This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2004, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Between "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," the first televised salvo in Utah's culture war over gay marriage aired this week.

Utahns for a Better Tomorrow, one of a coalition of four political issues committees organized in support of Amendment 3, paid $4,800 for a dozen 30-second slots to run Wednesday through tonight in the game show hour on KJZZ, Channel 14.

With the headline "The Simple Truth About a Simple Amendment," the advertisement features two couples - one engaged, the other married. The woman stands in front of a green background, reading the text of the two-part amendment.

The first sentence defines marriage as the legal union of a man and a woman. A second clause states that "no other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect."

"That's the entire amendment," she says.

Then a man walks in behind her. "By supporting Amendment 3, you're saying yes to marriage the way you've always known it," he says.

"Simple," she concludes.

On the other side, the Don't Amend Alliance unveiled four television ads and four radio ads this week that will air Oct. 18 through Nov. 1. The Alliance will pay $200,000 to $220,000 to air the ads on all major broadcast stations three or four times a day.

The Alliance ads feature two Utah families: Gary and Millie Watts, a Provo couple with six children, two who are gay, and Ed and Bobbie Butterfield from Sandy, who have a gay son.

Interspersed with black-and-white family photos, the couples tell their stories. Wiping away tears Millie Watts admits her own misconceptions - she thought gay people only lived in San Francisco until one of her children came out. Gary Watts laments America's cultural divide and says the solution is living by the Golden Rule.

"Our ads have real, traditional Utah families who will be hurt by Amendment 3," says Alliance director Scott McCoy.

University of Utah communications professor Ken Foster says the emotional pull of the Alliance's ads might appeal more to voters.

But the Alliance's task in conservative Utah might be too daunting.

"An emotional appeal is far more likely to have an effect than a rational appeal. But it only goes so far," Foster says. "In this case, it has to change values. That just isn't likely to happen."

In four less personal radio ads, Alliance narrators riff on Eagle Forum President Gayle Ruzicka's criticism of Attorney General Mark Shutleff's concerns about the amendment. Another uses taped floor debate from the last night of the 2004 Legislature, quoting Orem Republican Rep. Jim Ferrin, Rep. David Ure, a Republican from Kamas, and Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Scott Daniels all urging caution when amending the Utah Constitution.

"The amendment writers only meant to hurt gays and lesbians," a female narrator says. "But their shotgun approach will hurt thousands of heterosexual couples, their children. None of us want to hurt people, our friends and relatives with a permanent, flawed amendment."

All of the ads end with the Alliance mantra: "It goes too far."

To listen to the ads before they run, log on to http://www. dontamendalliance.com.

Amendment supporters paid $9,000 for ads also running on KTVX, Channel 4. Yes on 3 media consultant Nancy Pomeroy said she does not know if amendment supporters' ads will air on any other Utah stations or next week. The ads can be renewed week by week.

"There is no further information available on the media buy," Pomeroy said. "They've been released. They're out there. Watch. That's all I can tell you about them right now."

Foster says both groups will have to spend between $65,000 to $80,000 to create any "significant media noise levels" and catch voters' attention.