New campaign seeks to limit super PAC spending

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Olympic super Pac advertising targeted in new grassroots movement

What would Ben Franklin say about today’s super PAC spending?

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Olympic ideal doesn’t say anything about politics or advertising, but that hasn’t prevented any number of ideological zealots and profit-hungry corporations from perverting the movement for their own ends.

For decades, NBC has been at the front of the line when it comes to trying to milk just a few more dollars from the games. Over the years, the network has been slammed for turning sports competitions into soap operas, for showing delayed broadcasts and trying to pass them off as live — all in the name of selling more advertising.

This year, the network is preparing to sell out to political super PACS during the London Games, breaking an unwritten rule that has minimized the number of political advocacy ads during major world sporting events. Already, the ultra-conservative Restore Our Future super PAC has bought $7.2 million in ads to air specifically during the London Olympics. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, world news | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Health: Feds push to ban junk food ads aimed at kids

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Will Froot Loops now come in plain brown box?

Set of voluntary nutrition and advertising guidelines up for public comment

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — As childhood obesity becomes an increasingly widespread problem, three federal agencies have teamed up with food manufacturers to develop a set of voluntary advertising and nutritional guidelines that would dramatically change the way snack foods are presented to children 17 or younger. Many of the products currently advertised to kids would not meet the new guidelines.

The guidelines would affect both television advertising as well the increasingly common ads on social media networks like Facebook and MySpace. Basically, the Obama administration, backed by Congress, wants food companies to cut back on aggressively advertising junk food to youngsters. At this point, the agencies have issued a draft proposal outlining several options and wants public feedback.

The upward spiral of obesity rates has slowed in the past few years, but still, nearly one in three American children are overweight, as defined by Center for Disease Control standards. According to the latest figures available (from 2007-2008), 10.4 of U.S. children aged 2 to 5 are obese, 19.6 percent of 6-11 year olds are obese and 18.1 percent of 12-19 year olds are obese. (more…)

Filed under: business, Colorado, federal government, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 5,587 other followers