MSNBC Rejects MoveOn's Target Boycott Ad

MSNBC has rejected an ad created by the progressive group MoveOn.org that calls for a boycott of Target over the company's contributions to anti-gay political candidates.

In a statement, MoveOn said that MSNBC had notified them that the ad--which mimics Target's red and white motif and tells people to boycott the company because "our democracy is not for sale"--violated NBC's "Controversial Issue Advertising policy," because it was an explicit attack on an individual company.

MoveOn's executive director, Justin Ruben, blasted MSNBC and its parent company, General Electric, in the statement.

"According to MSNBC and GE it is alright for corporations, like Target, to attack candidates and buy elections, but it is not OK for citizen organizations, like MoveOn, to fight back. This is the height of hypocrisy," he said.

Target has come under heavy criticism after it was discovered that it donated $150,000 to a business group that supported the gubernatorial campaign of Minnesota Republican Tom Emmer. The money was reportedly used to make political ads highlighting Emmer's small-government views.

WATCH THE REJECTED MOVEON AD:

But it is Emmer's opposition to gay rights that has caused a major backlash from progressive groups and sparked the boycott. So far, MoveOn said it has gathered 260,000 signatures for a petition pledging a boycott of Target until the company stops donating money to campaigns. Target has apologized, but has not withdrawn the donation.

As the Washington Post reported Thursday, the Target controversy is one of the first examples of the new political terrain for major corporations in the wake of the Citizens United decision, which allowed corporations to make direct contributions to political campaigns. With that new freedom comes increased scrutiny about the political slant of those donations, and of the people making the decision about which candidates to give to.

Comments

[Polish Scholar]

06:27 AM on 08/24/2010

Huh? I looove Target even more!

[reveal5]

11:16 PM on 08/23/2010

Hey...a 1 million ad buy by Target would pay Rachel Maddow for a while...Maybe even a year. ...........MSNBC is corporate. Target is corporate. Corporate sticks together.

[3x10p8]

06:22 PM on 08/23/2010

I'll stick with Target, there's too many Teabaggers at Wal-Mart.

[bgofca]

06:01 PM on 08/23/2010

most major company and store is owned by the republicans. just like the mormons own pepsi, marriot, etc. they all support extreme right wing groups and candidates. I know in the past, target has usually done a lot in communities it is located and target does support gay pride every year in minneapolis (where the offensive candidate is running. ) I didn't shop there for a couple of weeks, and i paid off and will never use my red card again, but i'm on a budget and they have good prices and i refuse to shop at evil walmart.

[Uproar]

05:46 PM on 08/23/2010

Most eveyr Republican is a hateful anti-gay. So any contribution by any company to any Republican is a contribution to an anti-gay person. there must be many, many companies guilty of this.

[J0E1]

04:39 PM on 08/23/2010

""According to MSNBC and GE it is alright for corporations, like Target, to attack candidates and buy elections, but it is not OK for citizen organizations, like MoveOn, to fight back. This is the height of hypocrisy," he said."

For some reason I don't think MSNBC or GE is forbidding you from donating $150k to the opposing candidate. However, it's cheaper to create an ad you know will never be aired just to cry about how unfair it is. Waaahhh....

[plzchuteme]

03:07 PM on 08/23/2010

Hey! How can I get in on this action? Though I live in Minneapolis, birthplace and home of Target, and it is the closest "department store," to my home, I don't shop there ever for a hundred reasons other than than current flap. What can I do to punish them?
Also, I don't understand why, if I am bombarded by advertisements to shop at Target, am I deprived of advertisements to not shop at Target? I like the slogan, "If you give a $h!t, don't shop at Target." It kind of covers all of their transgressions.

[rain33]

12:59 PM on 08/23/2010

msnbc & ge are part of corporations too so why reject move-on for their ad? they are beginning to act like bigger hypocrites coz they want to protect target's interests while screwing consumers' interests too! i like to watch ed, keith and rachel on that network but i might be changing my channels to look at usa or other networks (NOT FIXED NEWS)!

[up420oz]

03:25 AM on 08/23/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhMMmqzbD8

"People are People", now "Target Aint People" flashmob at Target store for your enjoyment.”

[ranchero42]

07:54 PM on 08/22/2010

Okay, you can blame this on MSNBC or GE if you want; you could be right.

While you were sleeping word is; GE out, Comcast IN.

On a recent thread there was considerable circumstantial and probable empirical evidence that Comcast will bend every which way when Fox "News" crooks their finger.

The Comcast purchase of NBC may yet choose to re-form as the sole media outlet with unimpeachable ethics. In the meantime; I'll still be thinking of them as "TCI". And I don't mean that in a nice way.

[TruEngineHearing]

01:27 PM on 08/22/2010

If they wanna play this most stupid card in the deck, I say roll it in. I am quite happy to modify how I shop, and to make shopping decisions based on my desire to not support politicians and political ideas that I oppose.

If I were a CEO, I would keep my company away from politics in droves. If I were a board member, I'd make these CEOs unemployed - likkity-split.

[PKkiller]

03:24 AM on 08/22/2010

I really don't see the problem with this whole thing. MoveOn and MSNBC can do what they wish with the situation individually, as can everyone else. As far as I'm concerned, Target as a cooperation supports a candidate with whom I disagree and therefore, I refuse to support Target. On the other hand, if one were to agree with Target's decision, then by all means, one can support the company - it's a right. It is also no one's obligation to provide Target with the necessary funds to pay their workers. If Target needs to lay off employees as a result of this debacle, that's their problem and they should have considered such a result before donating such a large sum of money.

And to all of you commenters posting about MSNBC vs. FOX (vs. CNN vs. ABC vs. PBS vs. NPR) - the truth is you're all wrong, for the finest news source is undoubtedly The Onion.

[wewin]

01:30 PM on 08/21/2010

Flashmob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhMMmqzbD8

[imajoebob]

01:30 PM on 08/21/2010

Damned liberal media. At least i can still get my marketing pornography from BP, Fred Thompson, and any other right wing group that makes GE quiver in their chair every time they complain about media bias.

[bmaggiemay]

01:11 PM on 08/21/2010

Disappointed in MSNBC. If you are not part of the solution then you are a part of the problem

[seeksthetruth]

01:44 PM on 08/21/2010

They're part of the corporate media. Remember, they fired Phil Donahue because he spoke out against the Iraq War. And, he was their most profitable show at the time!

[bmaggiemay]

01:42 PM on 08/23/2010

I will forgive everybody one mistakes but this is a pattern now...just drop MSNBC from my cable line up....I said if they are not part of a solution then they are part of the problem...lets see if they redeem themself

Barb