Sinclair Stations Won't Run "Nightline" Tribute (Ha Ha! BITE It, Koppel -- !)

PoynterOnline ^ | 4/29/04 | Staff

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

NewsBlues.com is reporting [no free link] that Sinclair Broadcast Group has ordered its ABC-affiliated stations not to carry tomorrow's "Nightline," which will air the names and photos of soldiers who have been killed in combat in Iraq.

Sinclair General Counsel Barry Faber tells the site: "We find it to be contrary to the public interest."

The boycott will affect eight ABC-affiliated Sinclair stations.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

The stations affected:

Mobile, AL / Pensacola, FL- WEAR TV

Springfield, MA- WGGB

Greensboro, SC- WXLV

Columbus, OH- WSYX

Charleston / Huntington, WV- WCHS

Asheville, NC & Greenville / Spartanburg / Anderson, SC- WLOS

[BillyCrockett]

Poor Ted.

[battlecry]

COOL!

[faithincowboys]

God Bless them-- In another time, the people wouldn't stand for Ted's treason for sweeps. In another time, Ted wouldn't dare pull this subversive stunt. May Ted Koppel learn the hard way that terrorists don't like him despite his appeasement.

[Petronski]

The article says eight stations, you've listed six. What gives?

[Always Right]

If the purpose was to honour the soldiers it might be a great thing. But since the obvious political purpose is to try to make so the soldiers died in vain, it is a sickening thing to do.

[ChinaThreat]

Being a southern guy myself, I keep seeing the divide between the liberal north and the conservative south growing wider and wider. Succession time again?

[Mo1]

Hmmm .. looks like Ted won't have the opporunity to pick up where Walter left off

Good for these stations

[new cruelty]

Good for them. But what about Exxon and the others? : )

[moehoward]

SINCLAIR STATIONS!

[whereasandsoforth]

Television for the Mentally Ill is not generally viewed by the productive members of society anyway, so let Ted go ahead and show his ignorance. Only the lonely will be watching. His ratings can't even be measured for they are too small.

[AmishDude]

Plus, it's just a stunt. Does anybody think people will watch this thing?

[Petronski]

st. louis, mo kdnl
columbus, oh wsyx
asheville, nc wlos
greensboro, nc wxlv
charleston, wv wchs
mobile, al wear
springfield, ma wggb
tallahassee, fl wtxl

[threat matrix]

God Bless the USA!

[appeal2]

My father hit a number in 1935 and used the proceeds to purchase a Sinclair gas station in Elizabeth, NJ, near the refineries. Do they still exist?

[FourPeas]

Good for Sinclair. The southerner inside me is cheering.

[KellyAdmirer]

I think using the fallen as tools for ratings and political statements is craven and crass. Glad some stations see it the same way.

[the Real fifi]

I hope it is the final blow to ABC whose ratings are tanking. God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform--from butterfly ballots to over the top fights for ratings.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I find this very offensive and will let ABC know it.

[threat matrix]

I know where I am getting gas!