How to stop Sinclair--Hit their LOCAL advertisers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joeybee12]

Below has been taken from talkingpointsmemo.com It's from one of Josh's readers, and this person is absolutely right. You can make lucid, well-thought out arguments about why Sinclair is wrong until you're blue in the face; you can threaten them with having their licenses revoked (which ain't gonna happen if Dumbo is re-appoited, and the facsicsts at Sinclair are counting on this), and they'll still run this program.

BUT if you hit their bottom line, you'll get results. They're facists, but fascists whose over-riding concern is making a buck!

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I’ve worked in the media business for 30 years and I guarantee you that sales is what these local TV stations are all about. They don’t care about license renewal or overwhelming public outrage. They care about sales only, so only local advertisers can affect their decisions.

Here's how to have an impact on the local Sinclair stations: first, watch the station and make a list of all of the local advertisers.
Then, write to the sales manager -- not the general manager, but the sales manager -- and tell him that you're going to contact all of the local advertisers to register a protest about the station airing this program. Be specific -- mention the names of those local advertisers. Then, actually contact them (if you write or email, cc the sales manager). These stations make most of their income (around 60%) from local advertisers and will NOT want to have that income threatened.

This has worked numerous times. A recent example was when a local radio morning show host in North Carolina told his listeners to aim for bicyclists on the road (he was ranting about how cyclists have no right to share the roadways). The station defended him for several days amidst public outcry, until the advertisers, under pressure from outraged cyclists, began to make noise. Suddenly, the station reversed itself, suspended the host for several days, and made him do public service announcements for weeks about sharing the road with cyclists.

This can work! I plan to start tonight!

[Mike L]

1. My business advertises on a local Sinclair station. I'm writing a letter

today threatening to pull my advertising if they run that Bush campaign movie. This is the station. They don't have a "contact us" link that I see. They say to contact Sinclair's home office.

http://www.wlos.com/home/home.shtml

[joeybee12]

4. Great--but try calling them--I'm sure they'll give you an e-mail address

if you really push.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Don't Eliminate...Reduce

By cancelling ALL your advertising, you lose inside access at the station and then you're looked at as "one of them". If you reduce...cut your budget by 50% or more, they're gonna hurt (especially your local sales rep who lives on 15% of that money for his commission) and they're gonna try to find ways for you to increase your buying back up to where you were before.

You've got some leverage, my friend, and your experiences could be valuable to others who are trying to contact their local stations.

Cheers!

[Onlooker]

2. Post advertisers and email addresses in this thread

I may not live in your community, but I can still protest to local advertisers, and by email it's easy.

[joeybee12]

3. Need help with this request--I don't live near any of these markets--can

someone who does post the advertisers? There could be national comapnies that advertise on a local level. If so, then we ALL can write them--they'll be even more scared shitless than the locals!

[KharmaTrain]

5. I've Attempted To Do Just This In The Media Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x14363

This is where we're trying to look at the local stations. I'm no Don Quixote and I'd like to assist in helping people take action against this country, just getting very frustrated...I'm trying to help coordinate and people are busy talking AT each other than to.

If you're interested in assisting in this area, it'd be appreciated.