Why I hate the P.T.C.

Sometimes I get irritated about the belligerent stupidity of others ruining my fun. But where it comes to the Parents Television Council™ I don't even know where to start. So I'll begin with current evens. Last week they released a list of their top 10 "Best" advertisers. But their idea of "best" is downright odd.

To an ad buyer a good ad is one that sells the product effectively. To a viewer it's the one that's least obtrusive. We tolerate ads because network programming is expensive to produce and it won out over a subscription model.  But the PTC has another notion. Their definition of "best" is based on what programs they run that ads in. NOT THE CONTENT OF THE AD! More here.

"Each company listed purchased at least 25 ads on prime time broadcast programs. Companies with the most ads on PTC-rated green lighted shows were ranked the best, and those with the most ads on PTC-rated red lighted shows were ranked the worst. "

You can see the list at the above link, note #6 is the Altria Group. Altria is the shiny chromed new brand name for Phillip Morris. They make 3 billion cigarettes a year. To the PTC they are one of the "best" advertisers. This is a company that fought the federal government for years to avoid admitting what everyone already knew: that cigarettes are addictive and cause cancer.

Anyway. That's TV. We write about Radio here. So, here's why I hate their meddling in radio [Link] While I hate them less than the religious cults that try to force college and high-school stations to share time, hate them less than the christian corporations that buy up licenses and pipe in satellite fed right-wing propaganda, I hate them more than almost anything else.