From: NFL.com

One step forward…and two steps back?  Hmmmm.

Last week, eHarmony settled a class action lawsuit for $2M. Back in 2008, eHarmony launched CompatiblePartners.com, which catered to gay and lesbian customers.  However, as a result of the lawsuit, eHarmony must now add a section devoted to gay and lesbian users.  In addition, users of the websites will have access to both eHarmony and CompatiblePartners, without paying an additional monthly fee.   After all, everyone is entitled to different avenues to find love.  Match.com and Yahoo! Personals all cater to the gay and lesbian community, so eHarmony should also join in on that trend.  Looks like a step in the right direction!

Perhaps CBS could learn a thing or two from the eHarmony story?   CBS has recently faced scrutiny regarding the ads they have chosen to air during the Superbowl.  Apparently, the network rejected an ad from Mancrunch.com, a gay dating website.  CBS attributed the rejection to the fact that CBS was unsure whether or not Mancrunch would be able to pay for the ad and that the commercial was “not within the network’s broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday.” (If you watch the ad, though, it appears to be very ‘PG’ and almost comical.)

Shockingly enough, what apparently is within CBS broadcast standards is an anti-abortion ad from Focus on the Family, a Christian conservative group.    The spot features Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow, and his mother, discussing reasons why she did not listen to advice to get an abortion when pregnant with her son.

In response to this decision, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (“GLAAD”) issued a statement that basically calls on CBS to publicly explain its advertising standards.  And, rightly so – as Focus on the Family is an anti-gay group.   Does CBS really have a legitimate explanation as to what makes the Tim Tebow ad ‘acceptable’ versus the ManCrunch ad?  Who knows.

Yes, CBS has full discretion to air whatever commercials they want during the Superbowl.  And, although CBS stated that they have recently changed their stance on airing ‘advocacy ads’, the network should still let the public know what standards/criteria they use to evaluate each potential commercial. It really is only the fair thing to do…and yet another small step in the right direction.

Agree?

Posted by Melanie on February 6, 2010 at 11:27 pm.