Sinclair Ordering Its Stations To Cancel Programing To Air Bush Promo

[Jon8503]

The LAT fronts word that the conservative-leaning Sinclair Broadcast group is ordering its stations (many in swing states) to cancel other programming days before the election to instead air a film attacking Kerry's activism against the Vietnam War. The movie is funded by Pennsylvania veterans and produced by a former Washington Times reporter. Sinclair also raised eyebrows in April when it made seven of its stations not air Ted Koppel's Nightline that featured a reading of military dead in Iraq.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2108017/

[mikehiggins]

1. The very first thing PRESIDENT KERRY should do?

Put Howard Dean in charge of the FCC.

YEEEEHHAAAAA!!!!

[Florida_Geek]

5. Dean and Clark BOTH

will be in Kerry's admin..... Both have been running good campaigns supporting Kerry...

[against all enemies]

2. God damn liberal press!!

[boyblue2005]

3. appalling

This ought to go a good way toward dispelling the myth of a "liberal" media. They've got a huge share of the market and nothing could more blatantly show right wing bias.

I don't see how just putting some from the Kerry camp on a panel after the show provides equal time. And billing it as "news?" Unconscionable.

[Pirate Smile]

4. This is really despicable. My CBS station plays their "commentary"

during the 10:00 p.m. news and it is essentially giving the SBVLiars a couple of minutes of propaganda time every night.

God, they make me sick!

[G_j]

31. I call my local station quite regularly to complain about this

they tell me they get a huge amount of complaints and can do nothing about it. They suggest contacting Sinclair which is useless.

If there are enough interested folks in your community, you can try starting something like this:
www.sinclairwatch.net

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. For Sinclair to do this...

To cancel programming to give free airtime, so they can pump campaign advertising(which is what it is) into their customer's homes, is wrong on so many levels and is an abuse of the rules under which they are regulated. Full stop.

This naked corporate propagandizing has to be stopped. Somehow.

[toddaa]

7. They own the Fox station in my town

If they preempt the World Series, I will be forced to track down and disembowel the f***ers!!!

[AntiCoup2K4]

17. No offense, but I hope they do exactly that.

....Because nothing would piss off thousands of people more than that. Some of whom just might be "swing voters" ;)

[liberalpress]

20. I diagree...

...I think this would be an EXCELLENT time to air that informative film.. but which night? Eureka! The night of Game 7! I, being a good citizen shall inform my local Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate that they should schedule the film that night forthwith!

[toddaa]

22. Go for it

But can I still disembowal the bastards?

[liberalpress]

23. Yes, but why wait for the film?

[toddaa]

24. Good point

We'll call it a preemptive strike!

[ladybugg33]

8. I think we can make this a big issue if we get the word out to other media

outlets and write enough letters to the editors.

[fishwax]

14. Also contact the network offices

Let CBS, NBC, ABC, etc. know that you don't appreciate that they have allowed these networks to preempt their programming for blatant political propaganda.

[pschoeb]

33. I agree contacting the Major Networks might be best

Contacting Networks that Sinclair stations acts as an affiliate to. It seems that Sinclair is in the habit of preempting prime time content from the networks at it's affiliates. Wouldn't such constant behavior warrant canceling affiliate agreements? If we put pressure on the major networks, they can put pressure on their affiliates in Sinclair, maybe threatening to remove their affiliate contract for breach. Since Affiliates usually are given sole authority to broadcast the networks prime time content in a particular market, it seems like it would be a breach of contract to me.

[C_U_L8R]

9. Don't Let This Happen

Don't let this happen without putting up a big huge stink.
Unless they plan on running F911 as well... it's essentially
a free commercial for Bush. It's time to petition the FCC,
boycott advertisers, and write editors to shine a bright light
on this gross manipulation by a politicized media conglomerate.

please do what you can.... I'm starting right now.

