RUDE AWAKENING:

A Fox News Ad Roils Some Readers of The Nation (THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 17, 2003)

Many readers of The Nation, a magazine of the political left, seek shelter in its pages from what they consider the news media's conservative bias. So executives at the magazine anticipated some criticism when they accepted a full-page advertisement from the Fox News channel, one of those outlets considered to fall in the enemy camp.

What they did not expect after accepting a back-page ad (and $8,100) from Fox News was roughly 250 vehemently angry letters, e-mail messages and phone calls, and more than 50 subscription cancellations.

"The words that they're using are outraged, shocked, confused, absolutely appalled, dismayed and dumbfounded," said Ellen Bollinger, vice president for advertising at the magazine.

One e-mail message even read, "It is like an ad for Klan News."

Attempts by Ms. Bollinger to soothe jangled nerves by explaining the magazine's advertising policy have met mixed results. That policy, crafted in 1978 after The Nation was criticized for running an ad for mink coats, directs the staff to presume that ads should be accepted even when the views they express seem offensive.

In summary, Ms. Bollinger explained, "Repugnant is right."

This does seem unfair: Nation readers want to hear about how socialism is thriving in Cuba and free trade is causing AIDs in Africa, not about how most cable news viewers choose to watch a conservative news network. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 18, 2003 9:24 AM