Radio ad campaign hits snag

By Dan Linehan
The Free Press

MANKATO November 02, 2006 01:09 am

— A group seeking to run radio ads directed at men who sexually abuse children said it has decided not to air its ads in Mankato after a station refused to run them before 6 p.m. and threatened to stop them if the community objected.
Stop It Now! Minnesota signed a contract with Clear Channel to run the ads in the metro area and four outstate cities, program director Yvonne Cournoyer said. But station managers in all but two cities, Mankato included, had various problems with the ads’ content, especially the use of the word “sexual.”
But removing that word would make the message too vague, Cournoyer said. The group’s research with men who had abused children or thought about doing so indicated that directness is crucial.
The next step was to allow Clear Channel’s copywriters to reword the ads, but those were still rejected.
The Mankato station’s manager, Jo Guck Bailey, wouldn’t comment on KXLP’s rationale for placing time restrictions on the ad or its concern about community backlash.
Bailey said it’s “not at all unusual” for the station to place restrictions on an ad’s placement because of its contents.
In an e-mailed statement, Bailey said: “Our business is not to turn away business, but to help advertisers bring their message to consumers in the most targeted way possible. In some cases, however, advertisers’ messages are not a good fit for our audience.”
Cournoyer said she was concerned that fewer people would be listening after 6 p.m. and decided to pass on Mankato. The ads ran on KFAN in the Twin Cities between Sept. 22 and Oct. 22 without negative response.
“Frustrated” is how Cournoyer describes her feelings about the recent rejections, especially given the positive experience with KFAN. Duluth and St. Cloud are the only other stations that agreed to run the ads.
“At this point in the game I wasn’t expecting this kind of a reaction,” she said.
At first, Cournoyer assumed that stations were worried the Federal Communications Commission would raise the spectre of costly fines. But that issue never came up.
Instead, Cournoyer said the station raised concerns about its proximity to the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, which treats sex offenders.
Last month, Stop It Now! installed a billboard on Highway 60 just south of Mankato.
“People are missing out on an opportunity that help is available and how to access that help,” Cournoyer said.

At A Glance
Here is the text of two of the radio ads that several Minnesota stations, Mankato included, had issues with:
Male voice:
Admitting it was hard. But getting caught would have been harder. I wanted to be sexual with children.
I needed help so I could get control and not hurt children. You can, too.
Confidential help is available and treatment works.
Call 1-888-PREVENT or visit youcanstopitnow.org.
Female voice:
Are you depressed, alone, miserable or out of control?
Some people struggle with sexual thoughts and behaviors toward children. Are you one of them? Do you want to stop but don’t know how?
The people at Stop It Now! understand. We are ready to help with confidential information and referrals.
And treatment works. People who get specialized help can learn to control their sexual behaviors toward children.
You can end the secrets and the lies.
Call 1-888-PREVENT toll-free or visit youcanstopitnow.org.