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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Jessica Brand, (202) 772-0239

Defenders of Wildlife Launches Ad Campaign Directed at Discovery Communications Inc, 'Sarah Palin's Alaska'

Today Defenders of Wildlife unveiled the next phase in the
organization's campaign urging Discovery Communications Inc. to drop
plans to broadcast "Sarah Palin's Alaska" - a nature-based TV show
hosted by the former Alaska governor. Starting today, large ads will
adorn the walls of Silver Spring Metro Station in a push to expose Sarah
Palin's extreme anti-conservation record to Discovery Communications
staff, as well as shareholders, advertisers and partners, going to the
company's headquarters in Silver Spring, MD.

WASHINGTON

Today Defenders of Wildlife unveiled the next phase in the
organization's campaign urging Discovery Communications Inc. to drop
plans to broadcast "Sarah Palin's Alaska" - a nature-based TV show
hosted by the former Alaska governor. Starting today, large ads will
adorn the walls of Silver Spring Metro Station in a push to expose Sarah
Palin's extreme anti-conservation record to Discovery Communications
staff, as well as shareholders, advertisers and partners, going to the
company's headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. The ad buy includes a giant
outdoor banner visible from Discovery's headquarters and has been timed
to coincide with Discovery's annual shareholders' meeting, scheduled
for May 5.

"Sarah Palin's extreme anti-wildlife record should raise serious
doubts about whether she is someone whom Discovery Communications should
elevate on television," commented Defenders of Wildlife President
Rodger Schlickeisen. "As Alaska's governor, Palin opposed protections
for polar bears and beluga whales and supported a bounty on wolves and
she continues to adamantly deny the causes of global warming. Discovery
Communications made a big mistake when they agreed to air this show.
It's time for them to recognize this mistake and pull the plug on 'Sarah
Palin's Alaska'."

The ad buy in the Silver Spring Metro Station lasts through this
month and accompanies bus shelter ads in the area. The ad campaign
follows a record-breaking response to an email campaign targeting
Discovery Communications, led by Defenders of Wildlife and supported by
CREDO Action, Care2.com, Change.org and Defenders of Wildlife Action
Fund, already totaling over 520,000 respondents. This week the coalition
also encouraged members to call Discovery Communications and register
their opposition to the show, generating over a thousand calls so far.
Messages of opposition to Discovery's decision to broadcast "Sarah
Palin's Alaska" have also been voiced through the many hundreds of
comments posted to the Facebook pages of Discovery, TLC and Animal
Planet.

"It is so disappointing that Discovery is willing to risk its
reputation as an environmental leader and educator for eight hours of TV
featuring a political punch-line," continued Schlickeisen. "If
Discovery airs this show as they have promoted it, they will either give
Palin the opportunity to espouse her anti-conservation views or green
wash her reputation. Neither of these options is acceptable."

Click
here to see the ads.

Read
more about the campaign.

Defenders of Wildlife is the premier U.S.-based national conservation organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of imperiled species and their habitats in North America.

(202) 682-9400