Posted on 10/19/2004 10:13:45 PM PDT by Fatalis
Under mounting political, legal and financial pressure, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. yesterday backed away from its plan to carry a film attacking John F. Kerry's Vietnam War record, saying it would air only portions of the movie in an hour-long special scheduled for Friday.
"The experience of preparing to air this news special has been trying for many of those involved," Sinclair chief executive David D. Smith said in a statement. "The company and many of its executives have endured personal attacks of the vilest nature, as well as calls on our advertisers and our viewers to boycott our stations and on our shareholders to sell their stock."
Chad Clanton, a spokesman for the Kerry campaign, which had demanded equal time to respond to the planned airing of the 42-minute film "Stolen Honor," said Sinclair "has been all over the map on this issue. One thing that's certain is that they have a partisan agenda."
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president of the nonprofit Media Access Project, called the Sinclair move "a surprising cave-in" and said the 62-station television company "clearly felt a lot of pressure and this is an attempt to find a face-saving way out."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Also yesterday, James E. Beardsley Jr., attorney for a Vietnam War veteran who is seen in a war protest in "Stolen Honor," said he would sue Sinclair if it airs the movie. The veteran, Kenneth J. Campbell, now a University of Delaware professor, sued filmmaker Carlton Sherwood for libel this week. The movie "made him look like a liar, a fraud and a fabricator" by suggesting he made baseless charges about a Vietnam massacre, Beardsley said.
Sherwood called the suit "an obvious public relations stunt," noting in a statement that Campbell is not named in the film. After a Philadelphia theater canceled plans to show "Stolen Honor," Sherwood accused Kerry supporters of trying to "silence and censor the voices of veteran POWs."
Kenneth Campbell is an admitted war criminal. He's claiming it's libel to say he isn't.
Veteran files libel suit against director of anti-Kerry film
Professor suing "Stolen Valor" producer was a Winter Soldier Witness (admitted to atrocities)
Del. veteran sues over anti-Kerry film (and another Winter Soldier confirms war crimes)
Former VVAW leader says Kerry faked wounds for medals, collaborated with enemy
How long is the film?? Isn't it about an hour anyway. They'll get the good parts in no doubt.
It's not a cave in the MSM is at it again. This has been covered already. Sinclair is actually expanding their show to include the pressure and attempts by the media to influence the election.
The headline is a ploy. Let the DEMS foam at the mouth, it's GOOD for this situation. Sinclair never said they'd air Stolen HOnor in its entirety anyway.
Let the MSM spin it....it works in our favor.
More salvos of CWII launched.
BROWNSHIrTS FOR KERRY WIN:
The experience of preparing to air this news special has been trying for many of those involved," Sinclair chief executive David D. Smith said in a statement. "The company and many of its executives have endured personal attacks of the vilest nature..."
42 minutes I belive. They offered Kerry more than equal time, which is better than George Soros has offered the GOP.
The headline is a bald face lie.
It's a lie. Sinclair is doing just as it has said all along it would do.
Links? I was watching the ALCS. LOL!
Are you sure?
I hope you're right.
From 10/13/04
HYMAN (Sinclair): Yes, there's a plan to use some of it. We have no idea how much. If, for example, Senator Kerry decides to join us for an hour, then we may only use one or two brief clips. And use the bulk of what he has to tell us as part of that program.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1250600/posts
| Sinclair Says Won't Show Entire Anti-Kerry Film |
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| Posted by j.cam On News/Activism 10/19/2004 10:07:12 PM CDT · 18 replies · 305+ views Reuters ^ | Oct. 19, 2004 | Martha Graybow NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., the nation's largest owner of TV stations, said on Tuesday it would only air part of a documentary critical of Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam war record, as critics demanded it cancel the broadcast altogether or face legal action. Sinclair has drawn fire over its plans to air the 42-minute documentary "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal," about the Democratic presidential candidate on its more than 60 TV stations on Friday, less than two weeks before the Nov. 2 election. Furious Democrats have charged that the documentary was a blatant political statement disguised... |
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| Sinclair/WGME not airing all of "Stolen Honor" |
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| Posted by rinkrat On News/Activism 10/19/2004 9:58:34 PM CDT · 16 replies · 343+ views WGME 13 ^ | 10/19/2004 | WGME BALTIMORE (October 19, 2004) - Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI) announced today that on Friday, October 22, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. WGME 13 will air a special one-hour news program, entitled A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media. The news special will focus in part on the use of documentaries and other media to influence voting, which emerged during the 2004 political campaigns, as well as on the content of certain of these documentaries. The program will also examine the role of the media in filtering the information contained in these documentaries, allegations of media bias by media organizations... |
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| Sinclair to Show Only Part of Kerry Film - shareholders challenged plans to air the program |
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| Posted by Former Military Chick On News/Activism 10/19/2004 8:37:51 PM CDT · 24 replies · 553+ views AP ^ | Oct. 19, 2004 | AP BALTIMORE Oct. 19, 2004 — A documentary critical of John Kerry's Vietnam-era anti-war activities will be shown only in part during a program examining the use of such documentaries to influence elections, Sinclair Broadcast said Tuesday. The company's announcement came hours after shareholders challenged Sinclair's plans to air the program, saying the controversial broadcast may hurt their investment. "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media," will examine the "role of the media in filtering the information contained in these documentaries, allegations of media bias by media organizations that ignore or filter legitimate news and the attempts by candidates and... |
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Do a search here in FR and you'll find a couple posts on this already from around dinnertime.
There are a number of outlets reporting on this and they use an inflammatory headline,,but when you read it,,Sinclair is not retracting anything or conceding anything. I'll try to find a link for you.
At the last minute, Sinclair Broadcasting has reshuffled the broadcast schedule for their program on "Stolen Honor" and now call it "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media". The new schedule and content of the program is described in the Sinclair press release shown in the post below:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1250402/posts
That is good. Because they got to figure, with a creature like Kerry, if he were to win he'd come after them anyway even if they DIDN'T show it. He'd be out for revenge just because they raised the mere spectre of airing it.
Meanwhile, video stores are renting out "Fahrenheit 9/11" for free, the Sundance channel is running 24/7 anti-Bush stuff, and the Leftist media drones on in favor of John Kerry.
...Heaven forfend that Sinclair should tell the truth about Kerry!
(/SARCASM)
Thanks.
It bears today's date.
I pray that this is wrong and they are just gaining a little breather to bring our their opposition, but probably not.
Rush always said of himself, "I am equal time." and that's exactly how I felt about this thing with Sinclair. It is one little thing that would in small part counteract the CONSTANT INCESSANT liberal barrage which inhabits the rest of the media, perhaps Fox New excluded.
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