EDIT: Here are just a few starting points from google
(btw... this is not a first from these creeps, they have a long history
of right wingnut shenanigans)

Corporate Headquarters
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-568-1500 (Main Telephone)
410-568-1533 (Main Fax)

Lucy A. Rutishauser
VP Corporate Finance andCorporate Treasurer
[e-mail]

Darren Shapiro VP Sales 410-568-1500

Jeff Sleete VP Marketing 410-568-1500

Lawrence E. McCanna, Chairman, Audit Committee
Email: [e-mail]

[fishwax]

10. agreed

raise the word early

[KharmaTrain]

11. It's Time We Took A REAL Close Look At This Company

It's kinda been done here in the past, methinks there's more fire below the smoke.

We need to flush this company out and put them under an electron microscope. Let's see if there are any direct links between this company and the RNC, also how they handle their "Ascertainment" issues...or how they handle complaints from viewers and others.

While it's too late to cut these bastards down now, with our growing muscle here on DU, we should use our activism to go after those who abuse the public airwaves...and Sinclair is the worst at this, and make them accountable.

As holders of broadcast licenses, this company MUST be responsive to community needs and this would mean also airing DNC programming (even Nader and others) if they use their airwaves and give free time to the RNC.

The key here is to examine their public files...they have to make them open and available. ANY complaint that is made to the station in writing must be included in this file and each station has to provide a list of how these stations are confronting these issues. Any neglegence on this could mean a huge fine, revocation or other actions (including not having their licenses renewed).

Challenging licenses is an expensive proposition, since the NAB and the powerful companies have made this process both length and expensive...thus you rarely hear of a license being lost and empowers these companies to force their politics down your throat.

In 25 years, I've been on both sides of this issue and think we can both shine some light on the biases and excess of this company and create a lot of trouble for them...but it takes people, dedication and focus. I'd be glad to join with others in setting up a group, either here on DU or elsewhere, to examine how we can use our growing muscle here to form a plan that can really help take back the airwaves and stop this gross abuse of public trust.

If anyone wants to move forwards, please PM me.

Cheers!

[fishwax]

13. Agreed

this company is horrible. They run the Fox affiliate where I live, and I'll just say that, in a market filled with right-wing bias (The Daily Jokelahoman has been named the worst paper in America by both the Columbia Journalism Review and the American Journalism Association), the commentary of the Sinclair guy sets a new standard for suck.

[KharmaTrain]

15. Well I'll Be Curious If We Just Sit Here And Bitch

This company thinks it's beyond reproach. Their attitude is they own your local airwaves and you should be grateful they do. It's our job to organize and really challenge these bastards. There's so many ways we can hurt them and cause trouble...but it has to be organized, smart and efficient. I haven't spoken up about this in the past as I didn't think there was the real "stones" here to go after this company (and if we do one, others come next). Maybe things have changed.

Cheers!

[fishwax]

21. I think the time has come

if you have ideas on how to put Sinclair out of our misery, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would say to fire away :D

[KharmaTrain]

26. I'm Not Firing Blanks...and not alone

I've tried in the past to see if we could get some "media types" to organize and look into the problems of media ownership, but never hear back. It's been a while since I've posted this, so maybe times have changed, but if there are those who are seriously interested in investigating this topic and networking...the Media and Activism forums are ideal to use here...or on another site.

It's a waste of time to sit here and bitch...this is a doable thing, and one the right wing has done effectively. It also requires checking one's ego at the door...a real, real tough job in these climes. I'd love to assist and contribute...but I'm no Don Quixote...I gave that up in my 20s.

Cheers!

[fishwax]

27. Agreed, it is hard work

(no bush mockery intended ;))

but i think we're up to the challenge, and the time has come to turn the tide. (and I'm still barely clinging to my 20s, so I'll even throw some Don Quixote in there, just for good measure ;))

[KharmaTrain]

30. Keep The Dream, Just Get Smarter...

I know there's a wealth of people here that can create the financial, legal and action arms that are needed to go after a well entrenched corporation. This company is especially rife since it relies on public relations and credibility to generate its profits. Controversy will put them under a light they usually prefer to be shining, not under...and some well-done education of the various markets their in...viewers, advertisers and others, could make an impact on the station's bottom line, and that's where, unfortunately, change right now begins.

