GE Resumes Advertising on Paul Harvey Radio Programs
By: Administrative Account | Source: CNSNews.com
December 30, 2003 10:48AM EST

By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Evening Editor
December 30, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - Less than a week after General Electric pulled its lighting advertisements from Paul Harvey's syndicated radio shows because of complaints from Muslim listeners, the company has decided to restore its ads to the popular program.

GE withdrew its ads after the 84-year-old Harvey described cockfighting in Iraq on his Dec. 4 broadcast, during which he made the following on-air comment: "Add to the thirst for blood a religion which encourages killing, and it is entirely understandable if Americans came to this bloody party unprepared."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington, D.C.-based Muslim civil rights group, objected to the phrase "a religion which encourages killing" and demanded an on-air apology.

"We had hoped that a respected broadcast professional like Mr. Harvey would not join the growing number of Islamophobic hate-mongers in our society," said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper. "He falsely attributes to Islam two things that are specifically prohibited by our faith: murder and cruelty to animals."

CAIR also asked concerned Muslims to contact both Harvey and his sponsors, including GE. That request resulted in hundreds of calls, faxes and e-mails.

GE responded to complaint e-mails with a note indicating it had pulled its advertisements from the broadcast:

"We have received your e-mail about the comments of Paul Harvey on Dec. 4, 2003," the note said. "GE certainly doesn't endorse the comment and regrets any offense that it may have caused. While we look into the matter further, we have pulled GE's advertisements from Mr. Harvey's show. We appreciate voicing your concerns to us."

During Harvey's Dec. 9 program, fill-in host Doug Limerick responded to the situation for the Chicago-based newsman and commentator.

"Last week, [Paul Harvey] told you about bloody cockfights in Iraq and mentioned the relationship between Islam and violence," Limerick stated. "He says he received several letters from dear friends in the American Muslim community who expressed their disgust with those who have hijacked their religion to achieve their goal through violence. They reminded all of us that Islam is a religion of peace, that terrorists do not represent Islam."

That same day, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad accepted "Harvey's conciliatory message" and thanked "all those who took the time to speak out in defense of Islam. Once again, we see that positive actions bring positive results."

Gary Sheffer, a spokesman for GE, told CNSNews.com that, after reviewing Limerick's statement, company officials decided to resume its advertising on the program after the start of 2004.

Sheffer noted that the decision was made even before GE received a "strong response from Mr. Harvey's listeners" urging continued support of the broadcaster's news and commentary programs, which are heard by 24 million listeners on 1,600 radio stations.

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