Mini Cooper ad agency wants to buy radio time ... but no "urban formats" [View All]

[Newsjock]

Source: Radio Ink

The Minority Media and Telecommunication Council is ramping up its push for a compliance officer to enforce the broadcast nondiscrimination rule that was part of a 2008 FCC report and order on broadcast diversity. That rule was intended to do away with "no urban/no Spanish" dictates from advertisers or agencies that seek to exclude minority-targeted broadcasters from their campaigns.

... Attached with the MMTC's letter is a copy of an e-mail, dated August 5, apparently from an employee of the agency Palisades Media in Los Angeles. The e-mail requests rates for a Mini Cooper campaign in the Boston; Houston; Washington, DC; and Baltimore markets, asking about 30s in several radio formats and adding, "No combos or urban formats."

Honig writes, "The rule requires broadcasters renewing their licenses to certify on Form 303-S that their advertising contracts do not discriminate on the basis of race or gender and that they contain nondiscrimination clauses. Therefore, to remain in compliance with the rule, every radio station in the Boston, Houston, Baltimore, and Washington markets should decline to broadcast Mini Cooper spots."

Kizart Media Partners' Sherman Kizart obtained the original Palisades Media e-mail, and he has written to agency CEO Roger Schaffner concerning the matter, saying the directive is "crystal clear" and "minimally very disturbing and troubling." He writes, "BMW Mini Cooper will not get the benefit of inviting the $900 billion African American consumer market to buy its cars."

Read more: http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1454056&spid=24698