Station Criticized For Censoring Ad

Station Criticized
For Censoring Ad

( CNS) -- A Colorado station affiliated with National Public Radio (NPR) has come under fire for rebuffing a Christian dentist's sponsorship.

According to "The Durango Herald," Ignacio-based KSUT, which regularly provides on-air statements for sponsors, recently rejected Glenn Rutherford's dental practice motto, "Gently Restoring the Health God Created."

"I was called and told that there was a meeting of the [radio's] staff and they unanimously agreed that I can't put the word 'God' in our sponsorship spot," said Rutherford, 49, noting that the motto is on his office's letterhead and business cards.

KSUT officials declined to comment on the matter. On the air, KSUT uses the slogan: "Diverse programming for a multi-cultural world." Rutherford said he signed an agreement last month for the promotion to play on KSUT for a year. But the spot only made it onto the airwaves several times before station officials told him they couldn't run it as he wanted, the "Herald" reported.

American Family Association chairman Don Wildmon said KSUT and NPR are taxpayer-funded, and this type of discrimination is typical of their hostility toward Christianity.

"KSUT and NPR should make their motto, 'If you are a Christian, we don't want your money ... we don't want your support,'" Wildmon said. "Every Christian business owner in America should immediately pull his or her support from the intolerant NPR."

NPR was forced recently to make an on-air apology for implying in a January 2002 broadcast that Christian-based Traditional Values Coalition was involved in anthrax mailings.