WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association of Broadcasters, the Radio Advertising Bureau and the Television Bureau of Advertising joined forces last week in opposition to 'urban dictates,' an advertising practice in which companies refuse to place ads on radio and television stations with formats that attract African-American, Latino and Spanish-speaking audiences. The letter, sent to roughly 4,200 advertising agencies, was signed by David K. Rehr, president and CEO for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB); Jeff Haley, president of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB); and Chris Rohrs, president of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).
"Although it has not been the subject of an empirical study, there is significant anecdotal evidence of 'dictates' or policies against the purchase of advertising time on stations with formats that attract African-American, Latino and Spanish-speaking audiences. Under these policies, regardless of whether a station or its sales representative could show that the station's viewers or listeners met the target criteria that the advertiser sought, the advertiser or its agency refuses to buy time," the broadcast leaders wrote.
"Discrimination against broadcasters based on racial, gender or ethnic stereotyping has no place in today's media marketplace."
To read the entire letter, click here.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
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