Calls to boycott Hulu and cancel subscriptions to the streaming service grew on social media Tuesday after reports emerged that the streaming service refused to run political ads from Democratic organizations on issues including abortion and gun control.
What You Need To Know
On Monday, the Washington Post reported that on July 15, three Democratic Party committees tried to purchase joint ads on abortion rights and gun control with Hulu but the ads were rejected Hulu and other streaming services are not bound by the 1934 Communications Act – a law that requires broadcast television networks to provide politicians equal access to the airwaves A person familiar with Hulu’s policies told the Washington Post that the company “does not publicly disclose its advertising guidelines but that they prohibit advertising that takes a position on a controversial issue’ The Democratic committees are calling on Hulu to reverse its policy on ads, stating that it is “blocking Americans from getting information about some of the most critical issues in this midterm election”
On Monday, the Washington Post reported that on July 15, three Democratic Party committees – the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic Governors Association ( DGA) – tried to buy joint abortion rights ads. and gun control with Hulu. On the same subject : House passes bill to protect interstate travel for abortion. But despite being accepted by Youtube, Roku, NBC, Facebook and broadcast and cable TV channels, the ads were reportedly rejected by Hulu due to “content-related” issues.
Unlike television networks, Hulu and other streaming services are not bound by the Communications Act of 1934 — a law that requires broadcast television networks to provide politicians with equal access to the airwaves. Reposting services have control over which commercials it broadcasts.
Spectrum News has reached out to Hulu for comment.
The Washington Post cited a person familiar with Hulu’s policies who said the company “does not publicly disclose its advertising guidelines but that they prohibit advertising that takes a position on a controversial issue.”
The ambiguity of Hulu’s policy has sparked outrage online and from Democratic caucuses.
In a joint statement sent to Spectrum News, executive directors of the DSCC, DCCC and DGA, Christie Roberts, Tim Persico and Noam Lee, said that “Hulu’s censorship of the truth is outrageous.”
“Voters have a right to know the facts about MAGA Republicans‘ agenda on issues like abortion,” they said. “Hulu is doing a tremendous disservice to the American people by blocking voters from learning the truth about the GOP record or by denying these issues from even being discussed.”
On Twitter, the DSCC added that “Americans deserve to know the truth about these issues, and Hulu has no right to block it.”
BREAKING: @Hulu REJECTS our ads call out GOP attacks on abortion access and gun safety. Their shady policies amount to outrageous political censorship.
Americans deserve to know the truth about these things, and Hulu has no right to block it. https://t.co/xEfpgASoBU
The committees are calling on Hulu to reverse its ad policy, saying it is “blocking Americans from getting information about some of the most critical issues in this midterm election.”
In response to the outcry, some Twitter users are publicly declaring that they are canceling their subscriptions to Hulu and encouraging others to do the same. The hashtag ‘#BoycottHulu’ was trending on Twitter on Tuesday morning.
“I’m canceling Hulu today,” wrote Fred Guttenberg, a prominent safety activist whose daughter, Jamie, was killed in the February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Musician April Smith urged her followers on Twitter to “Cancel your Hulu subscription until they get the message,” she wrote on Twitter. “You won’t miss The Handmaid’s Tale because we’re basically living the first season right now.”
Christina Reynolds, VP of Communications at EMILY’S LIST, a political action committee that helps elect Democratic female candidates in favor of abortion rights, also called out the streaming service.
“Vast majorities in this country support abortion rights. Your decision to refuse ads that talk about it — that’s controversial,” Reynolds wrote to the company. “You’re picking the wrong side here by banning ads that talk about reproductive rights.”
The Democratic committees aren’t the only ones that have had ads rejected on Hulu in recent months. Earlier this month, Suraj Patel, a Democratic candidate for Congress in New York, wrote a letter to Hulu claiming that the streaming service demanded that his campaign remove “sensitive” issues — abortion, climate change or gun laws — from its digital campaign ads. .
In the letter, which was first reported by Jezebel, Patel demanded that Hulu “reconsider” what he described as its “ban on advertising that mentions the most important messages of the day.”
“Not to discuss these issues in my campaign ad is to not address the most important issues facing America,” Patel said in the letter. “We are at an absolutely critical time in our nation’s history. How are voters supposed to make informed choices if their candidates can’t talk about the most important issues of the day?”
In May, it was reported that Hulu rejected the D-Ga. from Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, an ad that mentioned her “pro-choice position.” In a statement, Bourdeaux asked Hulu to “remove this dangerous and outrageous ban on pro-choice advertising.”
“Hulu is one of the most effective platforms for advertising to young voters,” wrote Democratic Pollster and Strategist Matt McDermott on Twitter. “By blocking ads on topics like climate change and abortion, Hulu is effectively censoring Democrats from engaging with masses of voters on the most critical issues facing our country.”
The controversy comes shortly after The Walt Disney Company, which owns 66% of Hulu, signaled to advertisers in May that political and alcohol ads will not be accepted on streaming service Disney+ when it launches an ad-supported version later this year.
