CBS refuses to air gay dating site’s Super Bowl ad; sparks protest

Gay dating Web site ManCrunch.com created an ad for the Feb. 7’s Super Bowl and submitted it to CBS, the network that hosts the popular event, on Jan. 18 for consideration.

Gay site’s ad rejected
But, CBS rejected the ad Friday after a fortnight's consideration, saying the commercial, which features two male fans making out while watching the Super Bowl, didn't meet the network's standards.

The Mancrunch.com’s 30-second commercial shows two male football fans watching the Super Bowl on TV, and then accidentally touching hands when they reach for the same potato chip into a chip bowl. After a moment of hesitation, the two men begin kissing, as a third male football fan observes the sudden turn of events in shock.

After a fortnight's consideration, CBS sent a rejection letter to Mancrunch.com, noting: "CBS Standards and Practices has reviewed your proposed Super Bowl ad and concluded that the creative is not within the Network's Broadcast Standards for Super Bowl Sunday."

The network, however, did not give any reason why it’s not be airing ManCrunch.com's 'Playing for the Same Team' ad during the NFL game next week.

"After reviewing the ad — which is entirely commercial in nature — our Standards and Practices department decided not to accept this particular spot," CBS noted. "As always, we are open to working with the client on alternative submissions."

Questions about company’s credit history raised
Citing the letter to ManCrunch.com, TVGuide.com reports that CBS has partly rejected the ad due to financial reasons, saying its sales department had difficulty verifying the company's financial information.

“Moreover, our Sales Department has had difficulty verifying your organization’s credit status,” the network said.

But a spokeswoman for the gay site said that basing the rejection on credit status doesn't make sense because "we offered to pay cash."

Rejection is deemed as discrimination
The company was disappointed by the rejection, TVGuide.com quoted the ManCrunch spokeswoman Elissa Buchter as saying.

"We think it's totally discriminatory that they're accepting other ads that make social statements, but they're not allowing ours," she said.

CBS came under fire earlier this week when it said it will consider running a pro-life ad featuring University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and his mom, Pam.

Produced by Focus on the Family, a conservative organization, the ad will be Christian group’s first Super Bowl commercial once it receives final confirmation from CBS.

Dominic Friesen, a spokesman for Mancrunch.com has cited Tebow's ad as a good example for why their commercial should not have been rejected.

Friesensaid: "We are very disappointed that in 2010 such discrimination is happening, especially given the fact that Focus on the Family is allowed to promote their way of life during the Super Bowl. We're calling on every same-sex advocacy group to petition CBS and let them know this discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated."

Web site protesting
Now, the gay Web site is asking for help and protesting the network’s decision to keep it away from the NFL's championship game due next week.

In a statement to CNBC, Mancrunch.com said: "We're calling on every same sex advocacy group to petition CBS and let them know this...behavior will not be tolerated."