Action Needed Now
Encourage ABC Network to Air
“Wife Swap” Segment
Featuring Atheist Amber Finley

March 15, 2005

Update: Our latest information is that this segment has been re-scheduled and will air. Your collective efforts seem to have had an effect and ABC/Disney “got the message.”

We do not know the target date at this time.

March 8, 2005

The ABC television network was planning to air a segment of its popular “Reality” show “Wife Swap” on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 featuring Ms. Amber Finley, an Atheist. Ms. Finley is co-host with her husband Reginald Finley of the infidelguy.com internet radio program.

“Wife Swap” showcases wives from diverse families who move into each other’s households. They take on the chores, shopping, meal preparation and interact with their new charges. Ms. Finley was to exchange places with a “god fearing” woman married to a Pastor Stonerock.

It promises to be a worthwhile episode that for millions of Americans may put a “human face” on Atheism and Atheists!

But no sooner had word been released about this particular episode of “Wife Swap” that ABC mysteriously announced that it was being replaced with another installment. The substitute program features a “low-tech, stay-at-home mom” who lives in a treehouse, and will swap roles with a “high-powered, plugged-in career mom” weary of suburbia. An ABC spokesperson says that the Finley/Stonerock episode “will air” at some point in the future, but added that future “Wife Swap” shows will also be preempted by other programs coming out of the ABC network production pipeline.

ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Co. entertainment conglomerate. The firm has a relatively progressive policy in terms of employee relations. At this point, we cannot say why ABC programming officials decided to remove the Finley/Stonerock episode of “Wife Swap” and substitute another segment. But ABC/Disney needs to hear from Atheists and other concerned viewers about the situation. We need to encourage ABC and its parent company to air the Finley/Stonerock installment!

Contact Disney/ABC

The president of the Disney-ABC Television Group is Ms. Anne Sweeney, who is responsible for all Disney broadcast properties.

We encourage you to send faxes or “snail mail” to

Anne Sweeney
Co-Chair, Disney-ABC Television group
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA. 91521

FAX: 1-818-560-1930
PHONE: (Main Disney Switchboard) 1-818-560-1000

Be sure to mark all of your faxes “Attention: Ms. Anne Sweeney,
Television Group”.

Talking Points & Writing Tips

• ABC has not, at this point, indefinitely canceled the Finley/Stonerock segment of “Wife Swap.” Nor has it announced why this segment has been replaced by another segment. The network and parent company needs to be encouraged to show the particular episode (which has already been filmed and edited and is ready for airing) featuring an Atheist.
  
  Letters/faxes and phone calls should be polite and courteous. Inform Ms. Sweeney that you would like to see ABC carry the Finley/Stonerock segment of “Wife Swap.” Point out that the network should not hesitate to air this installment simply because one of the participants is an Atheist. “Wife Swap” has featured a wide segment of American families, and an Atheist household should not be singled out and eliminated from the show any more than a religious family.
• If you are sending a letter or fax, be sure to ask for a reply to your concerns! Request that Ms. Sweeney provide, if she can, a date when the Finley/Stonerock installment of “Wife Swap” might air.
• Send copies of your letters/faxes to American Atheists and we will post them, along with any responses.
• Distribute this action alert, share copies with your friends!
• Look for updates on this site!

More Information

For some background and insight on this episode of “Wife Swap” take a look at our Flash Line article.

(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)

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