Pittsburgh Stations ordered to run anti-Kerry movie

[anti_shrub]

from http://www.pbrtv.com/ a site that has info about Pittsburgh TV and Radio stations:

"Sinclair stations across the U.S., which include Pittsburgh's WPGH-TV 53 and WPCB-TV 22, have been ordered by corporate headquarters to pre-empt regular programming about one week before the election to air a movie critical of U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for President."

How can this be legal? How can stations that are network affiliates (WPGH and WCWB are Pittsburgh's FOX and WB outlets, respectively) pre-empt network programming for obvious political motivations?

Someone should ask the networks how they feel about this. Maybe Fox can afford it, but the WB doesn't have the ratings to be able to afford losing a market like Pittsburgh for a whole evening.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. This can't be right

No way

[GainesT1958]

2. I guess that jerk Scaife...

Wanted two different stations on which to drool while watching it!:mad:

B-)

[blue neen]

3. Do you happen to know any of Fox's sponsors here?

It's time to start calling and sending e-mails.

If they show this movie, I will never watch that station again (even if the Steelers are on it)! As it is, WPGH is rarely on in this house.

[gauguin57]

4. Check this out ...

... just making sure you saw http://boycottsinclair.blogspot.com/

and http://www.boycottsinclairbroadcasting.com/pages/1/index.htm

And this from the Yahoo! finance message board for Sinclair ...

Just check out what the THREAT of a boycott is doing to the small investors in this company!!!

http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=l&board=7083976&tid=sbgi&sid=7083976&mid=1204

For example:

"Get out of this stock, fast
by: black_helos 10/09/04 09:27 pm
Msg: 1204 of 1220

You've undoubtedly heard that they are forcing all their stations to air an anti-Kerry documentary just before the election. Well, I monitor the liberal blogs and sites and I gotta tell you there is a bloody fury brewing. Don't assume that liberals are pussies. At this point they are so freaking mad and energized that they'll do whatever it takes to bring this company down. Stay away. You don't want to see your capital incinerated because this family business wants to use the business to push a political agenda. Put your money somewhere else until the storm blows over. Hey, maybe this stock will be an excellent buy at $2 in a couple weeks. "

[JPZenger]

5. High Moral Character of Sinclair CEO

I am all in favor of a boycott of advertisers. However, according to Yahoo Finance, 95% of the stock is controlled by 4 brothers. They inherited Daddy's company.

You can read about the high moral character of the CEO and President of Sinclair Broadcasting at
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2004/10/sinclair.html , which includes a Baltimore Sun news article. According to Baltimore Policy, he allegedly put many people at risk by getting a BJ from a prostitute while he was driving his Mercedes on Interstate 83 in Baltimore.