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Rolling Stone Magazine refuses to run ad for Bible 

James Prichard
Associated Press
Jan. 20, 2005 08:40 AM 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Rolling Stone magazine declined to run an advertisement 
for
a new translation of the Bible aimed at young people, the nation's largest 
Bible
publisher said Wednesday.

Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, bought space in the 
magazine
months ago as part of an ad campaign for Today's New International Version, 
said
Doug Lockhart, Zondervan's executive vice president of marketing.

"Last week, we were surprised and certainly disappointed that Rolling Stone 
had
changed their mind and rejected our ad," he said. 

A telephone message seeking comment was left Wednesday at the New York
headquarters of Wenner Media LLC, publisher of Rolling Stone.

Lockhart said Zondervan, based in Grand Rapids, paid Wenner Media last July to
run the ad in February, when the Bible is due on bookshelves.

On Tuesday, USA Today quoted Kent Brownridge, general manager of Wenner 
Media, as
saying his staff first saw the ad copy last week, and "we are not in the 
business
of publishing advertising for religious messages."

Lockhart said the ad features the face of a contemplative-looking young man 
and
includes this copy:

"In a world of almost endless media noise and political spin, you wonder where
you can find real truth. Well, now there's a source that's accurate, clear and
reliable. It's the TNIV - Today's New International Version of the Bible. It's
written in today's language, for today's times - and it makes more sense than
ever."

Media outlets that agreed to carry the ad include Modern Bride, The Onion,
MTV.com and AOL, Lockhart said.





  
  

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