ANTI-KERRY FILM TO AIR ON 1/4 OF NATION'S TV'S RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION

[Jon8503]

Saturday, October 09, 2004
by John in DC - 10/9/2004 09:01:26 AM

Folks, this is the most outrageous thing I've read this election. A conservative group that owns TV outlets that reach into nearly a quarter of the nation's homes is FORCING its local stations to PREEMPT ITS REGULAR PRIME-TIME COVERAGE, just days before the election, to air a film attacking Kerry's military record.

I won't even bother repeating the story here - you can read it all in the Los Angeles Times. The conservative group is the same one that refused to air Nightline's homage to our fallen troops.

Read the article and then someone out there find out which EXACT local stations belong to this Sinclair Broadcast Group. We are going to take those stations down. I want to know the exact stations, with proof (find me the source), then I want to help coordinate a campaign to kill their advertising. I cannot run a second Web site, someone else needs to start it and run, but you can copy it after our StopDrLaura.com campaign (the site is still up as an archive), and I'm happy to give advice and help with publicity.

We need to know which of our local stations is in bed with the president and this right-wing zealot and we need to destroy them. I'm talking get every single advertiser to leave those stations. Publish the advertisers email and phone and contact them, demanding that they stop funneling their money to partisan un-American TV zealots who are trying to throw our election. I suspect most advertisers will not like hearing about this story.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-sinclair9oct09,1,4817545.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[thinkingwoman]

1. nothing pisses people off more

than having their regular shows preempted.

[warrior1]

2. if they are like me

they will have all ready voted.

[Cobalt Violet]

43. Especially to be preached at by nut-jobs. n/t

[Carla in Ca]

151. I saw this article in my LA Times this morning

right on the front page...my heart sank. An hour later, my husband and I joined about 200 other Kerry supporters (for OC, Ca. thats good) and held a rally and walk through historic Orange Circle.

I read this entire thread, and I will do whatever it is decided is best. A lot of good opinions, but lets pick the best method to deal with this outrage.

One item was not talked about at all. The article says there is to be a panel discussion and Kerry is invited to join. And of course I'm not surprised to read that the campaign knows nothing of the invite.

What is the best option?
FCC complaint
boycott advertisers
equal time for Going Up River
Whatever one is chosen, it should be one that as many of us, if not all, can participate in. Or those in those regions showing this can do something locally and the rest of us can do something else.

Bottom line: Lets do something, but lets be organized. I'm ready!

[jwirr]

163. Why can't we

do them all. First of all we need to share this thread with as many other Democrat sites as possible. Then like the polls on debates get the email to the FCC for complaints. Document the advertisers and get their emails. Finally get the email for the FEC and complain about equal time demanding that the Kerry Campaign be given equal time to do with as they please.

[HulkamaniacUM]

200. State-by-state list of Sinclair Broadcast Group stations

You can get a state-by-state list of stations that will air the anti-Kerry film here: WillBardwell.com.

The list also has links to each individual station's Web site, so e-mail the news directors and tell them to show some guts!

[clore1030]

212. List from Sinclair's own site

http://www.sbgi.net/business/markets/all.shtml

It has links to each station's web site.

[Swamp Rat]

238. Welcome to DU!

Don't vote for Bush! He's an alien lizard!

[Carla in Ca]

225. I just had a thought

I looked up the one station here in Ca. for Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto. They have a TV listing of shows for the week. 60 minutes is scheduled to air after the debate on Wednesday. I wonder if that is the date/time they will show it. Imagine, right after the debate!
What do you think?

[Cats Against Frist]

3. Can you link it? I'm lazy.

[Jon8503]

5. Done, here is the link; http://www.latimes.com/

[w13rd0]

4. Sinclair should have its charter revoked...

...this is of course after the orchestrated move to prevent F911 from airing for public consumption. The hypocrisy of claiming that F911 would be a violation of election laws, but this film would not be, is asonishing.

