NBC airs controversial conservative ad against healthcare

A controversial 30-minute paid program just concluded airing on Washington, D.C.’s NBC affiliate, making the argument against a publicly-run healthcare reform package.

The advertisement, produced by Conservatives for Patients’ Rights (CPR), is produced as a news report and features interviews with opponents to such a plan. It also draws on cases in Canada and the United Kingdom where patients have been negatively affected by some elements of those healthcare systems.

The documentary was not without controversy, however. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) urged Washingtonians to call NBC this week to discourage the airing of the program.

The documentary comes as Congress works on hammering out the final details of a healthcare reform package, a key element of which will be whether or not there will be a publicly-run option for Americans seeking coverage.

The ad included a “paid programming” tag throughout the broadcast, and was followed by an ad by Health Care for America Now taking aim at Rick Scott, the founder of CPR.