YouTube Blocks Reagan Film Promo Ads

The 2024 biopic 'Reagan' is once again encountering digital gatekeeping, with its producer Mark Joseph accusing YouTube of blocking promotional ads for interviews. These interviews, part of the series 'Making REAGAN,' were flagged by YouTube for "advertisement for elections" and "shocking content," despite their seemingly tame nature.

Episodes featuring interviews with Gene Simmons, Kathie Lee Gifford, and even John Hinckley Jr., who discussed his assassination attempt on President Reagan, had their promotions blocked. Joseph stated that YouTube offered no appeal option, only the ability to boost different episodes. The film's creators previously faced similar issues on Facebook.

YouTube responded that ads were removed for profanity and that some episodes were out of scope for their election ad policies. However, Joseph maintains that many of these discussions were not political but simply conversations with film contributors. The extended director's cut of 'Reagan' is set for a re-release on September 25th.

This situation echoes previous challenges faced by the film, including production delays due to COVID-19 and content restrictions on Facebook. Joseph likens the YouTube issues to Facebook's, citing nebulous reasoning for blocking content related to elections, even when the content is not advocacy-driven.