[liveoaktx]

19. WRITE LETTERS OF COMPLAINT-Sinclair is a broacast channel

and can LOSE ITS LICENCE

[doni_georgia]

86. Send complaints to [email protected]

http://www.fcc.gov

[jerryster]

180. Done

[On the Road]

249. Done

[rednecgrl]

254. done

I just sent my letter to the fcc. I'm not in an area where I'll be affected by this, but I'm still going to check Sinclair's advertisers list and send them an email as well. We can do this!
Jen

[SoCalDemocrat]

107. my letter

I'm joining with other Democracts nationwide in boycotting every sponsor you air before during, and after this partisan hack job masquerading as a movie. F-911 could not be aired because it was too partisan, but you think you can get away with peddling this? I've also written a letter to the FCC complaining and asking that your broadcast license be revoked and Sinclair broadcasting be censured.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-sinclair9oct09,1,...

[SoCalDemocrat]

108. 1-888-CALL-FCC

1-888-CALL-FCC

Everyone call the FCC and file a complaint against Sinclair broadcasting. Then email [email protected]

[SoCalDemocrat]

110. My letter to the FCC

I'm writing to complain about Sinclair broadcasting which is interfering in the upcoming Presidential election, and asking that you take immediate action against them and revoke their broadcast license. They intend to air a political attack movie against John Kerry just three days before the election, and they are forcing their local stations to change their existing program venues to carry this.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-sinclair9oct09,1,...

Please tell me Democracy is still intact in this country and that the FCC will act will due diligence to stop this from happening!

[mzmolly]

6. LINK HERE!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-sinclair9oct09,1,4817545.story?coll=la-home-headlines

:grr:

[mzmolly]

7. CONTACT THEM HERE AND ARRANGE A FRIKKEN PROTEST!

JAM THEIR F**KING PHONE LINES!

Corporate Headquarters
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-568-1500 (Main Telephone)
410-568-1533 (Main Fax)

Investor Relations Contact
Lucy A. Rutishauser
VP Corporate Finance and
Corporate Treasurer
[email protected]

Sales Questions
Darren Shapiro
VP Sales
410-568-1500

-or-

Jeff Sleete
VP Marketing
410-568-1500

Directions to Corporate Headquarters


Approaching from the East (Philadelphia):


Take I-95 to I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) West toward Towson.
Take I-83 North / Exit 24 toward Cockeysville, MD / York, PA.
Exit at Warren Road / Exit 18.
Make first left onto Beaver Dam Road.
Sinclair building is about 300 feet on left.
Approaching from the West (BWI Airport):

Take I-95 North towards I-695 / Baltimore
Take I-695 North (West) towards Pikesville / Towson.
Follow I-695 North around to I-83 North / Exit 24 (do not take first I-83 exit South towards Baltimore)
Exit at Warren Road / Exit 18.
Make first left onto Beaver Dam Road.
Sinclair building is about 300 feet on left.
Approaching from Downtown Baltimore:

Take I-83 (Jones Falls Expressway) North to I-695 East towards Towson.
Stay in right lane and take next exit, I-83 North / Exit 24 toward Cockeysville, MD / York, PA..
Exit at Warren Road / Exit 18.
Make first left onto Beaver Dam Road.
Sinclair building is about 300 feet on left.
Approaching from the North (Pennsylvania):

Take I-83 South to Shawan Road / Exit 20A toward Cockeysville
Stay in right lane and merge onto McCormick Road
McCormick Road becomes Beaver Dam Road
Pass Cockeysville Road on the left;
Sinclair building is about 300 feet on the right

http://www.sbgi.net/contact/contact.shtml

[fishwax]

8. Also, flood the media with this and contact network corporate offices

The networks should know how outraged the American people are at this misappropriation of the public airwaves. They might have the tools to reign in their affiliates. I know in the past that our local affiliates have had difficulty pre-empting prime time programming without network permission.




(edited to make up for poor/confusing word choice)

[meganmonkey]

89. Their voicemail boxes are getting full!!

410-568-1500

Call it!

It took me four tries to find a voicemail that wasn;t full. I left a long a detailed message, claimed to be a soon-to-be-former investor (as if), pretty much pulled from the latimes article and babbled about the hypocrisy of the Nightline faces of the fallen...USE YOUR FREE WEEKEND MINUTES! Hee heee!!!!

