Posted on 10/19/2004 5:36:20 AM PDT by Mich0127
If David D. Smith, the CEO of Sinclair Broadcasting, knows what's good for him, he'll forget about airing a documentary critical of Democratic presidential contender Sen. John Kerry.
At least that's what the New York Times appears to be saying in its Monday article.
The Times openly acknowledges the impact this film could have: "Senator John Kerry could find his presidential hopes damaged this week when the 62 television stations owned or managed by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group carry a documentary about his antiwar activities 30 years ago."
The Times is clearly worried that Smith, head of the nation's largest owner of television stations, has already informed his 62 affiliates to pre-empt their regular programming and instead air the controversial "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal."
In "Stolen Honor" 17 former POWs charge that Kerry's anti-war activities were a betrayal that prolonged the war.
Sinclair executives have defended the decision to broadcast the film because, they say, it is a vital and newsworthy project that should be presented to voters before the election.
While the Times admits the film could hurt Kerry's White House chances, especially in key swing states that are vital to his bid, the paper also claims airing the program could hurt Sinclair as much, if not more.
The paper says local advertisers in Portland, Maine, Madison, Wis., Springfield, Ill., and Minneapolis, Minn. – not exactly bastions of conservatism – have pulled their ads from the local Sinclair-owned affiliates.
"I've decided I don't want to advertise on them," Adam Lee, the president of Lee Auto Malls, which owns 10 auto dealerships in Portland, Maine, told the Times. "It's a public trust. It seems they're abusing it. If it were a news show and they were really trying to do a fair and balanced story on both sides, that would be a different matter. I don't think they are. That's not their intention."
And that's the extent of the paper's examples. There are no other quotes from other businesses or advertisers who claim they are pulling ads, though the Times alleged "car dealers, furniture makers, supermarkets and restaurants" were among the disenfranchised advertisers.
Liberal Groups Join to Hurt Sinclair
There's more. The Times admits that a number of left-leaning groups – including Common Cause, the Alliance for Better Campaigns, Media Access Project, Media for Democracy and the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ – are compiling a list of Sinclair advertisers, with plans to urge them to drop their advertising as well.
"The public airwaves should not be used by television executives to promote their partisan political agenda," Common Cause President Chellie Pingree told reporters in a telephone press conference. "This action crosses a line."
Besides contacting Sinclair advertisers, which include Wal-Mart, Applebee's, Domino's Pizza, Lowe's, Papa John's and Best Buy, these groups also are looking to give Sinclair problems when it seeks to renew each individual station's broadcast license.
It's not about getting those licenses revoked, however – it's about employing a typical left-wing legal tactic: "Such challenges almost never result in lost licenses, but they often result in heavy legal costs for the station having to defend them," said the Times.
Other media are piling on the bandwagon, predicting that Sinclair will suffer mightily for its decision.
CNN/Money reported Monday that Sinclair's decision "has stirred up considerable political controversy, but the planned program may also cause some pain for Sinclair's business."
The newswire says Sinclair will lose out on about $430,000 in revenue if it decides to forgo advertising altogether and pre-empt the entire 90-minute slot with the program.
"That's not quite pocket change, but it won't put a big dent in Sinclair's revenue. The company last year posted a net profit of $24 million on sales of $739 million," CNN/Money reported.
Fair and Balanced
For its part, Sinclair believes it is approaching the issue in the fairest way it can.
The network, on its Web site, has invited viewers to comment on the appropriateness of showing the documentary.
The network has also repeatedly invited Kerry to appear as a guest on the special – in fact, he's the only one who's been asked to appear. So far, however, he's declined.
Executives are also quick to point out that the production of "Stolen Honor" hasn't even been completed yet.
"The program has not been videotaped and the exact format of this unscripted event has not been finalized. Characterizations regarding the content are premature and are based on ill-informed sources," says an announcement on the network's Web site.
The Times article did not address why CBS continues to have anti-Bush newsman Dan Rather anchor its nightly news program.
At first I was upset that Sinclair announced their "Stolen Honor" intentions so early, giving the left time to mobilize and protest. But now, I am glad they did, because the controversy will create a larger viewing audience.
I can't remember the Sinclair CEO's name who I keep seeing on TV, but I get the impression that his company could lose a few million and he would still go ahead with this airing. What a strong, decent man he is.
Don't forget to circulate the scheduled airings list for "Stolen Honor" to your email lists...
(Thanks to a fellow FReeper for posting this yesterday!)
