Certain things, I cannot accept. Like Exxon Mobil’s sponsorship of CNN’s inauguration coverage. I am sure, if Barack Obama had a say, he would not tolerate having his name associated with one of the worst contributors to climate change.
Please join me in boycotting CNN and turn to other sources of coverage instead.
Ok, I’m in.
Marguerite, which online source would you recommend?
I ‘d go with the Huffington Post.
Have you vetted the other networks? Curious to see if any have “clean” sponsors.
I’m in! I’m also curious to see if there are greener sponsors.
I had no idea, I will not be watching CNN.
Call me a rogue activist here but as I never step foot in a Walmart or a Home Depot for similar reasons, I’m not sure if I see the connection on media (in this case). The nasty people already spent the money on CNN, commercials will be airing, etc – all that is in the past. I may potentially see that exit polls will show a viewership stat and assist in future sponsorships but the money is already spent. Besides, they’re (CNN) also in connection with Facebook for the coverage, does that mean we need to shut that down as well?
Walmart and other retailers have an immediate need for people as they spend money there so boycots have an immediate (direct) impact.
Perhaps a creative way to curb our oil appetite and create efforts for others to do the same may have a greater (direct) impact than watching a historic event on a network station that already received payment.
This is not to say that one cannot use an analogy of “receipt of drug-money and therefore cannot be spent (regardless of good) else it’s an endorsement for more of the same,” but I believe (psychologically speaking) our collective activist efforts are more suited for a “direct impact” rather than a secondary-means which most non-activists would not be able to associate with further alienating the activist cause. Another analogy I just th
…just my 3.5 cents. Please enlighten if I’m missing something.
(I hate laptops sometimes – they press the send button too soon sometimes)
Another analogy I just thought of are greenwashing commercials on green websites. Boycotting those sites is different as that’s a direct impact on their site – they need every viewer and every good blog-post written about them for sustainability/longevity/credibility.
ok, that’s it.
Boycotts are hard. Sometimes very solid reporting (PBS) gets major funding from questionable sources (the clean coal people)
Much more effective than media boycotts are cutting your own usage. We dropped our car use from 15,000 miles (roughly) 5 years ago to 4800 last year. Exxon/Mobil is a major supplier of Turbine fuel so cutting your flying is important too.
I don’t buy the energy companies being major contributers to climate change — *we* are the major contributers.
Bob, Faith, no, I have not done my homework, and thorougly checked other networks, and sponsors. I was just struck by this one instance, a case of flagrant, and not so subtle endorsement of one of most powerful environmental villain.
Greenofakind, Steve, I disagree with you. You may choose to still watch CNN, and PBS, but at least one needs to call them publicly on their advertising practices. It is those very ads from Clean Coal and Exxon Mobil, that create the dirty fuel hunger from which we all suffer. It is my hope that President Obama will put a reform of advertising guidelines, at the top of his climate change agenda.
LaMarguerite, what would those advertising guidelines say? “No money is accepted from you because you do harm – even though most if the US and world buys from you…”? That’s like him shutting down all fast food chains because we’re too fat!
Putting non-advertising on TOP of his climate change agenda? What about funding alternatives first so we could get off the sauce? Create incentives rather than punishments – expand opportunity for change rather than create limits upon exiting inefficiencies. So many other venues to consider – especially in light of the current economic fiasco the world is in and will be in for a while longer…
[...] Appeal to Boycott CNN’s Inauguration Coverage [...]
As shown in this post at Climate Progess Joe Romm from Center for American Progress isn’t happy with ExxonMobil sponsoring either.
While I haven’t watched CNN (as promised!), I am not the kind of person who considers corporations or people inside as “evil”. I believe CEO’s are pretty normal human beings, just figuring out how to do their given task the best. Just like Adam Werbach has been working with Wal-mart (successfully I believe), I think the ExxonMobil executives are open to reasonable suggestions too. But you have to be able to transfer yourself into their reality. Their view of the world is different.
I think ExxonMobil has also endorsed a carbon tax. Their thinking is changing. Give them a chance. It’s specific deeds that should be denounced. Executives must hear clearly what the public thinks of their decisions.
Please tell me who is REALLY a green sponsor? What is CLEAN coal? These are just words!