An Idaho newspaper publisher justified the company’s decision to run an anti-gay ad on its front page as an effort to “offer the same advertising opportunities regardless of the opinion shared within the advertisement,” according to media reporter Jim Romenesko.
Amidst a debate in Idaho’s House of Representatives on whether to accept a bill that would add protections to the state’s Human Rights Act, the Idaho Statesman, along with three other local papers, ran an ad condemning the bill on Wednesday.
The ad played off the popularized “Add the Words” title which had been applied to the bill and read: “ADD NO WORDS Stand up to bullying!” The ad included a link to a website which denounces homosexuality, transgenderism, and “other forms of sexual deviancy.”
Did you see the “Add No Words” ad on the Idaho Statesman? Here’s the guy who paid for it: http://t.co/DilLUNFHap pic.twitter.com/zBdOgldX8C
— Kelsey Anderson (@KelseyKBOI) January 29, 2015
On Thursday the bill was halted in the state House. Had it passed, the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” would’ve been added to Idaho’s Human Rights Act.
The Statesman’s publisher Mike Jung posted a note online explaining that it was “unfortunate” that the advertising had “created hurt and anger among some readers.” He also noted that the paper “strongly” supported the bill’s passage.
Jung’s note is below:
It’s unfortunate the advertising Post It note that appeared on the front page of the Statesman has created hurt and anger among some readers. That was not the intent.
We welcome and encourage open discussion and dialogue among many topics, including the legislation to ban discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgender people, commonly referred to as Add the Words. In fact, if a company or individual wanted to communicate they were in favor of the legislation, we would have accepted their paid advertising. Our position is clear on the bill as we strongly support its passing.
Regarding the paper accepting the ad, we provide a platform for both sides of every issue. I would have accepted the same Post-It note if it had read, “Add the Words, Stop the Bullying.” We offer the same advertising opportunities regardless of the opinion shared within the advertisement. That said, we reserve the right to refuse advertisements that include slanderous or defaming statements. Wednesday’s ad was marked as “Paid for by Lance Wells.”
Weak
“Stand up to bullying”? As in, go beat up a homosexual for existing?
“He also noted that the paper ‘strongly’ supported the bill’s passage.”
Funny way of showing it, eh?
“…it’s just that, well, we support the kind of money they were willing to pay us to run the ad even more…”
Only in the United States of Bigotry could the group of people who routinely get harassed, abused, and driven to depression and suicide simply for who they are get accused of bullying.
I wish TPM would include captions on their photos a little more often. Does anyone understand the context of this photo? Who are these people? Do they work for the newspaper in question? Who’s the lady with the blue folder? Why are people crying? Or are they not upset but smell a bad fart (presumably coming from the one person who’s not holding her nose)?