Hopes of Nigerian politicians who want to place political adverts on Cable News Network (CNN) have been dashed, the award winning media house has been rejecting commercials with political message.
A consultant to one of the presidential aspirants said , “We approached CNN agents in Nigeria to place some adverts for our principal. We sent the creatives to them as requested and they returned them, saying they do not run commercials that are intended to campaign for votes. We could not believe it.”
However, the account manager of CNN International, Ashley Hogan-Gancarz, has said that the rejection of advertisements is not targeted against Nigerian politicians.
According to him, “CNN International never accepts political or religious advertising. This is due to Ofcom regulations.
“If you want to promote investment opportunities, etc. that would be fine, but nothing to do with politics or the 2015 election.”
Ofcom is the regulator of the broadcast industry in the United Kingdom, from where CNN International oversees its operations in Africa.
Advert rates in CNN are among the most expensive in the world as the medium charges up to N5m for a 30-second spot at prime time.
That notwithstanding, not a few Nigerian companies and politicians typically value the prestige it accords them above the economic cost.
This has gone ahead to spark a bandwagon effect where many do all they can to get on the international network.