Hershey is the top advertiser on Al Jazeera America.    The action email for this issue was deactivated after Hershey stopped advertising.

Hershey has responded to Florida Family Association’s communications for the first time since January 18, 2013.  See footnote.   Hershey’s response, posted below, follows the liberal, progressive tactic of “deny, deflect and delay” regarding their advertising support for Al Jazeera America aka CurrentTV.   The Hershey response claims:

• “Hersheypark is not part of The Hershey Company.”  HOWEVER, Networksolutions.com reports that Hershpark.com,   Hersheys.com  and Thehersheycompany.com are all three registered to Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corp., 4860 Robb Street, Suite 204, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.  Florida Family Association informed Hershey officials of plans to fly an aircraft banner to inform thousands of Hersheypark patrons about their leading advertiser role with Al Jazeera America.  Hershey obviously tried to throw Florida Family Association off track with this deceitful denial.
• “CurrentTV has not yet converted to Al Jazeera America ... you can rest assured that The Hershey Company will not be advertising on the network following its change to Al Jazeera America.”  Al Jazeera closed on the financial transaction of acquiring CurrentTV in December of 2012, took possession of CurrentTV in January and is developing twelve U.S. Bureaus.

Additionally, unlike The Hershey Company,  the following companies stopped advertising on CurrentTV aka Al Jazeera America after receiving one or more communications from the Florida Family Association office and or Florida Family Association supporters:  21st Century Insur. Co., ABC network promotions, Acorn Stairlifts, Inc., ADT Security, Arriva Medical, BASF, Binder and Binder Law Firm, Blue Buffalo (True Blue Test), Certified Financial Planner Board (Letsmakeaplan.com), Credit Kharma, Denny’s, DeVry University, Dr. Pepper (A&W Rootbeer, Dr. Pepper), E*Trade, EveryMemorabilia.com, Expedia.com, FabriClear, Fast Auto Loans, Inc., Floororthopedic.com, General Mills (Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Fiber One, Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamed Vegetables, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Nature Valley Crunchy Granola, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Pillsbury Grand Biscuits, Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, Progresso Soup, Totino’s Pizza, Trix, Yoplait), Global Wireless Entertainment (Skinit.com), Greenlight Financial Services, Healingsmith (Eczenil), Heineken, Home Delivery Incontinent Supplies Co., Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc. (AccuCheck), Hoveround,  Honda North America, Hubbard Media Group (Reelz.com), JP Morgan Chase (Chase Ink), Kiva Microfunds, Land Rover, Laser Spine Institute, Life Alert, Mr. Lid, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (X-Men Destiny), National Collector’s Mint, News Corp. (The Following), PODS, Pulaski and Middleman, LLC (PMMESO.com),  Quicken  Loans,  State Farm, Telebrands (Diamondz4.com, OrGreenic.com), Sweetdreamblackberries.com, TVScissors.com, United Benefits Direct, United States Marine Corps, Verizon, Viacom (Centric) and Wounded Warrior Project.

Florida Family Association is just as concerned with the willingness of Corporate America to deem it acceptable to do business with and give American consumer dollars to Al Jazeera as it is with the future content changes as CurrentTV morphs to Al Jazeera America.  For one of many reasons, the emir of Qatar, Hamid bin Khalifa Al Thani, appointed his cousin as chairman of Al Jazeera. The emir was last in the news for donating $400 million to Hamas.

Al Jazeera, the Arabic news cable channel headquartered in the Middle East (Doha, Qatar), purchased the CurrentTV channel which has the potential of reaching millions of viewers in the United States.  Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for radical Islamists.  Al Jazeera America is the new, tentative name for CurrentTV.

Hershey certainly has the right to choose where they use their advertising dollars.  You have the same right to object and choose products from another company.   Florida Family Association has prepared an email for you to send to eight Hershey officials.

The action email for this issue was deactivated after Hershey stopped advertising.

The Hershey Company email response:

----- Original Message -----
From: consumerinfo@HersheysConsumerRelations.com
To: ffa@floridafamily.org
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 12:01 PM
Subject: A Message From The Hershey Company RE Reference Number: 008716943A

Dear David,

It has been brought to our attention that you have organized a plan to fly an aircraft banner and picket The Hershey Company and Hersheypark for advertising on a television station known as Al Jazeera.

To clarify, Hersheypark is not part of The Hershey Company. The park is owned and operated by a separate organization called Hershey Entertainment and Resorts.

I also want to let you know that The Hershey Company does not, nor will not, advertise on Al Jazeera America. The Hershey Company has a long-standing policy of placing its advertising in programming of high quality. We monitor programs closely and our agencies are sensitive to Hershey's strict programming guidelines. We classify Prime Time shows and networks suitable for advertising into three categories: 1) approved, 2) not approved or 3) approved upon episodic review prior to airing. If a change in format causes one of the previously acceptable shows or networks to become unacceptable, we contact our agency immediately.

CurrentTV has not yet converted to Al Jazeera America; this is expected to happen later this year. At that time, the network will convert to an all-news format. Additionally, as a longtime practice, The Hershey Company rarely advertises on news programs. All previous ad buys with CurrentTV will sunset prior to the conversion. Therefore, you can rest assured that The Hershey Company will not be advertising on the network following its change to Al Jazeera America.

Your interest in our company is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Natalye Smythe
Consumer Relations

008716943A

Footnote:  The Florida Family Association office sent the first email to two top officials at The Hershey Company on January 18, 2013 regarding their company’s advertisements on Al Jazeera America aka CurrentTV.  The email informed Hershey that top advertisers would be profiled at Floridafamily.org and other activist web sites.  Subsequent emails were sent from the Florida Family Association office to these Hershey officials every ten days from January 18, 2013 until April 22, 2013 when their company was identified as the leading Al Jazeera America advertiser.  Thousands of concerned citizens have sent emails urging The Hershey Company to stop supporting Al Jazeera with their advertising dollars.

April 22, 2013 Article and email alert.

Hershey is one of the last five major, mainstream companies that have advertised on Al Jazeera America aka CurrentTV for the past three months. Advertisements for the following Hershey products have aired numerous times since January 2013: Almond Joy, Brookside Dark Chocolate, Ice Breakers , Hershey Chocolate Bars, Hershey Bliss, Hershey Drops, Hershey Simple Pleasure, Hershey Chocolate Syrup, Jolly Rancher Bites, Pay Day Peanut Caramel Bar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Rolo Minis, Twizzlers and York Peppermint Patties.

Al Jazeera, the Arabic news cable channel headquartered in the Middle East (Doha, Qatar), purchased the CurrentTV channel which has the potential of reaching millions of viewers in the United States.  Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for radical Islamists.  Al Jazeera America is the new, tentative name for CurrentTV.

Hershey certainly has the right to choose where they use their advertising dollars.  You have the same right to object and choose products from another company.   Florida Family Association has prepared an email for you to send to eight Hershey officials.

The action email for this issue was deactivated after Hershey stopped advertising.

Your support of these email campaigns is making a difference.