“How you can profit from satellite television” was done in 1981, very early in the satellite TV game. This ad was to run in Time magazine. We contracted for the space and I prepared the ad, but when I delivered it, Time refused to run it. They gave no reason. We couldn’t figure it out—we’d run similar ads in other places, including the Hollywood Reporter. Sure, the legality of owning your own dish was still being sorted out in those days, but Time of all people would surely stand on the side of a free press and free speech, wouldn’t they?

They refused even to discuss it. Looking a little further into it, we found what we believed to be the reason. It seemed there was some conflict with their own interests. They had a few years prior acquired a little thing called HBO and were expanding their efforts in cable TV.

Still, they’d run the ad, right? All in the sense of fair play, right? Well, no, actually.

What: Copy, layout, art.
For: “How you can profit from satellite television” full page black & white magazine ad
Client: Everything Audio, Third Wave Communications
When: 1981