Posted by
tohu.vavohu on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 11:41:30 PM
Radio Disney had "chosen by God" taken out of a promo for the movie 'The Ten Commandments'
Radio Disney was to broadcast a radio spot for Promenade Pictures, makers of the film "The Ten Commandments," but the company sent an e-mail earlier this month instructing that the phrase "chosen by God" be stripped from the script.
"Our BS&P [Broadcast Standards and Procedures] said Both scripts need to include the studio mention and omit the following line: CHOSEN BY GOD.... Please let me know if you have any questions," reads the e-mail, sent Oct. 2 to Promenade media buyer Casey Baker by Radio Disney Network sales associate Jason Atkinson.
And here is their explanation:
Radio Disney has said in other media reports that it made the request because its policies require mention of the studio in its commercials and it decided to replace the "chosen by God" phrase with "from Promenade Pictures" because the original script made it sound as though the actors were chosen by God, not Moses, as was the intended meaning.
Mention of God isn't prohibited in the company's standards and procedures, according to Radio Disney.
I think they could have asked that they include the studio name without taking out "chosen by God" but that may just be me. Kind of interesting that it is that phrase chosen to be taken out of the promo. Actually I don't find it interesting as much as I find it depressingly predictable.
And I don't know if I agree/or how I feel with the Promenade president and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Bond response:
Bond said that because Disney has just the target audience the film seeks — children and 'tweens — she complied with Disney's request and had the ad redone without mention of God.
"To walk away from a place that has our exact core audience ... I ordered the spot to be recut and re-edited," Bond said. "If you get them into the theater, they'll hear plenty about God."
But I would agree with:
"In connection with the Ten Commandments, I did find it offensive," said Promenade president and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Bond. "God in our movie is the main character. You rip the whole guts out of the piece."