CBS & the SuperBowl's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Don't Prance' Policy

Have you been paying attention to the sex-fueled drama behind SuperBowl 2010? It's not as flashy as Justin Timberlake exposing Janet Jackson's embellished boob, and so not many folks are talking about it. Nevertheless, communicators know it is more significant.

SuperBowl host CBS changed its policy on advocacy ads. They weren't OK. Now they are. They're a lucrative lot, too, but we're not supposed to talk about that.

First, CBS approved an anti-abortion spot featuring Florida QB Tim Tebow. The ad's subject has sparked buzz, of course, but because the ad's sponsor is the conservative organization Focus on the Family, there's also mutterings about politics creeping into what was trying to be a spin-free zone.

(The ad hasn't been released; it features Tebow's mother Pam recalling her decision to continue her high-risk pregnancy against medical advice.)

So, CBS opened a door and invited a little controversy.

Next, CBS closed some doors and invited a small hellstorm.

The loudest clamor surrounds the rejection of ManCrunch.com, a gay dating site. The spot is pretty funny, but it shows 2 men kissing, and we certainly can't have that during America's salute to testosterone, can we? CBS says they thought it was a publicity stunt; ManCrunch says it offered $2.6M. Here's what you won't see on CBS next Sunday:

And then there's always bold GoDaddy.com. Their gay-themed ad was turned down, too. Nobody's kissing, but the storyline stars a big black ex-pro footballer named Lola who channels Liberace.

Charges of homophobia and unfairness hurled at the network come full circle in the eyes of the United Church of Christ (UCC). In 2004, the church hoped that a Super Bowl spot be the perfect spot to tell the world about its welcoming atmosphere. CBS found the ad's tone unacceptable, in part because of a shot of a gay couple might be taken as an endorsement of gay marriage.

Now that the network's advocacy rules have changed, the church is still pretty steamed at CBS' cowardly stance. UCC Director of Communications summed it up well:

"There is a common misunderstanding in this country that all religious people hold a monolithic view on certain issues, such as reproductive choice or same-geneder marriage equality, but that is not the case."

I believe the people the network really doesn't want to offend with scenes of man-on-man love is the NFL itself. Duh.

And as for the UCC, CBS is nuts. This is the best spot ever.