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DISCOUNTS
If a corporation or labor organization sells goods or services to a political committee at a price below the usual or normal charge, a prohibited contribution results in the amount of the discount. 100.52(d). A reduced price is not considered a contribution, however, if it is offered by the vendor in the ordinary course of business and at the same amount charged to nonpolitical clients. See, e.g., AO 1989-14.
It may be freedom of speech and freedom of press, but as MoveOn is a Political Action Committee, it may be a violation of the Federal Election code. It may have violated some senses as well.
NEW YORK The New York Times is denying a claim by rival New York Post that it deliberately slashed ad rates to run the now-controversial MoveOn.org full-pager earlier this week to combat Gen. David Petraeus's testimony before Congress.
A Post story today asked why the Times slashed its basic full page ad charge of $181,000 to about $65,000, which MoveOn says it paid. The ad, criticized by conservatives and war supporters, asked, "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?"
But Reuters reports that Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis denied the rate charged indicated a political bias. "We do not distinguish the advertising rates based on the political content of the ad," Mathis told Reuters.
"The advertising folks did not see the content of the ad before the rate was quoted," she said, adding that there were over 30 different categories of ads with varying rates, based on, for example, multiple buys and other factors.
It may be freedom of speech and freedom of press, but as MoveOn is a Political Action Committee, it may be a violation of the Federal Election code. It may have violated some senses as well.
This is the reason a big newspaper like the NYT would never deliberately discount a political ad -- but it's only one reason. Another reason for not discounting is because there is always an opposing party and if they found out you discounted for the other guy, ALL HELL WOULD BREAK LOOSE! (Kinda like now... )
I used to sell advertising for another big newspaper and I know the rules for political advertising. Trust me. The NYT would never knowingly give moveon.org a discount. I could see this happening if moveon.org convinced someone else (like a charity) to place the ad under false pretenses (like saying it was a "tribute" ad or something like that) and getting the charity rate for the ad. Or if moveon.org got a retailer with a linage contract to place the ad without telling the NYT what the content of the ad was. If moveon.org did anyone one of those things (or anyone else who placed the ad for them), they will never run in the NYT again -- unless they make up the difference in the cost.
First of all, all newspapers do not and can not afford to give discounts---circulation is falling faster than you can say brian-de-palma-sucks. Now, lets see if the NYT will give me a discount if I run a conservative ad.
Did you get the "first month free and 50% off the weekly subscription?" deal LOL
I think the ad is fine, even with the .org discount.
I don't read the paper though. I used to, but one day I figured reading that paper is just as bad as the people who get their news from Hannity. So I stopped.
Besides, I get all my news online now anyway. These days you have to go to 5 different sources for political news, just to be sure you're getting all the facts.
~T
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