The other aspect is to open up discussions wide about re-regulating broadcasting. No, the FCC shouldn't play content cop, but honest broker of the public airwaves...servicing Public Interest as they were mandated to do in 1933. This means caps on station ownership, shorter license periods and encouragement on local ownership over outside interests.

Sorry...rambling...nevermind...

[fishwax]

32. Not rambling

good points.

[KharmaTrain]

34. Thank-You Letsee What Happens

This topic frustrates me more than any other as there are lots of things that can be done. As a 60's/70's "hippie" radical, I grew up with a healthy distrust of "authority" and have never waivered on my convictions. Age just tempers one and makes one wiser to choose what and where to fight.

Taking back the airwaves has to be a true grassroots movement. It's gratifying to encounter some other "hippie radical" spirits here on DU, and a new generation that shares those same values (just too busy chasing windmills)...it's the most marvelous dynamic I've experience since the McGovern days of the 70's. Here's hoping this lasts, win or lose. Joining the DFA is starting to appeal to me...and I was a staunch ABB'er during the primaries.

Cheers!

[fishwax]

12. wouldn't this be difficult for them to do

since they own affiliates of numerous different networks. Normally network affiliates have to have network permission to pre-empt prime time programming, I believe.

Still, it appears they are trying and we should definitely get out in front of this. Don't just contact the media, complain to the networks themselves.

[AntiCoup2K4]

16. produced by a former Washington Times reporter.

Meaning it's a steaming pile of Moonieshit. Does the good Reverend False Prophet own Sinclair too?

[HFishbine]

18. Triad North Carolina area DUers, take action

Contact WXLV ABC45 here and let them know your views on this.

http://www.abc45.com/greensboro_nc/station/contact_departments.shtml

[G_j]

28. In Asheville NC we have set up this site:

I hope other communities will start similar efforts.
We would like to work toward non-renewal of licenses.

www.sinclairwatch.net

Sinclair Media Watch is a grassroots effort to evaluate local news coverage provided by WLOS-TV, the only broadcast television station based in Asheville, NC.

Volunteers are using a system developed by Stanford University called Grade the News, which uses a score sheet to record the subject matter, impact, and sources used in providing local coverage. Scores are based on the news value of each story, its importance to the audience at large, and quality and diversity of sources.

---------------------------------


also see: www.sinclairwatch.org

Sinclair Broadcasting Group is one of the largest owners of TV stations in the country. They control the programming on 62 stations in 39 TV markets, reaching 1/4 of all households in the U.S., making them an extremely powerful gatekeeper of information. Yet it appears that Sinclair has repeatedly abused that power.

As a recent example, Sinclair censored an edition of ABC's "Nightline", blacking out the program in 8 cities, because the company believed that simply listing the names and photos of American soldiers that have given their lives in the war in Iraq was inappropriate.

As a major broadcaster, which uses the publicly-owned airwaves, Sinclair is required by law to serve the public interest. Sinclair Watch will investigate whether they are fulfilling this obligation.


SinclairWatch is a joint project between Free Press and Common Cause

[Dob Bole]

19. Sinclair is f***ed when Kerry gets to appoint the FEC chairman...

I'll just have my popcorn ready...

[liveoaktx]

25. Is sinclair a broadcast channel? If so, you can write letters of complaint

a broadcast channel can lose its licence.

[pimpbot]

29. List of Sinclair stations

Sorry for the double post, but I figured I would add this link to this thread too. List of the station, market, and their website. I think there are about 60-70 stations in all.



http://www.sbgi.net/business/markets/all.shtml