When in-your-face is off-the-air
By Angie Drobnic Holan
Published on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 5:26 p.m.
Related rulings:
During a town hall meeting on health care, "ABC didn't even allow ads that opposed the president's health care plan to be aired."
Lamar Smith, Wednesday, June 24th, 2009.
Ruling: True | Details
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ABC wouldn't take advocacy advertising during this town hall with President Obama.
Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, was angry that ABC News hosted a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama on health care but wouldn't let opposing groups buy commercials during it.
We dug into the issue and found that broadcast networks don't take issue advocacy ads, at least most of the time. It was definitely the case for Obama's town hall. We rated Smith's statement True and explain the nuts and bolts of buying political advocacy advertising on television.
Sources:
See individual item for sources.
Researchers: Angie Drobnic Holan
Names in this story: Barack Obama, Lamar Smith
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