GM pulls ads from 'Survivor'

General Motors Corp. has decided to end its sponsorship of CBS' hit series "Survivor," but the world's largest automaker said Wednesday that the decision had nothing to do with the reality show's controversial decision to divide its contestants in the coming season by race and ethnicity.

GM spokeswoman Ryndee S. Carney said the company made the decision in the normal course of making its media buys months ago, before the show made its recent announcement. "I think it's just a coincidence. I know it's not cause and effect," Carney said.

A group of New York City officials have criticized the new format, saying it promotes divisiveness. They have asked CBS to reconsider its plans.

"How could anybody be so desperate for ratings?" City Councilman John Liu asked last week.

Show creator Mark Burnett said Tuesday that many of those criticizing the new approach haven't ever seen the show and don't understand how it works.

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BimmerFan - 8/31/2006 12:39:39 PM

0 Boost

GM is retarded.

EL34 - 8/31/2006 12:44:40 PM

+1 Boost

Good for GM and they did the right thing.

I'll tell you I tried one time to watch that ridiculous TV show called 'Survivor' and after 10 minutes I turned off because I don't have the time to waste on such excrement.

I despise all of Hollywood and if they all went away I wouldn't miss any of them.

answer - 8/31/2006 1:07:55 PM

+3 Boost

The American way:

Celebrate diversity,
but never speak about how people are different.

chewy - 8/31/2006 7:21:17 PM

+2 Boost

Lame show idea.

mac075 - 9/1/2006 2:34:12 PM

+1 Boost

The show is actually quite clever if you watch it long enough, more than ten minutes. Realistically doing anything for ten minutes is pointless, especially watching a tv show that is based on long term relationship building psychological game playing strategy where the whole point of watching is like being a fly on the wall of a situation we'd prefer not being in. As for GM pulling their support - well, Survivor really had their cars plastered on their commercials, contests, even one of the challenges always had a car as the reward. GM jumped to conclusions and lost a really good medium for showing their cars. The "race" issue is really not an issue unless you're close minded enough to focus on it... besides, last time the teams were split up by age and sex and GM didn't pull their support for sexual or age discrimination... the separation of teams is just that: a way to organize the teams by cultural likenesses - Let's be real: If you were from place "A" and there were people from places "A", "B", "C" & "D" and it was time to make teams to compete against one another for something, like a million dollars, there is NO DOUBT in my mind that based on likenesses being from place "A", you'd want to be on the place "A" team... and there is NO DOUBT in my mind we'd all feel that way - it's a comfort zone thing, whether it's languages or locations or just backgrounds and traditions, we'd all feel right at home with our own peoples in this situation... So then why all the fuss? It's a t.v. show! Enjoy it for 60 minutes a week and move on - and if you don't like it, don't watch it - simple. Answer said it best. Besides, GM products suck - let's hope Survivor gets a real car company to support the show!

SteveL - 9/5/2006 6:18:58 PM

+1 Boost

That show should not be called survivor anyways. It should be called “Out of work actors acting stupid”. Because that’s what it is. Those people are not surviving anything. You want survival. Backpack 20 mile into the Rockies and live off the land. That’s surviving and your competition is Mother Nature.