And, virtually all the news reports said that the report was ordered to be shown on all 62 stations. I never heard any attribution for that: it must have been "industry observers" (other reporters). John Willkie -----Original Message----- From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Dewey Weaver Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 1:36 PM To: OpenDTV; opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [opendtv] Re: SINCLAIR TO AIR ?A POW STORY: POLITICS, PRESSURE AND THE MEDIA? AMEN!! ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Mark Aitken <maitken@xxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 16:31:47 -0400 >News Release > > >Contact: Barry Faber, General Counsel, 410-568-1500 > > > >*SINCLAIR TO AIR =93A POW STORY: POLITICS, PRESSURE AND THE MEDIA=94* > > > > BALTIMORE (October 19, 2004) - Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: >SBGI) announced today that on Friday, October 22, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. >(7:00 p.m. central time) certain television stations owned by Sinclair >Broadcast Group, Inc. will air a special one-hour news program, entitled >/A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media/. In order to minimize >the interruption of normally scheduled programming in those markets >where Sinclair owns and/or programs more than one television station, >the news special will be broadcast on only one of those stations. A >complete list of stations which will be airing the program and the times >of such broadcasts is attached. > > > > The news special will focus in part on the use of documentaries and >other media to influence voting, which emerged during the 2004 political >campaigns, as well as on the content of certain of these documentaries. >The program will also examine the role of the media in filtering the >information contained in these documentaries, allegations of media bias >by media organizations that ignore or filter legitimate news and the >attempts by candidates and other organizations to influence media coverage= . > > > > Contrary to numerous inaccurate political and press accounts, the >Sinclair stations will not be airing the documentary =93Stolen Honor=94 in= >its entirety. At no time did Sinclair ever publicly announce that it >intended to do so. In fact, since the controversy began, Sinclair=92s >website has prominently displayed the following statement: =93The program = >has not been videotaped and the exact format of this unscripted event >has not been finalized. Characterizations regarding the content are >premature and are based on ill-informed sources.=94 > > > > While the news special will discuss the allegations surrounding >Senator John Kerry=92s anti-Vietnam War activities in the early 1970s >raised by a number of former POWs in =93Stolen Honor,=94 it will do so in = >the context of the broader discussion outlined above. The program will >be hosted by Jeff Barnd, the Emmy award winning co-anchor of Fox 45=92s >10:00 News which airs on WBFF-TV, Sinclair=92s flagship station in >Baltimore, Maryland. > > > > Joe DeFeo, Sinclair=92s Vice President of News commented that, =93As >with all news programming produced by Sinclair=92s News Central, /A POW >Story/ is being produced with the highest journalistic standards and >integrity. We have not ceded, and will not in the future cede, control >of our news reporting to any outside organization or political group. >We are endeavoring, as we do with all of our news coverage, to present >both sides of the issues covered in an equal and impartial manner.=94 > > > > In fact, Sinclair has been in private communication with Senator >Kerry=92s campaign, including a recent face-to-face meeting with senior >campaign officials, for approximately two weeks in order to negotiate >participation in the special by either Senator Kerry or his designee. >Although the Kerry campaign declined to participate, Sinclair has left >the invitation open and will make every effort to accommodate the >Senator up to the air date for the program should he become willing to >present his viewpoint for Sinclair=92s audience. > > > > David Smith noted that, =93The experience of preparing to air this >news special has been trying for many of those involved. The company >and many of its executives have endured personal attacks of the vilest >nature, as well as calls on our advertisers and our viewers to boycott >our stations and on our shareholders to sell their stock. In addition, >and more shockingly, we have received threats of retribution from a >member of Senator John Kerry=92s campaign and have seen attempts by >leading members of Congress to influence the Federal Communications >Commission to stop Sinclair from broadcasting this news special. >Moreover, these coordinated attacks have occurred without regard to the >facts since they predated the broadcast of our news special.=94 > > > > Mr. Smith further stated, =93We cannot in a free America yield to the = >misguided attempts by a small but vocal minority to influence behavior >and trample on the First Amendment rights of those with whom they might >not agree. I have been encouraged, however, by the thousands of e-mails >and other messages I, and others, received supporting Sinclair=92s efforts= >to hold firm to its ideals in the face of a firestorm of controversy >which, ironically, was actually based on misinformation. We also took >comfort in the positions of other media organizations which supported >our right to present this story notwithstanding any disagreement they >may have with the content, as well as in the words of Michael Powell, >Chairman of the FCC who refused to block the program, noting that to do >so would be =91unconstitutional=92 and =91an absolute disservice to the Fi= rst >Amendment.=92=94 > > > > Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., one of the largest and most >diversified television broadcasting companies, owns and operates, >programs, or provides sales services to 62 television stations in 39 >markets. Sinclair's television group includes FOX, WB, ABC, CBS, NBC, >and UPN affiliates and reaches approximately 24% of all U.S. television >households. > > > >*Market & Stations To Air "A POW Story"* > > > >* * > >Baltimore > > > >WBFF > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Birmingham > > > >WTTO > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Buffalo > > > >WUTV > > > >Friday- 10/22 8PM > >Cedar Rapids > > > >KGAN > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Champaign, IL > > > >WICD > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Charleston, SC > > > >WMMP > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Charleston, WV > > > >WCHS > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Cincinnati > > > >WSTR > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Columbus > > > >WSYX > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Dayton > > > >WKEF > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Des Moines > > > >KDSM > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Flint > > > >WSMH > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Greensboro > > > >WXLV > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Greenville/Asheville > > > >WLOS > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Kansas City > > > >KSMO > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Las Vegas > > > >KVWB > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Lexington > > > >WDKY > > > >Friday-10/22 8PM > >Madison > > > >WMSN > > > >Friday-10/22 7PM > >Milwaukee > > > >WVTV > > > >Friday-10/22 7PM > >Minneapolis > > > >KMWB > > > >Friday-10/22 7PM > >Nashville > > > >WZTV > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Norfolk > > > >WTVZ > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Oklahoma City > > > >KOKH > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Paducah > > > >KBSI > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Pensacola/Mobile > > > >WEAR > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Peoria > > > >WYZZ > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Pittsburgh > > > >WPGH > > > >Friday-10/22 8PM > >Portland > > > >WGME > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Raleigh > > > >WLFL > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Richmond > > > >WRLH > > > >Friday-10/22 8PM > >Rochester > > > >WUHF > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Sacramento > > > >KOVR > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >St. Louis > > > >KDNL > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >San Antonio > > > >KABB > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Springfield, MA > > > >WGGB > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Springfield, IL > > > >WICS > > > >Friday 10/22 7PM > >Syracuse > > > >WSYT > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Tallahassee > > > >WTWC > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Tampa > > > >WTTA > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > >Tri Cities > > > >WEMT > > > >Friday 10/22 8PM > > > > > > > > >-- > >Regards, >Mark A. Aitken Director, Advanced Technology > >*********************************** >Sinclair Broadcast Group >10706 Beaver Dam Road >Hunt Valley, MD 21030 >Business TEL: (410) 568-1535 >Business MOBILE: (443) 677-4425 >Business FAX: (410) 568-1580 >E-mail: maitken@xxxxxxxxxx >Text PAGE: page.maitken@xxxxxxxxxx >www.newscentral.tv >www.sbgi.net >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >=93There never was a good war >or bad peace....=94 > >~ ~ ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ ~ ~ >*********************************** >CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.