Anti-Abortion Ads Use FCC Rule to Reach TV Audiences

An anti-abortion ad that appeared on "The View" recently is part of a wider campaign leveraging a federal law to force broadcasters to air their message. The ad, by longtime activist Randall Terry, criticizes famous personalities and displays graphic images of aborted fetuses. Terry, running for president under the Constitution Party, is using his candidacy status to get airtime on broadcast stations. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules prevent broadcasters from rejecting political ads from qualified candidates. However, the rules don't apply to political organizations or cable networks. Terry's goal is to sway voters, especially those aged 50-80, who are likely to watch broadcast TV, and he doesn't mind if the ads include warnings about disturbing content. Some, like Christian F. Nunes from the National Organization for Women, worry that this manipulation of FCC rules promotes hate speech.