Absolut controversy: liquor ads return to network TV

doi:10.1136/bmjusa.02020006

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.02020006, (Published 28 August 2002)

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Absolut controversy: liquor ads return to network TV

Charles Marwick, Washington, DC
The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

This article originally appeared in BMJ USA

When NBC announced last December 13 that it would accept liquor advertisements on national television, the reaction was predictable.The Distillery Spirits Council of the United States, a nationaltrade association, called the move "a positive day for the spiritsindustry." The American Medical Association (AMA) called it "shockinglyirresponsible."

Advocacy groups concerned about excessive drinking criticized it. Millie I Webb, national president of Mothers Against DrunkDriving, called for "higher standards of responsibility in advertisingbeer, wine, and liquor." George A Hacker, Alcohol Policies ProjectDirector at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI),immediately described NBC's decision "shameless." Then, withindays, CSPI reported that 59% of survey respondents were concernedabout NBC breaking its 50-year, self-imposed ban on showing liquorads on TV. Hacker maintained that NBC's decision "flies squarelyin the face of publicopinion."

Local television and cable . . . [Full text of this article]