FW: [Autism_NY_News] DirectBuy Not Re-upping with 'Savage' Show

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DirectBuy Not Re-upping with 'Savage' Show

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DirectBuy Not Re-upping with 'Savage' Show

July 25, 2008

-By Hein

Add DirectBuy to the list of companies that won't be advertising on The Savage Nation any longer. The

company's contract expires today (July 25) and it has no plans of re-upping with

the natonally syndicated radio show, per a rep.

Due to host Weiner's controversial nature, DirectBuy decided to take

its ad dollars elsewhere. The decision to cease the relationship came prior to

Weiner's rants about autism. However, the recent remarks only reaffirmed the

company's decision, said a rep for the Merillville, Ind.-based marketer which

allows consumers to buy items like furniture and appliances direct from the

manufacturer. " The good news is everything will be pulled as of [today]. "

Aflac

announced on Monday that it would no longer advertise during

the show after Weiner called autism a scam and autistic children

" idiots " during a July 16 broadcast. Later that day, the Autism

United coalition staged a protest outside the studios of WOR (710 AM) in New York, which

broadcasts Weiner's show.

The organization followed with a press conference today on Wall Street asking

that Weiner be fired. It specifically called out Geico and Honda for continuing

to advertise on the show. A rally will be held in New

York and San

Francisco on Sunday to protest the show.

“No corporation should support such derogatory comments,” said

Ain, president of Autism United, Hicksville, N.Y.

Apparently, Geico doesn't. A rep for the insurance provider Tasher

said, “We told our media buyers to never place advertising on this show.

And we told them that a couple of years ago. " She added that the only way

Geico ads could run during the show is if they were purchased as part of a

network buy or thrown on as value-added spots. An Acura rep also said that

neither Acura nor sibling brand Honda advertises on the show.

On Tuesday, seven Mississippi

talk radio stations owned by Telesouth Communications dropped Weiner's program.

" Savage's comments about autistic children were beyond inexcusable

and are unacceptable, " the station group said in a statement. Stations in Ohio and Virginia have since followed

suit. Weiner has stood by his comments.

DirectBuy spent about $1 million overall on U.S.

media for the first five months of this year, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.