Copps Down on Liquor Ads

Reacting to NBC-TV’s announcement that it intends to air liquor ads, bucking a long-time self-imposed industry ban, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said, “A race to the bottom is never pretty to watch, whether it’s a network saying that it has to show liquor ads in prime time because they are running on cable, or whether it’s a network pushing the limits on indecency because it says it has to compete against prurient shows on another network. Apart from the question of whether these ads are or are not a matter for regulation, this is most certainly an area where we could use some sense of social responsibility, some understanding of what is being foisted on our children, and some vision to reach for the stars instead of plumbing the depths.”