If you cannot receive one of these broadcasts then go to: http://www.stolenhonor.com/home.asp
Sinclair Broadcasting Markets
Asheville, NC & Greenville- Spartanburg - Anderson, SC / WLOS 13 Fri 10/22 9PM / WBSC 40 no time
Baltimore, MD / WBFF 45 no time / WNUV 54 Thu 10/21 9PM
Birmingham (Anniston & Tuscaloosa), AL / WTTO 21 Thu 10/21 8PM / WABM 68 Fri 10/22 8PM / WDBB 17 Thu 10/21 8PM
*Buffalo, NY / *WUTV 29 Fri 10/22 8PM / WNYO 49 Thu 10/21 9PM
Cedar Rapids - Waterloo & Dubuque, IA / KGAN 2 Sat 10/23 7PM
Champaign & Springfield - Decatur, IL / WICD 15 Sat 10/23 8PM / WICS 20 Sat 10/23 8PM
*Charleston, SC / WMMP 36 Fri 10/22 9PM / *WTAT 24 Fri 10/22 9PM
Charleston - Huntington, WV / WCHS 8 Sat 10/23 7PM / WVAH 11 Fri 10/22 9PM
Cincinnati, OH / WSTR 64 Thu 10/21 9PM
Columbus, OH / WSYX 6 Fri 10/22 9PM / WTTE 28 Fri 10/22 8PM
Dayton, OH / WKEF 22 Wed 10/20 7PM / WRGT 45 no time
Des Moines - Ames, IA / KDSM 17 Fri 10/22 7PM
Flint - Saginaw - Bay City, MI / WSMH 66 Fri 10/22 9PM
Greensboro - Winston-Salem - Highpoint, NC / WXLV 45 Sun 10/24 7PM / WUPN 48 no time
Kansas City, MO / KSMO 62 Thu 10/21 8PM
Las Vegas, NV / KVWB 21 Thu 10/21 9PM / KFBT 33 Wed 10/20 8PM
Lexington, KY / WDKY 56 Fri 10/22 8PM
Madison, WI / WMSN 47 Fri 10/22 7PM
Milwaukee, WI / WCGV 24 Fri 10/22 8PM / WVTV 18 Thu 10/21 8PM
Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN / KMWB 23 Wed 10/20 9PM
*Mobile, AL- Pensacola, FL (Ft. Walton Beach) / *WEAR 3 Sun 10/24 6PM / *WFGX 35 Wed 10/20 6PM
*Nashville, TN / *WZTV 17 Fri 10/22 7PM? or 8PM? / WUXP 30 Fri 10/22 8PM / *WNAB 58 Not Shown (Sorry about the two possible times for WZTV Nashville, TN. There is a conflict between an on-line schedule and their email! )
Norfolk - Portsmouth - Newport News, VA / WTVZ 33 Thu 10/21 9PM
Oklahoma City, OK / KOCB 34 Thu 10/21 8PM / KOKH 25 Fri 10/22 7PM
Paducah, KY- Cape Girardeau, MO – Harrisburg & Mt Vernon, IL / KBSI 23 Fri 10/22 7PM / WDKA 49 Wed 10/20 6PM
Peoria - Bloomington, IL / WYZZ 43 Fri 10/22 7PM
Pittsburgh, PA / WPGH 53 Fri 10/22 8PM / WCWB 22 Thu 10/21 9PM
Portland - Auburn, ME / WGME 13 Sat 10/23 8PM
Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC / WLFL 22 Thu 10/21 9PM / WRDC 28 Fri 10/22 9PM
Richmond - Petersburg, VA / WRLH 35 Fri 10/22 8PM
Rochester, NY / WUHF 31 Fri 10/22 8PM
Sacramento - Stockton - Modesto, CA / KOVR 13 Sat 10/23 7PM
San Antonio, TX / KABB 29 Fri 10/22 7PM / KRRT 35 Thu 10/21 8PM
*Springfield - Holyoke, MA / *WGGB 40 Wed 10/20 7PM
St Louis, MO / KDNL 30 Fri 10/22 8PM
Syracuse, NY / WSYT 68 Fri 10/22 9PM / WNYS 43 Thu 10/21 9PM
*Tallahassee - Thomasville, FL / *WTWC 40 Sat 10/23 8PM / WTXL 27 no time
Tampa - St. Petersburg, (Sarasota), FL / WTTA 38 Thu 10/21 9PM
Tri-Cities, TN – VA / WEMT 39 Fri 10/22 8PM
My friend in Philly told me this last night.
Hopefully things have changed but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
The whining censors are out in full force over this.
[jerks!]
I just put in an order for a few shares and it feels good!
90 minute??? All the TV LISTINGS say 60 minutes
TV LISTINGS
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1249361/posts?page=17#17
Exactly what babygene says, Kerry has said even recently that he is PROUD of his anti-war activities.
So what is all the worry about? He has said he is happy with, wouldn't take it back, wouldn't change it,,,is proud of it!!! How hypocritical of the NYT and all the other Kerry monkeys to be clamoring around saying it shouldn't air!!!
Sinclair must have one heck of a product if it's causing this many hernias in the camp of the communist Dem backers.
Their attempts at censorship are blatant and obvious. Where is Springsteen and Streisand to scream about freedom of speech being suppressed??? OH,,right...they're on the other side, so their arbitrary value of free speech doesn't apply this time.
NOt only do I hope millions watch it, I hope millions more buy it! We are! It WILL hurt Kerry,,using Kerry's own actions and if Kerry were truly worried about it, he'd show up and have a say afterwards...
but he's PROUD of his actions..
BTTT
"New York Times Says Sinclair in Trouble"
Nope, it's the other way around.""
Damn straight. Ain't it funny how worried they are? So concerned for Sinclair? Plus, you know very well that they wouldn't be wailing and knashing their teeth if this wasn't so deliciously good for W. (pronounced Nnn-ashing for y'all down there in Palm Beach)
The maggots, who pretend to be journalists at the NY Slimes are incapable of writing the truth. That is why they are in love with Kerry, a documented serial Rathering politician.
Exactly...lol
We must win this battle to defeat Kerri, his silencers posing as mediots and as lawyers for the little guy!
ping
Amazing; the hypocrisy of the left is breathtaking. We need REAL men to stand up for what is right and I'm glad Sinclar fired that guy who spoke out against Sinclair.
Note to Sinclair's advertisers: Good word of mouth won't cost you a buck, and as Limbaugh's numbers show, there are more of us than them.
Bumpalump!!
General Mills is one of their advertisers, and General Mills will keep their ads on the program.
Maybe someone can post the list of advertisers for us.
And anyone can click here for a listing of all General Mills brands.
Yeah, I was glad they canned him too.
Prairie
Once the film has shown the liberals that are shorting this will have no incentive to maintain their short. I bought in yesterday at 6.42. Heres hoping i can take some of their money ;)
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