Sinclair blinks
Published October 20, 2004
Sinclair may or may not be backpedaling in regard to its plan to air a documentary attacking presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry on Election Eve. It is either/or because the broadcaster waffles so in its announcement, an effort to either repudiate, soften or mask its previous aggressive stance. The phrase "cognitive dissonance" does not do the company's ambiguity justice. Perhaps sinking stock prices and shareholders threatening to sue your rabbit ears off have that effect.
Salon has the details.
Sinclair Broadcast Group is rethinking its controversial decision to use its more than 60-plus television stations nationwide for political purposes on the eve of the election by forcing them to air an anti-Kerry documentary, "Stolen Honor." Under siege from angry Democrats, and hearing from unsettled advertisers, analysts and shareholders , the Maryland-based communications giant, with a heavy Republican slant, moved on Tuesday to clarify its plans. It now insists "Stolen Honor" will not air in its entirety, instead the news special "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media" is scheduled and will be seen on 39 of its 62 stations.
It is not clear what "A POW Story" is. The announcement described it as a look at how the news media 'filters' information. But, it seems to me that a broadcast about that topic would not necessarily be about POWs. Will the new show be selected outtakes from "Stolen Honor"? Will it host veterans who were POWs, but have no actual knowledge of Kerry's performance in Vietnam? How is airing it any different than airing "Stolen Honor"? If "Stolen Honor" is being tabled, why alter regular programming at all?
Newsday believes it has read the static correctly.
Sinclair Broadcast Group yesterday lashed out at critics of a planned program featuring the complaints of former POWs about Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam-era anti-war activities, as its stock price continued to fall, shareholders threatened to sue and Democratic supporters offered to buy time for a pro-Kerry film.
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- Sinclair blinks
- Published: October 20, 2004
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- Section: Politics
- Writer: Mac Diva
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Sinclair is a sinister right wing organization that needs to be punished. That is why I have spent the last two weeks politely entreating every advertiser of theirs (go here for more info http://www.boycottsbg.com/advertisers/
to tell them to get out of partisan politics or we will boycott their products. It has been mildly successful. I think we can all agree things are split dead down the middle. So what jackass business school teaches these guys to alienate half of all consumers?
What Sinclair is doing is against the law. I can't wait to see the indictments that are going to be handed down from the Kerry administration to these bastards. You know they will run the whole anti-Kerry piece, which subverts campaign finance laws... and so democracy.
Sinclair is a public subsidized entity, and so it governed by various laws... which include equal time for candidates.
I don't see the same coming from Sinclair. They are dressing it up and skirting the issue. I believe this last announcement was made to stem the very severe financial bleeding this disastrous decision had caused. On just Monday and Tuesday the company lost 12% of their value. So last night they accounced a re-worded versiou slightly backing down (and mostly denying). It worked, their stock came right back up today. I have nothing nice to say to them, or their advertisers.
As for the FCC, with Michael Powell as the chairman (son of Colin Powell) they are acting more as a privitized wing of the Republican party.
Just one of the zillions of reasons I voted Democratic yesterday. Early voting rules! I did it in ten minutes at the local grocery chain here in Colorado.
Thanks for listening, that was long... but I am pretty angry about this issue.
Thanks,
Lono
On the other hand, there may be some kind of reward for Sinclair if Bush pulls it off, again. Just considering the rewards the Shrubites will be dispensing in a second term should be enough to give a thinking person pause. Continued abuse of gays and stymying of SCI research for the Christian Right. Vouchers for those who want to destroy the public school system. An expansion of the war for warmongers. Trent Lott welcomed back into the fold to please his constituency. Etc.
I don't doubt that at all. I think Sinclair is taking a HUGE gamble the Bush will be re-elected, and his people will make this go away. It's a pretty big gamble though, because if Bush doesn't win
- I say it is time to start passing around the indictments for subverting democracy and campaign finance laws. Frankly, I'd like to see the whole company backrupt and it's board of directors in jail.
scratch that, this isn't the employees fault. So just fire and/or imprison the board of directors but let the regular staff keep their jobs.
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Liberal philanthropists have offered to pay Sinclair to air another documentary, "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry." I doubt Sinclair will bite. Indeed, there was probably mass nausea at their offices upon hearing the suggestion. But, reviews say the film sheds light on how John Kerry's experiences in Vietnam and subsequent activitism have influenced his thinking. You can read one here.