FEC: Sinclair OK to Air Kerry Film

NewsMax/AP ^ | 7/23/05 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Sinclair Broadcasting did not violate federal election law by running portions of a documentary critical of John Kerry's Vietnam-era anti-war activities, the Federal Elections Commission announced Friday.

Suburban Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., owner of 62 television stations that reach a quarter of all U.S. households, was criticized for what the Democratic National Committee said was a plan to order its stations to show the documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal," in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 2 presidential election.

The DNC filed the FEC complaint on Oct. 12, contending that showing the film would be an illegal in-kind contribution to President Bush's campaign. Kerry's campaign asked that each station carrying the program give a similar amount of time to Kerry supporters.

After shareholders complained such a broadcast could hurt their investment in the company, Sinclair announced that only segments of the documentary would be shown during a program examining the use of such documentaries to influence elections. The program aired Oct. 22 on 40 Sinclair stations.

In its Nov. 5 response to the FEC, Sinclair contended the Democratic complaint was moot because the stations did not broadcast the documentary in its entirety.

The FEC said the commission's media exemption applied in the case.

Commissioner Ellen Weintraub wrote in a statement about her decision on the case that it was "important to emphasize that the press exemption shields press entities from investigations into alleged coordination."

"This agency cannot and should not attempt to arbitrate claims of media bias or breaches of journalistic ethics," Weintraub said.

[taxesareforever]

What gives? The FEC actually made a ruling favorable to conservatives?

[tflabo]

Ahhhhh...a little bit of sanity in this finding rears it's ugly head. (: This world is doomed. (:

[Paladin2]

Timely resolution.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The FEC ruled the same way on the Dan Rather complaint.

[tflabo]

So Old Lurch aint happy about this ruling but its a fair one. The Fat One (Michael Moore-on) promulgated his filthy lies about Bush and cashed in $ig $ucks on his crockumentary. Get over it already Lurch lovers.

[HarleyLady27]

AND.....Hanoi John.....you want what???????


Go back to your rat hole where you belong, coward!!!

[SERKIT]

Was this video on sale anywhere or available on line? Is this ruling loophole in the Campaign Finance Reform prohibitions within 6 weeks of an election? I guess the next question would be: Is the Kerry film a true documentary whereby the Moore trash was truly propaganda, and which one would be allowed during the McCain-endorsed 'keep the 1st amendment in a drawer' period just prior to an election?

[beyond the sea]

lol

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Here's the website;

http://www.stolenhonor.com/

Most of the prime links to watch the movie online in it's entirety have expired, or they only show clips now. I'll look to see if any others still work.

I still don't see why this even went forward. The left didn't want Sinclair to show the movie and they didn't. Sinclair caved and aired something I call "Stolen Hour". They only showed a couple of minutes of "Stolen Honor" and the rest of the show was favorable or neutral to Kerry. So it was a victory for the left just because of what didn't air.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

What gets me is what I see from trolling the leftist boards, Sinclair is still getting blamed like they aired all of "Stolen Honor". They might as well have aired it for all of the good bending over for the libs did.

What Sinclair showed was so useless that I went out of my way to tape over it ASAP.

"Stolen Honor" was worth my time. I'd like to thank every Freeper who posted links to it.

[ken21]

they sure got around to it fast! (/s)