Slots groups make waves with radio ads

October 2, 2008

I received a press release this week from Marylanders United to Stop Slots announcing its lobbying effort to get local radio outlets to pull the plug on ads by For Maryland, For Our Future (a pro-slots group) those stations have been airing recently.

A sample letter sent to station managers included in the release says the “advertisements are false and misleading, and knowingly misstate facts” about Question 2, the ballot measure Maryland voters will take up this fall to decide whether to legalize slot machines in the state.

The group is claiming one ad’s statements that passing the measure will guarantee $650 million for public schools and will generate new money for education is misleading  — that it isn’t a sure thing schools will receive that much money, and while Question 2 would create an Education Trust Fund, the measure does not require any overall increase in school funding.

“These two falsehoods in ‘Choice’ are clearly meant to mislead and trick voters, and we urge you, if this ad has been submitted for play on your station, to cease airing it immediately,” the letter says.

Another statement the group takes issue with: “that those opposing slots have proposed a $700 million tax increase to make up for an alleged and, frankly made up, short fall of $700 million.  The anti-slots groups in this campaign have made no such proposal.”

MUSS urges stations “for the sake of both FCC licensing requirements and the public interest,” to stop airing the ads.

Does this group have any business telling radio stations which ads to air and which ones to pull?

LIZ FARMER, Business Writer

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under business, slots 

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