Letter to Constituents Regarding the Superbowl Halftime Show     2/3/2004

The following letter was sent to our constituents on February 3, 2004, concerning the recent outrage over the Superbowl halftime show. We wanted to share it with you.

Dear Friend,

This morning I got the following note from a good friend of CWA. I wanted to share it with you because, like our friend, I'm fed up. Please read it and take action if you feel the same.

They call that halftime entertainment for the Super Bowl????? Simulated sex, repeated crotch grabbing, gangster rapping and then the grand finale....Janet Jackson's bared right breast complete with a jeweled pastie.......

A worldwide audience of over a billion people were treated to a pathetic display of what's gone wrong with America.

If you were as disgusted as we were with the MTV-produced halftime show at the Super Bowl yesterday, let NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue hear from you. My wife and I called his office in NYC this morning to complain. He already has a recorded message pointing the finger at MTV and apologizing for the content on the halftime show as being something not consistent with the values of the NFL. The message asks that all comments on the halftime show be emailed to them at sbcomments@nfl.com

We had a bunch of young kids (8-15) watching the game with us. They appeared to be as disgusted as we were.

Let Commissioner Paul Tagliabue hear from you.

One more quick note -- this morning's news carried reports that Tagliabue promises new policies and new people to make sure it never happens again. Good idea! But, let's not forget that Paul Tagliabue was responsible for the people and policies who created the show in the first place. I believe he owes America at least an apology himself. After all, MTV just did what the NFL hired it to do!

Sincerely,

Sandy Rios
President

SUGGESTED LANGUAGE

Dear Commissioner Tagliabue,

In your recorded message to people calling in to your offices to complain about your outrageous halftime show, you say that MTV does not reflect the values of the NFL. But, for some reason you hired them anyway! Everyone knows what the values of MTV are -- and nobody thinks they're fit for prime time.

The bottom line is that you are responsible for that halftime show. Now you're promising new people and new policies to ensure this never happens again. But, the people and policies you had yesterday -- and will hire tomorrow -- reflected and responded to your leadership. It is you who owes America an apology. Stop blaming MTV because they delivered what you hired them to deliver. Your personal apology will show the children of this country that honor and integrity are more than just words at the NFL.

Thank you for your consideration.

Resources

• So, You Want To File a Broadcast Indecency Complaint?
• Give Us Cable Choice for Decency's Sake!
• The FCC: A Failure of Enforcement
• http://www.cleanuptvnow.com/ [NON-CWA LINK]

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