prevent the ad from airing." CBS VP/Corporate Communications Shannon Jacobs: "Our standards-and-practices process continues to adhere to a policy that ensures that all ads on all sides of an issue are appropriate for air" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/26).

WISE MOVE FOR TEBOW? In Utah, Doug Robinson writes if Tebow thought "300-pound tacklers are tough, wait till he meets the pro-choice crowd." Robinson: "Wait till he wades into Roe v. Wade. Wait till he lowers his head and bulls his way into the scrum of the abortion argument." Athletes and other celebrities "use their names and faces to sell beer and shoes simply to enrich themselves, and nobody blinks." But a "famous athlete is using his celeb status to promote a cause he believes in, and he's castigated for it" (DESERET NEWS, 1/26).