Focus on the Family joins Super Bowl Advertisers

I will concede that I did not get the sports gene - at least not outside of skiing (snow and water), surfing, and in my younger days, running cross country. I generally do not watch the Super Bowl unless at a party at friends, but even then the focus is on socializing and networking, not watching the game. The year before last, in fact, my young gay roommates and I watched the beginning of the game, the half time show and the final score. The rest of the time we watched the European men's' figure skating championships and the HOT male skaters. This year there will even be more reason NOT to watch the game: Focus on the Family - one of the most dishonest anti-gay organizations around - is bringing its foul stench to the list of advertisers. Why not run an ad pushing for theocracy or the public stoning of gays. That's FOTF's ultimate agenda after all. Personally, I will make a point of NOT purchasing from other advertisers in protest of the network's sale of ad time to such a hate group. Here are some highlights from the Denver Post:

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In between the Dr Pepper, Doritos and Bud Light commercials airing during the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, one first-time advertiser will be pushing God's product line. Focus on the Family will air a 30-second "life- and family-affirming" television spot, featuring University of Florida star quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, during the coverage. The Colorado Springs-based media ministry shot the ad with the Tebows on Tuesday in Orlando, Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger said Friday. It is set to air before and again during the CBS broadcast of the football championship from Dolphin Stadium near Miami.
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Schneeberger wouldn't say how much it cost to make the ad or the price of air time. However, TNS Media Intelligence reported Monday that 30-second Super Bowl commercial slots, which will reach an estimated 100 million viewers, are selling for $2.5 million to $2.8 million, down from last year's record price on NBC of $3 million.
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Declining donations at Focus on the Family have forced the ministry to eliminate more than 275 jobs in recent years. However, Schneeberger said, the money for the Super Bowl ad is not coming out of the ministry's general fund.
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"Every cent for this ad was paid for by generous donors who specifically gave for this project because they are excited about this opportunity for Focus to show who we are and what we do," Schneeberger said.
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Jim Daly, Focus on the Family president and chief executive, said in a statement that the Tebows' message about family comes at the right moment in the culture because "families need to be inspired."
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Well I'm inspired: inspired to keep telling the truth about Daddy Dobson and his merchants of hate, intolerance and theocracy. Dobson is the Christianist version of one of Iran's nasty, anti-democracy grand ayatollahs.