NBC - PICKENS WINS ROUND AGAINST NBC

PICKENS WINS ROUND AGAINST NBC

NBC on Wednesday denied that it had refused to air a commercial by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens that calls for the conversion of U.S. automobiles to natural gas in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. In a letter to NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker, Pickens had written, "We are puzzled by your decision not to run this ad because by not running it, you are selectively applying the First Amendment and denying your viewers access to information that is important to their education and understanding of the issue of energy independence." Pickens' letter was followed by one from his lawyer, Benjamin Ginsberg, expressing "profound disappointment and deep puzzlement" over the rejection of the ad and asking the network to reconsider. Late Wednesday, however, NBC said that it had approved the ad and that Pickens's letter had been "premature."

28/08/2008