Tobacco companies have battled the federal government in court for nearly 15 years over accusations of deceptive advertising, with no end in sight. The latest holdup: a fight over which television networks and newspapers should carry antismoking ads ordered by a federal judge in Washington.
The tobacco companies, federal government and public health groups filed a proposal with the court in January detailing which networks and newspapers would run the ads. Cable networks and advocates for newspapers not on the list argued the ads wouldn’t reach key demographics — African Americans, Hispanic Americans and young people, especially — if they were excluded.
