Comcast bans TV firearm advertisements

Television is often the land of savages, with shows featuring endless weaponry, blood and brutality. But when the programming on the nation’s largest cable-TV provider pauses, viewers will no longer see commercials from local firearms dealers.

A spokesperson for Comcast Corporation, the nation’s largest cable system and a media conglomerate reaching more than 50 million U.S. homes, said the Comcast Spotlight division adopted a policy preventing advertisements featuring firearms or weapons.

Comcast Spotlight is the corporation’s advertising-sales division that sells local advertising spots on national cable channels. Indianapolis is the 26th-largest television market in the country, with 16 broadcast television stations, according to the Comcast website.

The decision follows the mid-December mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and Comcast’s acquisition of General Electric’s common equity ownership interest in NBCUniversal in February.

“This policy aligns us with the guidelines in place at many media organizations,” Comcast Spokesperson Chris Ellis said.

Ellis did not provide additional comment.

Comcast’s decision also follows a move made by Time Warner Cable, the nation’s second-largest cable-TV provider. In January, Time Warner released a statement saying it would no longer accept advertisements showing semi-automatic weapons and guns pointed at people, according to Multichannel News.

If it is essential for a business owner to use this kind of imagery in their commercials, a Time Warner spokesperson said they should utilize other advertising options in the
marketplace.

Gary Butcher, owner of Leathers Limited Firearms in Bloomington, said he utilizes word-of-mouth advertising to promote his business, opting out of mass media advertising altogether. He said he plans to never advertise any other way.

“It works out good without somebody politically trying to stick their nose in my business,” Butcher said. “That way, nobody can come back and say ‘you owe me.’ No I don’t. I do this all on my own with my customers. My customers, they’re my faithful people.”

Butcher said Comcast’s move could hurt the corporation. But it will not affect his business, he said.

“The thing is, Comcast is a big organization, but if they’re going to be that selfish, people ought to drop their product,” Butcher said. “Anybody who likes firearms and sees they’re pulling this number off here, they have the right to say ‘I’m going to take my business and go somewhere else with it.’ I think it could hurt Comcast.”