• Lexington Herald-Leader, Monday, November 20, 2006 10:45 AM

ABC has pulled the plug on a church's "God Gives Hope" ad campaign, saying the message violates its advertising guidelines. The Assemblies of God had reserved space on ABC's Super Sign above Times Square that serves as a backdrop for "Good Morning America," but just hours before the ads were to air, ABC canceled the contract, according to church officials.

An ABC spokeswoman says rejecting the ad is consistent with company guidelines. "This is a policy, not of years, but decades, not to take advertising for religion," she ssys. "I can only presume an eager salesman was unaware of that." But she declines to say why ABC won't air religious messages.

Juleen Turnage, a spokeswoman for the Assemblies of God, says she's not sure why ABC refused to honor its contract. "The only thing we know for sure is that it was nixed by top-level leadership who said it was too religious," she says.

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