Stormy forecast

In the wake of Heartland Institute’s billboard controversy (“Straight to the heart,” May 17), climate change prevention organization Forecast the Facts started an ad campaign in retaliation. Forecast’s billboard design featured pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s logo displayed next to the words, “We still support Climate Deniers. Do you?” with a link to Forecast’s “Drop Deniers” petition, encouraging corporations to stop funding Heartland. According to the New York Times, Pfizer donated $130,000 to Heartland.

But Clear Channel—which manages the billboard location—did not approve Forecast’s ads for display. The Times quoted Clear Channel spokesperson Jim Cullinan, who said, “We are not an arbiter of positions in any way. But there’s also legal issues about fair use of images and what we can and can’t do with them.” Cullinan is referring to Forecast’s use of the Pfizer logo.

Instead, Clear Channel opted for a billboard by the Climate Reality Project, founded by Al Gore. The billboard states “Who to believe on climate? Heartland … or EVERY National Science Academy in the world?”