PORTLAND, Maine, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- National Public Radio has demanded that backers of a referendum to overturn a Maine law allowing same-sex marriages stop using NPR content in a TV ad.
Stand for Marriage Maine began running the ad Oct. 16 as part of its campaign to repeal the law. The ad uses content from a September 2004 NPR story dealing with possible consequences of legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, the Portland (Maine) Press Herald reported Tuesday.
The Stand for Marriage Maine ad suggests Maine's same-sex marriage law, which took effect in May, allows discussion in public schools of gay relationships and gay sex.
Dana Davis Rehm, NPR's senior vice president, for marketing, communications and external relations, said in a statement the broadcaster, based in Washington, did not license the story or its content for use in the ad and would not license it if asked. Rehm said NPR encourages "personal, non-commercial" use of its content but does not allow it to be modified or used to suggest NPR supports "a cause, idea, Web site, product or service."
"The use made by Stand for Marriage Maine violated all of these terms," she said.
A Stand for Marriage Maine spokesman told the newspaper the organization would have no response until it could review the NPR demand.
Rehm said NPR has sent "take-down" notices to Web sites streaming video of the commercial.
