The Star Tribune's Neal Justin has a nice little scoop about KSTP-TV killing a piece on a "major local grocery chain" that advertised collard greens for Black History Month (which is February, in case you're unaware).

Neal's major point is that — contrary to newsroom rumor — the story wasn't killed because the grocer is a big KSTP advertiser. News director Lindsay Radford argues that there was an objective reason: the local NAACP didn't want to make time to look at the allegedly offensive ad.

OK, cool — there are bigger problems in the world right now. Still, this story leaves me with more questions than answers.

Justin says the campaign existed, but was killed. That indicates something was out of order, or at least tough to defend. That makes me want to know a) what it was and b) who did it.

Justin won't identify the grocer because he didn't see the campaign. Fair enough. I want to see the campaign!

So if you know what (and who) the heck we're talking about here, let me know — email to the right. I'm not sure if this was a print ad or something else, but I'll probably need evidence to take the story further.

Radford also notes the story died is because the grocer didn't return calls in time. That one always makes my heart sag, because it tells subjects that stalling can be their friend. Justin indicates the NAACP refusal was the bigger reason, and that's more defensible.

(I'll admit, though, that KSTP is usually not the type of news operation to let go of a live one after a single turndown.)

Of course, the underlying question for all commenters: is an ad tying soul food to Black History Month inherently offensive? I mean, I don't get pissed when grocers advertise Manischewitz and matzo for Passover (though they're part of the celebration). Then again, imagine if that Black History Month ad had featured watermelon?

Update: Don't know if this is what KSTP was chasing, but Eden Prairie-based Super Valu is in hot water in Delaware over this ad by its Acme Market subsidiary:

(Click here for larger version.)

The Delaware NAACP, which says it fielded 100 complaints, wants a full-page apology in all the state's newspapers; the Philadelphia NAACP president says it's no big whoop.

The company, in a statement, said they've run similar ads for seven years with no complaints. (Question to KSTP: the company issued a statement Friday, the day the report was supposed to run. Assuming this is the story in question, did you not get it?)

Though all of Acme's 130 stores are on the east coast, I'd say this is a legitimate local story. We'll see if anyone else here (the Strib?) runs with it.

[Hat tip on finding the ad: Ken K.]