[lit-ideas] More on Sinclair
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 02:09:17 EDT
Hi,
More on Sinclair's airing of its show...it will be shown in KC on a Thursday
evening...(also in St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, and Springfield)
Marlena in Missouri
Sinclair Axes Journalist Critical of Film
Tuesday October 19, 2004 2:46 PM
AP Photo FLGH120
By KASEY JONES
Associated Press Writer
BALTIMORE (AP) - Sinclair Broadcast fired its Washington bureau chief, saying
he revealed company business when he discussed its upcoming program on a
documentary critical of John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities.
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. said in a statement late Monday that it fired
reporter Jon Leiberman and that ``we are disappointed that Jon's political
views caused him to violate company policy and speak to the press about
company
business.''
In his initial remarks, published Monday by The (Baltimore) Sun, Leiberman
called the Sinclair show ``biased political propaganda, with clear intentions
to sway this election.''
Leiberman said he was fired Monday by Joseph DeFeo, Sinclair's vice president
for news, and escorted out of the company's headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md.
``I was told I violated company policy by divulging information from a staff
meeting'' to The Sun, Leiberman said late Monday.
The staff meeting took place Sunday at Sinclair's headquarters, Leiberman
said. He said staffers were told that the news division would handle the
hourlong show, based on the documentary ``Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never
Heal.''
The 42-minute documentary features former prisoners of war accusing Kerry, a
decorated veteran who took up the anti-war cause upon returning from Vietnam,
of prolonging the war and worsening their plight. Sinclair said last week it
hadn't been decided how much of the documentary would appear in the
completed show.
The Democratic National Committee has filed a complaint with the Federal
Election Commission contending that airing the film should be considered an
illegal in-kind contribution to the Bush campaign.
Leiberman, 29, said he told DeFeo he would not participate in preparing the
program about the film and that he objected to it being labeled news rather
than commentary.
``We have no further comment on the actions of a disgruntled employee or an
ongoing personnel matter,'' the Sinclair statement said. ``Viewers can grade
Leiberman's opinion versus the reality when the finished product is aired.''
Leiberman said he was not disgruntled and that the company had largely
treated him well before now.
``I love what I do, but I love doing news. ... And I just felt like nobody
was listening.''
Earlier this month, Sinclair ordered its 62 TV stations across the country to
pre-empt regular programming to air the show. In Baltimore, the show airs on
Friday; at least some other stations were planning to show it Saturday.
Leiberman was chosen by Sinclair last year to start the company's four-person
Washington bureau. He said Sinclair told him that he was fired for cause and
would receive no severance.
``I know I stood up for the principles of objectivity,'' he said. ``In
journalism, all we have is credibility and objectivity.''
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
- » [lit-ideas] More on Sinclair
