Comcast bans gun, ammo ads

[Tim Nunan]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/bus ... s/2009717/

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Gun stores in areas that Comcast Cable serves are looking for new ways to advertise after the cable provider said it would not accept firearm and ammunition commercials.

Comcast (CMCSA), the nation's largest cable-TV company, made the decision last month after it finalized its purchase of media company NBCUniversal, which Adweek magazine said has had a long-standing in place banning those items and fireworks.

"Consistent with long-standing NBC policies, Comcast Spotlight has decided it will not accept new advertising for firearms or weapons moving forward," said spokesman Chris Ellis of Comcast's advertising sales division, Comcast Spotlight. Comcast has operations in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

Time Warner Cable announced in January — about a month after a gunman in Newtown, Conn., killed 27 people including 20 children — that it would no longer allow ads showing semiautomatic weapons and guns pointed at people, according to Multichannel News magazine. Time Warner (TWC), the country's second largest cable provider, operates in 29 states.

Privately held Cox Communications, which has customers in more than 20 states and is No. 3 in size, already had restrictions on certain types of weapons ads.

NBC says in its ad policy that it doesn't accept advertisements for weapons or fireworks, but commercials that include them as props will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
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