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

PoynterOnline ^ | 4/29/04 | Staff

[HannagansBride]

That's Ted Koppel on ABC-TV?

... and all this time I thought it was Howdy Doody!

[Wright is right!]

"Channel 6 (WSYX) always runs Seinfeld at 11:30 and runs Nightline after. Maybe now I know why."

I'm not even sure our local Nashville ABC filly-ate runs Nightline at all - and I'm too lazy to go to their website to find out. I do known that they run back-to-back Friends syndie episodes after the late news, and then they run Jimmy Kimmel for another hour. So if they do run it, you can bet virtually no one is watching.

A lot of thought was given not too long ago at ABC of dumping Nightline altogether, but the network decided that the show was, in their words, "too important." Even though its ratings are virtually nil, the net (a) wants the "prestige" of airing the show and (b) wants to reward Koppel for his years of allegiance to the left party.

Michael

[husky ed]

Thanks for the sign.
My Uncle Joe used to have a Sinclair Station in Willow Springs Mo.

[far sider]

ABC claims to be the most watched news network. Maybe the few viewers they have helps the total "watchers" numbers.

[First_Salute]

The socialists/liberal media are attempting to de-moralize our troops.

[Republican Red]

I would think that all should let their local ABC affiliates know how they feel.

I called the programming person at my Atlanta affiliate but had to leave a message. I let her know I wasn't to happy that ABC was using these brave soldiers for ratings sweeps.

Call your local ABC affiliates.

[End Times Sentinel]

Dear Sirs,

 

I understand that your station will be airing the names and photos of all the soldiers who have given their lives for us in Iraq.

 

Based on my certainty that your motive is to attempt to further erode support for our troops and their mission, I view this as a final slap in the face to those who gave all for America.

 

This is a disgusting ratings stunt and not only will we not be watching, but we will never watch your station again.  Not that we watch much of your immoral garbage anyway, but your station will be blocked from my cable.

 

You should be deeply ashamed for your actions.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

Dear Sirs,

I understand that your station will be airing the names and photos of all the soldiers who have given their lives for us in Iraq.

Based on my certainty that your motive is to attempt to further erode support for our troops and their mission, I view this as a final slap in the face to those who gave all for America.

This is a disgusting ratings stunt and not only will we not be watching, but we will never watch your station again.  Not that we watch much of your immoral garbage anyway, but your station will be blocked from my cable.

You should be deeply ashamed for your actions.

[Blessed]

Thanks for the sign. My dad opened a Sinclair Station in 1954.It eventually became BP then Fina before he retired in 81.I believe the Sinclair memories of Dino and Power X are the most enduring.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Sinclair alos owns the FOX affiliate here in Nashville. I heard the spokeman(?) for Sinclair state flat out that it was Sinclair's opinion that Nightline was doing it purely out of political motivations and their hatred of George Bush.

I went to sleep with a smile on my face and had rather pleasant dreams last night.

[mhking]

From my site this afternoon:

---

Sinclair's ABC-affiliated stations ordered NOT to run Friday's Nightline

Sinclair Broadasting's ABC stations (KDNL St. Louis, WXYX Columbus, OH, WLOS Asheville-Greenville-Spartanburg, WXLV Greensboro-Winston-Salem, WEAR Mobile-Pensacola, WGGB Springfield, MA, and WTXL Tallahasse) have been ordered by their corporate parent not to carry Friday night's Nightline program.

Nightline producers have scheduled a reading, by host Ted Koppel, of each of the names of the soldiers killed in Iraq since the war's inception.

ABC has defended it's carriage of the program, while many others both inside and outside the broadcast arena have decried the program as a ratings-driven stunt. The May ratings "sweeps" period, which is one of three major month-long rating periods used to set advertising rates both on a national and local level, begin today (Thursday 4/29).

Sinclair, in a statement, questions the motives of ABC and ABC News.

The ABC Television network announced on Tuesday that the Friday, April 30th edition of “Nightline” will consist entirely of Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq. Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.

While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of “Nightline” this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming.

We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of the 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorists attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday.

ABC, in a responding statement, defends their actions and their commitment to the support of the troops overseas.

The statement does not, however, mention Ted Koppel's almost tongue-in-cheek justification, in which he admits that the program would probably be better aired on Memorial Day, at the end of May.

Of course, Koppel neglects to mention that Memorial Day, May 31, falls after the end of the all-important ratings period. And he does not mention that ABC and their parent company, Disney, are under increased pressure to increase ABC's now fourth place presence in the Nielson ratings.

So much for total disclosure. And so much for ABC's honesty.

---

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Get on the phones now! Stop the other stations before this travesty occurs. Let them know treason carries a price.

As for Koppel and his sponsors, I think we should do all possible to let them know where they now stand - my ABC affiliate will be blocked and sponsors will be accepted as my enemy for life if they air this.

ABC - provide evidence of similar actions for: AIDS mentioned above, 9/11, Bosnia, Waco etc.

Neil - Diva's husband

[got_moab?]

Thanks for ruining my lunch with that pic!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of the 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorists attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday.

Bingo! Perfect -- ! :)

[Baseballguy]

Bless you man!!!!

[BlessedBeGod]

Good for them. Excellent!

[BlessedBeGod]

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?

If it is, please take me with you. I'm trapped in Illinois. ;-)

[sinclair]

Who the heck is Ted Koppel? What is an ABC?

 

[BlueAngel]

When you call ABC, maybe you could ask them when they are going to show the pictures and names of the Iraqi people that Saddam Hussein murdered. Including the women and children.

[commish]

Montgomery, AL ABC station - Ch. 32 - says that they have been inundated with calls protesting Nightline and will have an announcement concerning the program later today. The person I spoke to said they are in contact with thier parent corporation to find out if there is corporate guidance or if they can make the programming decision on thier own.

[CyberAnt]

It's actually more about BLAMING BUSH FOR THE DEATHS!