February 1996 – Efforts by the AFA to get trash TV talk shows off the air, or to make them clean up their act, continue. AFA recently ran a full page ad in the New York Times identifying the leading sponsors of several of these programs.

According to AFA president Donald E. Wildmon, the ad cost AFA $26,470 but he considers the money well spent. The Times has a circulation of 1,771,000 and is read by nearly every company which advertises on national TV. “The ad was designed not only to publicly identify these companies, but the ad also listed the addresses and phone numbers, and readers were encouraged to contact them,” Wildmon said. In addition, he said the ad would also reach several potential sponsors of the programs. The ad invited readers to join AFA’s efforts in ending the trash TV talk shows.

AFA continues to monitor many of the programs, and several AFA state and local affiliates are also monitoring and contacting the sponsors. “Many high profile individuals have joined efforts against the programs, and there has been some success. We are hopeful that within the next few months we can seriously impact these programs,” he stated.

Listed below are many of the programs and the top sponsors:

Donahue: Hasbro, Clorox
Geraldo: Unilever, Warner-Lambert
Jenny Jones: Procter & Gamble, Remington Products
Maury Povich: American Home Products, Philip Morris
Ricki Lake: Hasbro, Grand Met
Sally Jessy Raphael: Hasbro, American Home Products