TiVo responds to our families’ voices. Focus on the Family must remove its branding from Father’s Day contest

Family Equality Council contacted its members with an update on the relationship between TiVo and an active hate group. FEC learned of the unfortunate partnership on June 5 – and immediately asked its members to voice their concern directly to TiVo and sign a statement by Family Equality Council.

In an update to members on June 25, FEC Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler writes:

“To date, over 1,000 LGBT parents, family members and friends have signed onto our statement, demanding that TiVo dissolve its partnership with Focus on the Family and apologize for the offense. I have been in direct talks with TiVo executives for more than a week. I want to share with you the outcomes of our conversations and assure you that our voices are being HEARD!

“TiVo is deeply embarrassed. Until this past week, the company has had an “affiliate” relationship with Focus on the Family, which means that Focus on the Family had access to TiVo’s corporate logo so they could promote TiVo products, possibly in exchange for compensation from TiVo. In the minds of TiVo executives, allowing groups like Focus on the Family to use TiVo’s corporate logo implied only that these organizations supported TiVo and its products, not the other way around. Hearing our supporters’ voices, TiVo executives realized that associations are a two-way street.

“In direct response to our families’ actions, TiVo has stated that “we do not endorse the ideological views of any organization,” and from now on will no longer allow blanket access to their corporate identity. In other words, TiVo understands that aligning itself with a hate group is bad for business, bad for people and is simply wrong. TiVo has also directed Focus on the Family to remove its branding from the “Super Dads” contest and has taken down its own Focus on the Family affiliate web page.

“I’m happy to report that TiVo has maintained an open dialogue with us as we’ve worked to educate them on the value of all families and the need to represent all of its customers equally. And while this dialogue has been positive, productive and responsive, the question of whether TiVo will continue to have a business relationship with Focus on the Family or similar groups in the future is unclear. We have given TiVo ample opportunity to clarify their position on this issue and to date they have declined.”

6/9/2008
TiVo disappoints gay and lesbian customers by partnering with homophobic group for Father’s Day contest

Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Equality Council, sent an email to members alerting them to a major bungle by the popular entertainment service, TiVo.

In her email to members – Jennifer writes, “I just found out that TiVo, the home entertainment company servicing millions of families nationwide, is working with James Dobson’s Focus on the Family on a “SuperDad Essay Contest” for Father’s Day. As you can imagine, Focus on the Family is only looking for one type of “super” dads and they certainly are not part of our community. That a national company many of our families send checks to each month would sponsor a Father’s Day contest with Focus on the Family is horrendous. I need you – all of you – to help us respond.

“I won’t often ask you to visit Focus on the Family’s website, but today I am. The Family Equality Council is organizing a response to this discriminatory contest, asking you to nominate yourself or the GBTQ dads in your life. To do so, you have to visit the website, sign up for their parenting forums (message boards), and submit your nomination (100 words or less) through the boards. I encourage two-dad families to submit joint stories, highlighting the greatness of both dads in one entry!”

Chrysler also contacted TiVo to express concern that the company is sponsoring a competition run by the destructive homophobes.

In her message to the company – Jennifer says, “Aligning yourselves with Focus on the Family for the “I Know a SuperDad Essay Contest” sends the message that you support anti-LGBT politics and the hate speech Focus on the Family regularly spreads.

“It furthermore says to the millions of LGBT parents, their family members and friends in this country that you do not think gay dads can be “Super Dads,” an assertion we know from the very real experiences of our lives to be completely untrue.”

Over 600 parents and allies have asked TiVo Inc. to end its partnership with Focus on the Family.