Russia Won't Renew ABC-TV's Accreditation

AP ^ | August 2, 2005 | MIKE ECKEL

[dnmore]

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it will not renew permission for ABC-TV to operate in the country after the network broadcast an interview with a notorious Chechen warlord.

In a statement, the ministry said ABC would be considered "undesirable" by all Russian state agencies because of an interview with Shamil Basayev, which was broadcast last week on "Nightline."

[dnmore]

bummer dude.

[Mr. Mojo]

Good.

What ABC did was reprehensible.

[Thrusher]

Sweet!

[F-117A]

Is the FCC paying attention?

[BoBToMatoE]

Freedom of the press is important. That said, though, it is about time today's journalist start reaping some of what they sew like the rest of us do at our jobs.

[Darkwolf377]

Compare with CNN which made arrangements with Saddam to not cover certain stories in order to keep their Iraq office open. My, how quickly the public forgets THAT instance of collaboration, while CNN broadcasts "Did Rove commit treason?" crap incessantly.

[Brilliant]

They should ban the other liberal networks as well. With no news to report, maybe they'd go out of business.

[aliquis]

Now that's a real shame, isn't it? </gross insincerity>

[gorush]

How ironic is that!

[26lemoncharlie]

I have been banging away with the FCC about the poor coverage that the MSM has been giving our troops and the good that they have been doing in Iraq to help the people. They tell me that they cannot control what the MSM covers. I guess the Russians can, but we can't.

I believe that the airways are PUBLIC Property and the MSM has an agreement to provide the public in at least a type of quality assurance of news that is in th epublic interest. So far they have only provided one side, their Liberal Socialist side and therefore have become nothing more than a Propaganda Megaphone for the Socialist and not representing all of the people.

[Moral Hazard]

Why is it that virtually everyone posting here thinks this is a good thing? One more independent voice in Russia is getting silenced. Yeah, ABC News probably shouldn't have interviewed the guy, but the Russian government has eliminated many news sources based on similar pretenses, and Russian democracy is much worse off because of it.

[dnmore]

Actions have consequences. Some places are more draconian than others. That said, ABC News was told not to interview the guy. They made a choice to interview him. They pay the price.

[montag813]

Bravo to Russia! Put pro-terrorist media out of business!

[TheRealDBear]

Because it IS a good thing. Shutting down the liberal networks here in the US would be even better.

[Moral Hazard]

"Shutting down the liberal networks here in the US would be even better."

Yes, it's important to make sure that nobody who disagrees with you has the right to speak.

[kabar]

Why is it that virtually everyone posting here thinks this is a good thing? One more independent voice in Russia is getting silenced.

Because it gives a platform to a known terrorist. A "notorious Chechen warlord" is not what I consider an "independent voice." The British did the same thing with the IRA.

[tobyhill]

If ABC wanted to really have freedom of the press and do the right thing, then get the interview, turn them in right after the interview and then there's 2 stories for the price of one.

[jec41]

These people worship terrorists.

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

ABC is too far left for the Russians.

Hard to believe....

[GOPJ]

Good for Russia. What ABC did was insulting to all decent people. Thanks Putin, for standing up for the parents who lost children to inhuman terrorists. And thanks for standing up for the rest of us against those who think murdering children is just another platform for network entertainment.