9.06.2005

Anti-Bush spot axed in Manhattan borough race.

The New York Fox affiliate WNYW (Channel 5) refused to air a campaign commercial by Brian Ellner, a Democratic candidate for Manhattan borough president. Is it because at the end of the spot Ellner introduces his partner, Simon Holloway (the first time, Ellner's campaign claims, that a candidate has introduced a gay partner in a political spot), or is it his emperor-has-no-clothes criticism of George W. Bush? Channel 5 was the only local station to reject the advertisement out of 15 network or cable affiliates approached by the Ellner camp. See the spot here.

Gothamist pipes in: "The funny thing is that this controversy is exactly the kind of thing that the Channel 5 News at Ten would cover... Well, clearly, Channel 5 doesn't remember such programming as "The Littlest Groom" or "When Animals Attack." Perhaps Ellner needed some lesbians in the ad to make it Fox-worthy."

(Via SpeakSpeak.)

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