The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) has admitted that it gave MoveOn.org a huge discount on a full-page advertisement attacking Iraq commander General David Petraues that it didn't deserve.
Public Editor Clark Hoyt argued in his column yesterday that MoveOn.Org should have paid $142,083 for the "General Betray US?" ad instead of $64,575. The ad also violated the Times' own standards and shouldn't have run in the first place, Hoyt said, pointing out that the ramifications for the blunder are huge.
"It gave the Bush administration and its allies an opportunity to change the subject from questions about an unpopular war to defense of a respected general with nine rows of ribbons on his chest, including a Bronze Star with a V for valor," he said. "And it gave fresh ammunition to a cottage industry that loves to bash the Times as a bastion of the 'liberal media."
Even though the Times screwed up, this error was one of idiocy, not malfeasance. People can buy advertisements that are guaranteed to run on a certain day and those that run at a time that's not guaranteed for a cheaper rate. MoveOn.org, which explains its thinking behind the ad here, should have been charged the more expensive rate.
Regardless, the advertisement has turned into a publicity goldmine for MoveOn.org, something for which it makes no apologies. "Phrases like 'General Betray Us' are 'sticky' -- that is, they get repeated again and again in the media -- because they are so memorable," the group says.
So the politicians and media outlets who are denouncing the ad are in fact doing MoveOn.org's bidding. No wonder the group is anteing up the difference between the Times' cheaper and expensive rates. It was worth the money.
Disclosure: I've done freelance work for The New York Times.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-24-2007 @ 10:23PM
LARRY said...
NY TIMES ed board shouldve made same observations that Move.on did.! data was selected and doctored to make US situation in Iraq better than it actually was!..Lets get the heck out of Iraq ASAP !!!
9-24-2007 @ 3:17PM
George Myers said...
Taco Bell took out a dated ad too: they tried to explain to the US it had just bought the Liberty Bell! I recall I was in Neptune, NJ (where Jack Nicholson is from) and well, April Fools! Gee I guess they had to spend a lot more for the ad. By the way they didn't buy the Liberty Bell...