NBC asked GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday to pull a campaign advertisement made up almost entirely of a 1997 "Nightly News" report on Newt Gingrich's ethics committee reprimand.
The "History Lesson" ad started running in Florida on the weekend, when it is harder for stations to switch ad traffic even if they want to. Broadcast days before Tuesday's primary, the ad shows former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw saying that some of Gingrich's House colleagues had raised questions about the then-speaker's "future effectiveness."
Under Brokaw's image is a line that reads — "Paid for by Romney for President, Approved by Mitt Romney."
The footage was used without permission and the extensive use of the broadcast "inaccurately suggests that NBC News and Mr. Brokaw have consented to the use of this material and agree with the political position espoused by the videos," NBC's vice president of media law, David N. Sternlicht, wrote Romney's campaign manager, Matt Rhoades.
"Aside from the obvious copyright issues, this use of the voice of Mr. Brokaw and the NBC News name exploits him and the journalistic credibility of NBC News," the letter said. The network asked for the campaign to stop running the ad immediately and revise any other videos or commercials to remove at NBC material.
"As a news organization, NBC News objects to any use of NBC News journalists and our copyrighted material that suggests to the public that we or our journalists are taking sides with any individual or organization involved in a political campaign or dispute, and we request that your organization respect that concern," the letter said.
Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said the campaign isn't likely to stop running the ad.
"We just received the letter. We are reviewing it, but we believe it falls within fair use," he said. "We didn't take the entire broadcast; we just took the first 30 seconds."
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7 comments:
Newt vs Mitt again. Nobody else is running.
Ron Paul 2012
Ron Paul isn't going to win he has admitted that himself I just hope who ever does win hires him.
Newt's hens are coming home to crap on him.
Too bad for you, loser.
journalistic integrity of NBC news?
10:39 yeah integrity right, that's why nbc is so upset they are still taking the money to run the ads!
must be really troubling them, the whole way to the bank!
Yet NBC is still is running it.
I wish they would pass a law, you can not run for office 6 months before the election. Anyone found giving negitive ads be fined half their funds. Every night, half of the news is about running for office, the average person does not care, get over it and spend more time on real news. ABC,CBS,NBC, FOX and etc. all the same election coverage.
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