Wisconsin Antiabortion Group Criticizes Three College Newspapers That Refused To Run Ad Against EC

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 20 Mar 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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Pro-Life Wisconsin recently criticized three college newspapers in the state for refusing to run an advertisement against emergency contraception, the La Crosse Tribune reports (Lang, La Crosse Tribune, 3/14). Virginia Zignego, communications director for PLW, on Monday said the group is frustrated, angry and confused by decisions not to run the quarter-page ad, which is part of a $2,000 media campaign (AP/Editor & Publisher, 3/18).

Student newspapers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Marquette University in Milwaukee refused to run the ad. Ten other student newspapers in the state accepted it, Zignego said. The ad shows a college-age man and woman looking at the reader and urges students to make smart choices during spring break. The ad says, "Be good to yourself over spring break. Make smart choices the night before ... that way you won't have any emergencies to deal with the morning after!" It adds, "Emergency contraception is a powerful, high dose of steroids that tricks your body into thinking it is pregnant. Those steroids can cause chemical abortions and deadly blood clots."

Peggy Hamill, director of PLW, said, "Obviously, they are not interested in putting forth both sides of the story regarding so-called emergency contraception" (La Crosse Tribune, 3/14). Zignego said, "It was surprising a newspaper would stay away from controversial subjects." She added that the decisions seemed to be based on personal beliefs. Lisa Boyce, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said the ad is "absolutely incorrect," adding that it is the obligation of newspapers to check the accuracy of facts in their ads. "This ad does a disservice to populations at risk of experiencing an unintended pregnancy by spreading misinformation that is absolutely counter to medical science," Boyce said.

Andrea Wilson, editor of the Racquet at UW-La Crosse, said there was much discussion before the editorial staff and its advisory group decided to reject the ad. "We just don't feel it is appropriate for the paper," she said. Peter Fox, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, said newspapers have the right to refuse any ad deemed inappropriate. He added the decision often is based on whether the ad is factual, if it creates false impression or presents someone in an inaccurate light (AP/Editor & Publisher, 3/18).

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