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Comcast says it got NRA to change ad

The advocacy group CeaseFirePA called on Monday for supporters to thank Comcast Corp. for "standing up to the gun lobby" after the cable giant demanded that the National Rife Association edit one of its advertisements for the Pennsylvania outdoors show in Harrisburg in February.

The advocacy group CeaseFirePA called on Monday for supporters to thank Comcast Corp. for "standing up to the gun lobby" after the cable giant demanded that the National Rife Association edit one of its advertisements for the Pennsylvania outdoors show in Harrisburg in February.

The 30-second advertisement depicted children with guns and violated Comcast's internal advertising guidelines, said a spokewoman for Comcast Spotlight, the cable company's advertising arm.

The National Rifle Association - which runs the Great American Outdoor Show, running from Feb. 6 to 14 at the the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg - agreed to the edits and the advertisements will air on Comcast in central Pennsylvania, the Comcast spokeswoman said.

An NRA official was not immediately available for comment.

An NRA spokesman has been quoted saying that the images of children with guns came from the show's air gun range, which was staffed by safety officers.

CeaseFirePA, which advocates for better gun laws, asked supporters in a tweet on Monday to sign letters that will later be presented to Comcast. The group also sent emails to supporters.

"There are not a lot of times that people can thank their cable companies," Shira Goodman, executive director of the Philadelphia nonprofit, said Monday.

bfernandez@phillynews.com

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