March 8, 2005

Hailing weblogs as the "next great revolution in journalism," the United Church of Christ today (March 8) released its network-rejected "bouncer ad" on nearly 50 of the most widely-read blogs.

The UCC's blogads will run for two weeks on a mix of liberal, moderate and conservative sites, including many of the most prominent political, cultural and religious blogs ? such as Escaton, Power Line, Talking Points Memo, Andrew Sullivan, DailyKos and This Modern World, among dozens of others.

A blog ? short for "web log" ? is basically an online journal that, typically, is updated daily with chronological postings by the site's author. Many now argue the increasing availability of affordable, easy-to-use blog technology is revolutionizing news reporting because far greater numbers are participating in gathering and sharing information.

The UCC's new blogad utilizes a series of still photos from the denomination's 30-second television commercial ? rejected twice as "too controversial" by the major broadcast television networks ? to entice blog visitors to "see the ad the networks didn't want you to see."

An estimated 1 million will view the UCC's banned ad through the blog advertisements, said the Rev. Robert Chase, director of communications for the 1.3-million-member denomination.

"While many are still unaware of it, the blogosphere has emerged as the next great revolution in journalism," Chase said. "In the tradition of this nation's earliest pamphleteers, bloggers are sharing news and information as a mark of a truly free society, not as something that can be controlled and manipulated by multi-national corporations."

Church leaders made the decision to purchase blog ad space after the major broadcast networks rejected a second request in March to allow the ad to run, Chase said. A similar rejection occurred in December 2004 when the ad campaign was launched.

In the disputed ad, two burly bouncers stand outside a picturesque church and decide which would-be worshippers are allowed inside. The scene fades to black where, in silence, written words declare, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."

The scene then shifts to a diverse UCC congregation, and an announcer proclaims, "The United Church of Christ?No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."

The web-based advertisements are part of an overall $1 million advertising strategy by the church in March, during the remaining weeks of Lent ? just before Easter. In addition to blogads, the church is utilizing cable television, radio and print publications.

"Knowing little of blogs six months ago, we increasingly recognize that these folks are informational trend setters," Chase said. "If this ad campaign goes as planned, we'll consider shifting even more to blogs and away from traditional media the next go around."

The blog's emergence, Chase said, can be equated to the invention of the printing press, the development of radio and television, or the availability of 24-hour cable news stations.

"It's a great investment of our advertising dollars," he said.

In December 2004, the earliest reports of the networks' reject of the ad were written by bloggers, Chase pointed out.

"Because of the attention that bloggers gave to the UCC's story, the networks no longer could hide their censorship of an intentionally-welcoming, progressive religious message," Chase said. "It's something we're seeing happen more and more ? the most credible, engaging news reports are coming from bloggers."

In January, when the UCC issued an invitation of "unequivocal welcome" to SpongeBob SquarePants, the popular cartoon character criticized by James Dobson's Focus on the Family and other conservative groups for promoting tolerance, the UCC was again the subject of blog fodder.

At the time, Paul Waldman on the blog Gadflyer.com wrote, "The United Church of Christ is fast emerging as the coolest denomination around ? not only are they delivering a message of love and welcoming, but they actually have a sense of humor, something that, with all due respect, is not usually in evidence among those of strong faith."

The UCC's five-year advertising campaign, said Chase, attempts to drive home, in dramatic fashion, the feelings of alienation experienced by many non-churchgoers who say they have felt excluded or unwelcomed by institutional churches for a variety of reasons.

United Church News Service