The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-06-11
Bad Advertising, Again

The current June II issue Of THE NEW WORLD,
the official Catholic paper of the Archdiocese OF
Chicago carries an editorial on The indecent Gdver
tistnq used In promoting motion pictures We quote
at length from this editorial nth the permission OF
MonStonor Thomas MeehGn, Editor Of THE NEW
WORLD
One of our readers contributes valuable and
noteworthy suggestion to the decent people of this
community. He decres, as do, the salacious
sexed.up entertainment advertising copy together
with the accompanying Illustrations shown in the
daily press Sometimes the copy and illustrations
border the lewd and obscene. Other times, they
are just out and out filthy Our reader says from
his observation two of the greatest space buyers in
the daily papers the department and chain food
stores. Rightly he points out both of these space
buyers, and hence supporters OF daily press cater p
marty TO family trade lie suggests that decent heads
Of families protest to these supporters OF the daily
press about the saacious entertainment and
copy offered TO their and daughters by sup
posedly family papers"
We must confess that We cannot understand the
mentality nor thinking of most motion picture pro.
ducers exhibitors nor their press and advertising
agents Much less do profess to be able to fathom
the depths of the lack of any moral appreciation
the part OF so many daily editors publishers, col
umnists and advertising managers. The sole norm
OF both industries press and theatre. seems to be
Can we make fast buek2" II they can any means
justfies the end This Is true, sad TO say. in many
cases, whether the producer, star director, ex.
EiOitOr happens To be an atnelstic an aRnoStlC.
Catholic, jew or a Protestant This norm, sadder
10 say, is the geiger coupter for the coumnist the
news editor the editor the publisher the advertising
and circulation manager in the daily and periodical
press Where news or advertising or circulation is
concerned they become totally and absolutely amoral
The profit motive STILES and strangleS all personal
and social moral obligations.
Less than two months ago the Catholic Times
of Columbus Ohio took Mr. Martin Quigey, Editor
and Publisher of the Motion Picture Daily and the
Motion Picture Herald, to task for having split
editorial and advertising policy Mr. Quigley pro
fessedly and editorialy in his journals advocates de
cent movies. Mr. Quigley is Catholic But as the
Catholic Times pointed out, Mr. Quigley did not
fuse full page advertisement for The French Line
condemned by the Motion Picture Industry and
the Legion Of Deceney and the Protestant Motion
Picture CounciD Nor did his publications refuse in
innate advertising copy the "Hes Half Acre, -
Wicked Woman Naked Jungle "Beachhead'
and the Queen Of Sheba"
We can't draw the illustrations for you but here
are some of the copy eatchlines, "A star team to
bring the heat of IFS love story TO boiling point,
forbidden rendezvous with Sheba in the oasis, :
"Shebas temptation of Solomon generates as much
sex appeal as the screen will allow" Sex dished
out with vengeance" Generates plenty heat"
"Sexploitational film fare" Makes the jungle
steam in his hottest adventure And on The French
Line" after quoting three lavish reviews from the