10.12.2004

Dirty Politics

As reported by several media outlets, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns 62 TV stations around the country has ordered each of its stations to air an Anti-Kerry film during prime time prior to the election. They claim that this film is news, however it is a blatant abuse of their use of public airwaves. This hour-long movie is simply a free commercial for the re-election of President Bush. I was watching Hannity & Colmes tonight on the Fox News Channel. Sean Hannity and the producer of the film that is to be shown were complaining about how "liberals" must be against free speech because they filed a complaint with the FCC about the impending airing of this film. However, if these same TV stations were to air Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 instead of the Anti-Kerry film, I would bet that they would be among the first to attack the stations planning on airing that.

Back in April, Sinclair Broadcast Group ordered its ABC affiliates not to air the episode of Nightline during which Ted Koppel read the names of American soldiers killed while serving in Iraq. They claimed that this was a political statement disguised as news. I really don't see how this film that they are now planning to air is a newsworthy event, as their vice president Mark Hyman claims, and not just a political statement disguised as news.

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