Wildmon spends big ad bucks against H'wood
The AFA has reportedly vowed to take out full-page advertisements in 100 newspapers nationwide to encourage readers to fight back against such films and TV programs as "Basic Instinct" and "Saturday Night Live."
While Wildmon didn't return phone calls yesterday, Art Kropp, president of People for the American Way, said the campaign is a demonstration of how much money the AFA has and is willing to use.
"This is a group that has built an organization on the back of Hollywood," Kropp said. "I would say the message isn't new, but what is new is how much money this organization has. These are very expensive advertisements."
Under the banner "We Are Outraged," the AFA's advertisement states "the real cause of the sex, violence, filth and profanity is with the writers, directors, producers, singers, actors, etc. But they can be controlled."
It goes on to say that "all it takes is for the boards of directors of their companies to order them to stop."
The ad then asks people to send in an attached petition to the AFA with a tax-deductible contribution. In return, their money will pay for more ads and will finance the AFA's efforts to notify the heads of every studio and network on a bimonthly basis.
As for the industry's response, most film and network spokespeople contacted yesterday said they either weren't aware of the ads or weren't worried about their effect.
"Studies have shown that people don't tend to make donations to these kinds of appeals," Kropp noted, "but if they send their name and address in, then the AFA can add it to their list and use it later on for direct mail prospects."
Kropp said Bill Clinton's election to the White House has helped refocus the AFA and other similar organizations' focus away from Washington, D.C., and back to grassroots efforts.
"They now want to show their grassroots muscle," he said.
And while it has been shown that boycotts sponsored by these organizations have not affected box office or store sales, he said, that no industry executives want to tangle with Wildmon.
"I don't think anyone wants to be caught up in his controversies," he said.
