[Vision2020] Sinclair to Preempt `Nightline' on ABC Stations, Cites Politics
Dick Schmidt
dickschmidt@moscow.com
Thu, 29 Apr 2004 15:38:16 -0700
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All,
Lets see now, didn't FCC's Powell want large companies to be able to own =
many more stations in any markets in the country. So much for a balanced =
view of the news. I see this program as honoring those who have given =
the ultimate sacrifice. I'd like to see it broadcast in prime time =
though.
Dick Schmidt
Sinclair to Preempt `Nightline' on ABC Stations, Cites Politics=20
April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. ordered its ABC =
affiliates to preempt tomorrow's broadcast of ``Nightline,'' which will =
air the names and photos of U.S. military personnel who have died in =
combat in Iraq, saying the move is politically motivated.=20
``Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears =
to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts =
of the United States in Iraq,'' the company said in a faxed statement. =
Sinclair, which owns 62 U.S. television stations, said ABC is disguising =
political statements as news content.=20
Nightline anchor Ted Koppel will read the names of the more than 500 =
members of the U.S. armed forces killed in Iraq as their photos air in =
pairs, the network has said. Their names, ranks, branches of service, =
hometowns and ages will be listed under the photos. The entire broadcast =
will be devoted to reading the names.=20
The 30-minute program airs at 11:35 p.m. New York time on ABC, a unit of =
the Walt Disney Co. It will include those certified as killed in action =
by the Pentagon between March 19, 2003, and the date of the broadcast. =
Because of the list's size, Nightline will only be able to devote =
seconds to each casualty, executive producer Leroy Sievers said Tuesday. =
Sinclair owns stations affiliated with ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, WB and UPN in =
39 markets.=20
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<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9>All,</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9>Lets see now, didn't FCC's Powell want large =
companies=20
to be able to own many more stations in any markets in the country. So =
much for=20
a balanced view of the news. I see this program as honoring those who =
have given=20
the ultimate sacrifice. I'd like to see it broadcast in prime time=20
though.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9>Dick Schmidt</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9></SPAN><SPAN =
class=3Dstyle9></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dstyle9>Sinclair to Preempt `Nightline' on ABC =
Stations, Cites=20
Politics </SPAN><SPAN class=3Dstyle5></DIV>
<P>April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. ordered its ABC =
affiliates to preempt tomorrow's broadcast of ``Nightline,'' which will =
air the=20
names and photos of U.S. military personnel who have died in combat in =
Iraq,=20
saying the move is politically motivated. </P>
<P>``Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action =
appears to be=20
motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the =
United=20
States in Iraq,'' the company said in a faxed statement. Sinclair, which =
owns 62=20
U.S. television stations, said ABC is disguising political statements as =
news=20
content. </P>
<P>Nightline anchor Ted Koppel will read the names of the more than 500 =
members=20
of the U.S. armed forces killed in Iraq as their photos air in pairs, =
the=20
network has said. Their names, ranks, branches of service, hometowns and =
ages=20
will be listed under the photos. The entire broadcast will be devoted to =
reading=20
the names. </P>
<P>The 30-minute program airs at 11:35 p.m. New York time on ABC, a unit =
of the=20
Walt Disney Co. It will include those certified as killed in action by =
the=20
Pentagon between March 19, 2003, and the date of the broadcast. Because =
of the=20
list's size, Nightline will only be able to devote seconds to each =
casualty,=20
executive producer Leroy Sievers said Tuesday. </P>
<P>Sinclair owns stations affiliated with ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, WB and UPN =
in 39=20
markets. </P></SPAN></BODY></HTML>
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