State’s NBC affiliates won’t air liquor ads Network started accepting spots last month

PORTLAND – Maine’s two NBC-affiliated TV stations have decided not to air the hard liquor ads their parent network began accepting last month.

WLBZ 2 of Bangor and WCSH 6 of Portland already had policies not to accept local ads for hard liquor. After NBC became the first major network in 50 years to run liquor ads, the two stations began substituting promotional spots while managers considered what to do in the long run.

This week the two stations – both owned by media giant Gannett – decided they would continue to not air the national hard liquor ads from NBC.

“We just don’t feel it’s appropriate for us to run them,” said Steve Thaxton, president and general manager of WCSH 6. “That’s not to say the decision won’t someday change if other networks start accepting the ads and they become prolific. But it’s inconsistent with what our stations stand for.”

Thaxton said recent deaths linked to drinking and driving, including the deaths of three teen-agers Sunday in Portland, helped convince him that ads for hard liquor should not be aired.

The decision by Thaxton and WLBZ 2 general manager Judy Horan was made Monday, just as a group of Mainers interested in public health issues was beginning to write and call the stations and ask them not to run the ads.

Kate Perkins of the Maine Public Health Association praised the decision by the two affiliates.

“I think it’s fabulous that they came to that conclusion. Drinking is the drug of choice in Maine, and anything that reduces the media pressure to drink or holds it at the same level is great,” Perkins said. “We all know that the media has a tremendous impact on people’s decision-making process.”

Thaxton said covering every hard liquor ad with a promo is technically difficult and that sometimes one ad might slip through.

“We need to identify those ads, where they are running, and sometimes they are moved at the last minute,” said Thaxton.

Gannett, which owns 22 TV stations, confirmed Wednesday that each local station was free to make its own decision about accepting NBC’s hard liquor ads. Thaxton also said that NBC cannot force affiliates to air the ads.

Thaxton said not airing the ads would not affect his station’s revenues.