Plan to air divisive film raises questions

[Jon8503]

NEW YORK — Wall Streeters, political activists and media critics Monday were trying to answer a perplexing question: Why would Sinclair Broadcasting CEO David Smith embroil himself in controversy by ordering his stations to air Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal— a documentary challenging Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's Vietnam service — within days of the presidential election?
The decision annoyed investors. Sinclair's shares, which have lost about half their value in 2004, closed Monday at $7.38, down 12 cents. That's about as low as they've been since 1995.

"I don't want my media companies that cover the news to be making news," says Barry Lucas of Gabelli & Co., which owns about 4% of Sinclair.

Michael Copps, a Federal Communications Commission member who some believe could become chairman if Kerry wins, said it's "an abuse of the public trust. And it is proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its political ideology."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2004-10-11-sinclair_x.htm

[liberalmuse]

1. It's f*cking fascism, is what it is.

This is disgusting. It's advertisers will never get another dime from me--ever! May Sinclair sink like a stone, and take Bush down with them.

[juliagoolia]

2. They are already hurting

Or they would not be out on the programs today spinning the smear as news.

[Mister K]

3. It will be interesting to watch them on the market today

[goodboy]

4. Unless the FEC stops this, there is nothing we can do...is there?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. And Hyman just made the argument AGAINST companies

owning more than one station in one market. The other very obvious disconnect is Hyman thinks a bomb in IRaq helps Kerry, but a highly charged UNVERIFIABLE opinion piece helps Bush.

[Chiyo-chichi]

6. Furthermore,

even if it were FACT and not opinion, it all happened thirty years ago. That is NEWS??

I was amused by someone on the Yahoo Sinclair stock page message board dismissing the 1996 sex charges against Smith as "old news."

[Xipe Totec]

7. This is the stuff that makes me wonder who won the cold war

We fought against Communism because why? To protect our freedom and democracy. Sinclair Broadcasting has become Pravda on the Potomac. The only thing missing to make the defeat of democracy complete is to paint the White House red, don black long coats and fedoras, and wave at the military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue on National Corporate Day.


:scared:

[jmm]

8. CNN did a segment on this fifteen minutes ago.

They mentioned that execs at Sinclair have donated about $70,000 during this campaign, over 90% to the Republican party. Coincidence?

[Killarney]

9. thanks for posting this article.

[rebel_liberal]

10. Here's a link to Local Sinclair TV Stations to Boycott

Here's a list of the stations Sinclair Broadcasting owns. Let's Turn them off.

WLOS 13, Asheville, N.C.
WBFF 45, Baltimore, Md.
WTTO 21, Birmingham, Ala.
WUTV 29, Grand Island, N.Y.
WNYO 49, Grand Island, N.Y.
KGAN 88, Cedar Rapids, Ia.
WICD 15, Champaign, Ill.
WICS 20, Springfield, Ill.
WMMP 36, Charleston, S.C.
WCHS 8, Charleston, W. Va.
WSTR 64, Cincinnati, Ohio
WSYX 6, Columbus, Ohio
WKEF 22, Dayton, Ohio
KDSM 17, Des Moines, Ia.
WSMH 66, Flint, Mich.
WXLV 45, Winston-Salem, N.C.
KSMO 31, Kansas City, Kan.
KVWB 21, Las Vegas
KFBT 33, Las Vegas
WDKY 56, Lexington, Ken.
WMSN 47, Madison, Wis.
WCGV 24, Milwaukee, Wis.
WVTV 18, Milwaukee, Wis.
KMWB 23, Minneapolis, Minn.
WEAR 3, Pensacola, Fla.
WFGX 35, Pensacola, Fla.
WZTV 17, Nashville, Tenn.
WUXP 30, Nashville, Tenn.
WTVZ 33, Norfolk, Va.
KOCB 34, Oklahoma City, Ok.
KOKH 24, Oklahoma City, Ok.
KBSI 23, Cape Girardeau, Mo.
WYZZ 43, Bloomington, Ill.
WPGH 53, Pittsburgh, Penn.
WCWB 22, Pittsburgh, Penn.
WGME 13, Portland, Maine
WLFL 22, Raleigh, N.C.
WRDC 28, Raleigh, N.C.
WRLH 35, Richmond, Va.
WUHF 31, Rochester, N.Y.
KOVR 13, West Sacramento, Calif.
KABB 29, San Antonio, Calif.
KRRT 35, San Antonio, Calif.
WGGB 40, Springfield, Mass.
KDNL 30, St. Louis, Mo.
WSYT 68, Syracuse, N.Y.
WTWC 40, Tallahassee, Fla.
WEMT 39, Johnson City, Tenn.

[yardwork]

12. Thanks for posting this - I wrote to my local affiliates

[yardwork]

11. The most important three paragraphs are right here

But many believe Sinclair's provocative decision shows how much the company has riding on the election.

With its heavy concentration of Fox and WB affiliates, ranking in the middle of the pack in mostly midsize markets, Sinclair is barely profitable and laden with debt. It had a net profit of $14 million on revenue of $739 million in 2003.

Sinclair hopes to change that by solidifying its hold on local markets by controlling, for example, two stations in more cities and sharing operating and news-gathering costs. But it needs the federal government to relax several media ownership restrictions.

This is just one example of why this election is crucial.