>From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: McCaffrey sucessfuly bribes AOL and Spiderman >Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 16:53:58 -0800 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > >Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 >Source: Wall Street Journal (US) >Copyright: 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. >Contact: letter.editor@edit.wsj.com >Address: 200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281 >Website: http://www.wsj.com/ >Author: Glenn Burkins, staff reporter >Also: Nick Wingfield and Erin White contributed to this article. > >U.S. ALSO USES AOL AND COMICS TO PUSH ITS ANTIDRUG MESSAGES > >A government-sponsored antidrug campaign has centered on major television >networks, but the White House drug office also used federal advertising >dollars with other outlets, including Internet company America Online Inc. >and comic hero Spider-Man, to push its message. > >Under a $1 billion, five-year spending program, the government buys >antidrug advertising mostly on television, in return for which the networks >provide matching free ad time or agree to include antidrug messages within >entertainment shows. The federal program caused an uproar last week when it >was revealed that scripts of some TV programs had been submitted for review >to the drug office and that changes in the shows' content had been made in >a few cases. > >In fact, there are very few media the government can't use to distribute >its antidrug message. When Congress allocated the ad money in 1997, it said >the funds should "fashion anti-drug messages in motion pictures, television >programming, popular music, interactive (Internet and new) media projects >and activities, public information, news media outreach and corporate >sponsorship and participation." > >Matching Free Ads > >At AOL, for example, the drug-control office bought ads on AOL sites in >return for which the nation's largest Internet service provider, as >mandated under the 1997 program, provided matching free ads for antidrug >messages. > >But under part of the program that allows in-kind contributions to the >government to reduce the number of free ads it must provide, AOL also >established a Web site called the Drug Resource Center for Parents, >launched in April 1998. > >The site, which is available by typing in the keywords "Drug Help" through >AOL's access software, refers to the participation of the White House drug >office through a page link. A second antidrug AOL site oriented toward kids >was set up in the summer of 1998. On occasion, AOL incorporated links to >its own drug-resource center in other areas of AOL. For instance, AOL's >Families channel recently linked to the AOL drug-resource center. > >'A Lot of Programming' > >AOL, Dulles, Va., said the content on both sites was developed in >collaboration with the White House drug office. Like many AOL sites, the >antidrug areas essentially collected links to other drug resources on the >Web. "They gave us suggested links and we added our own," said AOL >spokeswoman Ann Brackbill. "We aggregated a lot of programming in one >place." > >Alan Levitt, an official in the White House drug office who directs the >antidrug media campaign, estimated that the government has spent "hundreds >of thousands of dollars" with AOL under the program. Ms. Brackbill said >that estimate was probably correct, but neither had an exact spending >figure. > >In another effort, the White House drug-control agency, in September, >launched the first of a four-part series with Marvel Enterprises Inc. >featuring the comic-book character Spider-Man. The story line features the >webbed superhero as he guides student journalists through an action-packed >lesson on how to recognize and resist drug images in the media. > >Half-and-Half Payments > >Each eight-page installment in the series, called "Fast Lane," is >distributed inside publications such as Boys' Life, Girls' Life, Contact >Kids, Muse, React and Scholastic Classroom magazine and Marvel Comics. >Together, the government says, those publications have a combined >circulation of nearly 11 million and reach at least 65% of the nation's >youth ages nine to 14. > >Under the arrangement, the government drug office pays for half the insert, >and each magazine pays for the other half. Marvel said the government >doesn't vary its compensation depending on how strong it deemed an antidrug >theme. The agreement was announced in the summer by the government and the >publisher, although a Marvel news release at the time didn't disclose >specific terms. > >Marvel has worked with the government to develop the story lines since the >spring of 1998, according to the company. The drug office guided writers on >which drugs would be the most appropriate subjects for adolescents, which >drug-related problems were most relevant, and what language kids use to >talk about drugs. After Marvel submitted an initial story line, the >government tested it in adolescent focus groups, the comics publisher said. > >"We're still in consultation at all times," said John Fraser, Marvel senior >vice president for strategic promotions and advertising. He added that >although Marvel has no other arrangements with the drug office, the comics >company hopes to continue the relationship with other projects. Marvel's >superheroes include Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk. > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: