ABC Seeks to Keep Stations from Deserting "Ryan"

Reuters ^ | Thu Nov 11, 2004 | Steve Gorman

[anymouse]

ABC television, backed by Republican Sen. John McCain and other leading conservatives, sought on Thursday to keep nervous affiliate stations from deserting a Veterans Day broadcast of the acclaimed World War Two film "Saving Private Ryan."

Several ABC affiliates, including eight stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and four owned by the Belo Corp. (BLC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , scheduled other programming, citing concerns about profanity and graphic violence in the film.

In Dallas, ABC's Belo-owned affiliate, WFAA, broadcast Oprah Winfrey's talk show and the movie "Hoosiers" instead of "Saving Private Ryan" on Thursday night.

Sinclair said the recent crackdown on indecent material by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission was a major factor in its decision to shun the R-rated film, which ABC is obligated to air without editing or bleeps under a license agreement with DreamWorks SKG, the studio that produced it.

ABC went ahead with plans to show the movie in its entirety from 8 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. EST and posted parental advisories at every commercial break as it did during two previous Veterans Day telecasts in 2001 and 2002.

While the FCC declined to comment in advance of Thursday's telecast -- "that would be censorship," a spokeswoman told the Hollywood Reporter -- the agency defended the 2002 airing of the film in a letter to the American Family Association, ruling the film was neither profane nor indecent.

Executives at the Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) network said most of ABC's 225 affiliates would carry the film, including 10 stations owned by the network in the nation's biggest markets. One insider put the number of stations leaning against the movie at about 18 but said the tally was fluctuating as the network worked behind the scenes get them back on board.

McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war who is introducing the broadcast on ABC, issued a statement saying the film "comes nowhere near indecent."

"'Saving Private Ryan' is a powerful and important depiction of the sacrifices made for our country," McCain said. "While it contains violence and profanity, these are not shown in a gratuitous manner."

The film also received an endorsement from the Parents Television Council, a conservative watchdog that has led the charge against many radio and TV shows it regards as indecent.

"Context is everything," said council President L. Brent Bozell, who said "Ryan" belonged in the same category as Steven Spielberg's Holocaust drama "Schindler's List."

Sinclair, Belo and other station groups balking at the film said they had asked ABC to permit them to show it later in the evening, when fewer children were watching and FCC guidelines allow for more mature content, but ABC rejected their request.

"Although we do not personally believe that this movie is indecent in any manner, we believe the FCC guidelines and ABC's refusal to delay the broadcast require us to pre-empt the movie," Sinclair said in its statement.

The 1998 film starring Tom Hanks earned five Academy Awards, including a best-director Oscar for Spielberg.

Reluctance on the part of some stations to show the film in prime time reflected heightened skittishness among broadcasters since an industry backlash sparked by Janet Jackson's breast-baring Super Bowl performance in February.

The FCC recently levied fines totaling $550,000 against 20 CBS-owned stations for airing Jackson's brief flash of nudity during her halftime show.

[anymouse]

Heating up.

[IonInsights]

Rerun of Matlock in Detroit.

[MNJohnnie]

backed by Republican Sen. John McCain and other leading conservatives,


Correction. Sen John McCain and Leading Conservatives.

Mccain is NO Conservative.

[estrogen]

Matlock in Cleveland market

[stopillegalimmigration]

Can top you all here - insult to injury - they ran Stone's "Born on the Forth of July". Not only did they not run "Saving Private Ryan", they replaced it with more anti-war film.

[EagleUSA]

Mccain is NO Conservative.
======
God help us -- where are some Conservatives??? Even our implied Conservative party (laughing) is using liberalism to buy votes....

[GeronL]

I didn't even try to watch after WFAA said it wasn't running it. The station has never had a problem with showing things with graphic violence and language before... NYPD Blue...

[FreedomCalls]

McCain, ... issued a statement saying the film "comes nowhere near indecent."

Then why was it rated "R" by the MPAA?

[WestVirginiaRebel]

If these idiots had no problem airing the movie twice before, why should now be any different?

I'm sure that Bush getting reelected has nothing to do with it, either... /sarcasm

[stopillegalimmigration]

In keeping with the spirit of ABC's assholishness, everyone should keep an eye on the liberal BS they show with a magnifying glass and hammer them every chance with reminder of how they were "afraid" to show something that shows the heroism of soldiers while we are at war. I say hammer them and their cowardly sponsors every chance that arises.

[MNJohnnie]

Tom Delay is a Conservative. Martinez from Fla, Thune from SD are Conservative. McCain, MCcain is a Media moderate who can be counted on to do what ever the Media wants him to do in return for face time. Remember McCain is the guy who subpoenaed and freaked out at a Radio Station chain owner for pulling the Dixie Chicks off his play list.

[Westlander]

WXYZ Channel 7 has no testicles. Did you see the lap dances being given on wrestling courtesy of WKBD Channel 50 at the 8pm time slot? I guess that's ok.

[Ptarmigan]

They aired it here in Houston. I have it on DVD.

[sevry]

They aired it here in Houston.

I had never seen it, before. But the opening sequence, even the fight with the sniper, were very well done. I think you literally have to go to film clips shot by the Army with the troops, and old vets voiceovers in documentaries, to get more a true sense of it. But it did seem to degenerate as the film went on. I thought it was very moving at the beginning.

[paudio]

I think they did this on purpose to create 'uproar' and an aura that everybody in America has to assert self-censorship due to Patriot Act.

Comparison with Janet Jackson's "accident" is not exactly correct since it was done in a sport event, where everybody could watch it, and there's no expectation of nudity involved. If Saving Private Ryan got "R", then we have to assume that people would follow the rating and not "shocked" to watch many people die.

[Ruth A.]

Yeah, but they don't worry about shows like South Park and others that strive to be offensive.

[ntnychik]

Saving Private Ryan ran without incident on Syracuse channel. The language fit the context. I agree with McCain and Bozell on this one. A great movie.

[Cber505]

Some Tom Cruise movie on in NM...I called the station to ask why. The man in the news room said the the FCC told them it was against the law for the station to air the movie. I asked for a copy of that letter. He recanted saying that the FCC had guidelines against airing the show. I responded that it was the local stations lack of a spine that caused them to interpret the FCC guidelines as prohibitive. I then told him how outrageous it was for them to try to make a political statement on Veterans Day. He responded that it wasn't a political statement. I told him that the only way I can show my disapproval was with my remote.. I guess at least they know someone disagrees with them...not much else we can do.

[ladyinred]

It was showing in my area tonight.

[Gustafm1000]

I'm watching it right now...

The most dangerous place in DC - between McCain and a camera... (I know - I stole that)...

Having said that - I would be proud to vote for McCain in 2008 if he was our nominee. He's a war hero and might be the guy to keep Hillary out of W's House.