Verizon Drops Pop Singer From Ads

Another media power house outlet showing responsibility. When the media starts taking responsibility, along with parents, then will we begin to remove the poison that pollutes our cultural environment. This is only a drop in the bucket:

Yet it was Akon, a smooth, Senegalese-American R&B singer, whose conduct in an amateur video circulating online recently seemed to cross a line for Verizon, which last week said it would cease advertisements involving him. Verizon also terminated its sponsorship of the pop star Gwen Stefani’s tour, for which Akon is the opening act. The move by Verizon has sent a chill through the ranks of touring pop artists and agents, who are left scratching their heads over their vulnerability to such penalties.

But we must still work to stop the total depravity exhibted by stars such as Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and others. The fact still remains that the media profits from vulgarity; sex and violence sell. Public pressure will force advertisers to not support this filth:

Verizon — the telecommunications company, which markets music services including ring tones and live-performance videos — quietly moved to end its affiliation with Akon last week after critics, including conservative political commentators, called attention to a video of him simulating sex with a fan onstage during a club performance in Trinidad several weeks ago. The fan, according to news accounts in Trinidad, turned out to be under 18 (and a pastor’s daughter). Yesterday Akon offered an apology that appeared to deflect part of the blame on to the club that admitted the girl.