TV Networks Need Condom Sense

When CBS and FOX recently refused to run a condom commercial, PPFA President Cecile Richards fired off letters to CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves and FOX President of Entertainment Peter Liguori expressing her concern and offering to educate their top brass about reproductive health care.

The commercial is intended to cause a stir — turning the “men are pigs” maxim on its head by suggesting that a guy willing to take responsibility for safer sex by using a condom isn’t so bad.  But the real controversy is coming from FOX and CBS, which have declined to run the ad, even in the late-night hours typically reserved for adult-oriented products like Viagra.

According to The New York Times, FOX’s explanation reads, “Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.” The truth is, condoms do both. For sexually active women and men today, condoms are the best protection against the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and the best way to prevent unintended pregnancy, which is a major public health issue in the U.S. About half of pregnancies in this country are unintended, and teen pregnancy is a public health epidemic.

FOX and CBS routinely broadcast erectile dysfunction ads and sex-saturated prime-time programming. Yet, in this case, neither network is willing to promote sound decision making and commonsense public health solutions through responsible condom use.

Nearly 50,000 activists have also sent 70,000 letters to CBS and FOX urging them to reverse their decision and run the ads. The letters express outrage at the hypocrisy shown by networks that refuse to run a condom ad, while airing prime-time programming that is chock-full of sexual content.

Learn what you can do about it.  Get involved.