www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/20/rollling.stone.ap/index.html
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (AP) -- -- Rolling Stone magazine declined to run an advertisement for a new translation of the Bible aimed at young peopl e, the nation's largest Bible publisher said Wednesday. Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, bought space in the ma gazine months ago as part of an ad campaign for Today's New Internationa l Version, said Doug Lockhart, Zondervan's executive vice president of m arketing. "Last week, we were surprised and certainly disappointed that Rolling Sto ne had changed their mind and rejected our ad," he said. A telephone message seeking comment was left Wednesday at the New York he adquarters of Wenner Media LLC, publisher of Rolling Stone. Lockhart said Zondervan, based in Grand Rapids, paid Wenner Media last Ju ly to run the ad in February, when the Bible is due on bookshelves. On Tuesday, USA Today quoted Kent Brownridge, general manager of Wenner M edia, as saying his staff first saw the ad copy last week, and "we are n ot in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages." Lockhart said the ad features the face of a contemplative-looking young m an 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 accurat e, clear and reliable. It's the TNIV -- Today's New International Versio n of the Bible. It's written in today's language, for today's times -- a nd it makes more sense than ever." Media outlets that agreed to carry the ad include Modern Bride, The Onion , MTVcom and AOL, Lockhart said.
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