[celloise]

199. keep calling

I just called and left a message with Jeff Sleete. His box isn't quite full just yet.
410-568-1500
enter sleete as last name of party

[Rose Siding]

9. So does CBS still think it's "inappropriate" to air critical news stories?

:grr:

[Poiuyt]

11. Excellent point

We should email CBS and 60 Minutes with that in mind.

[Skinner]

10. That is fucking outrageous!

I am speechless. I don't even know what to say. This is perhaps the most disgraceful thing I have heard this entire campaign.

They're calling it "News"! If CBS or CNN or any actual "news" outlet tried to do this, the RW would skin them alive. Sinclair can't be allowed to get away with this.

[RhodaGrits]

12. So what can we do? Is it possible to launch a complaint with

the FCC en bloc? At the very least, they should get equal time under the election advertising laws?

[Jon8503]

13. Skinner, what would be the best avenue to take some action and try

to get this thing stopped. It has to be a violation of some FCC regs doesn't it. I realize ownership allows you some freedom of choices but you still have to abide by the FCC rules.

[pimpbot]

15. Partial list of sincrap owned stations

I know this isnt all of them, but its a start. Sorry I dont have contact info, but Im sure a quick google can get you that.. Hope it helps!

Market Affiliate Call Sign

Asheville/Greenville WB 40 WBSC-DT14
Baltimore FOX 45 WBFF-DT46
Buffalo FOX 29 WUTV-DT14
Cedar Rapids CBS 2 KGAN-DT51
Champaign/Spfld,IL NBC 15 WICD-DT41
Columbus ABC 6 WSYX-DT13
Columbus FOX 28 WTTE-DT36
Dayton ABC 22 WKEF-DT51
Dayton FOX 45 WRGT-DT30
Des Moines FOX 17 KDSM-DT16
Milwaukee WB 18 WVTV-DT61
Minneapolis WB 23 KMWB-DT22
Nashville FOX 17 WZTV-DT15
Oklahoma City FOX 25 KOKH-DT24
Pittsburgh FOX 53 WPGH-DT43
Portland, ME CBS 13 WGME-DT38
Sacramento CBS 13 KOVR-DT25
San Antonio FOX 29 KABB-DT30
Spfld/Champaign, IL NBC 20 WICS-DT42
St. Louis ABC 30 KDNL-DT31
Tallahassee NBC 40 WTWC-DT2

[Grillydad]

55. The phone number for the two Columbus Stations

is 614/481-6666. It's the same for both. I've been there and they share a building. In fact they share a lobby. The address is 1261 Dublin Rd. I am tracking down the zip.

[Dr.Phool]

104. Complete list from Columbia Journalism Review

Boycott!!!!

www.cjr.org/tools/owners/sinclair.asp

[9119495]

144. Ive already been in contact with them over their ultra-right wing

commentaries. Here is our correspondence:

Dear Mr. ________,

I also appreciate you taking the time to send us your frank criticism of "The Point" commentary. Mark Hyman is certainly trying to produce arguments designed to elicit strong reactions from our viewers. He wants us all to think about our own views during another important presidential election cycle. Mark is not trying to disguise his thoughts as anything but commentary. His arguments are independent of our local journalists who are working hard to seek truth and report it fully in a fair and balanced way.

I am grateful for the fact that in America you can monitor a local TV
station. You can make a list of advertisers. You can call them. You can lobby others to do the same. I also think it is great that anyone who has the resources to own a TV station can actually state an opinion and yet let the news department act independently of the commentators.

Mark Hyman is offering commentary just like a newspaper's editorial
board. So, I am concerned and disappointed that in the end you will no longer watch CBS2. I don't want you to miss the award-winning local coverage of news, weather and sports.

We appreciate your feedback. You may write directly to Mark at
www.KGAN.com. To send a comment just click on The Point box on the
right side of our home page. Please write or call me any time with
your questions comments or concerns.

Sincerely,


Rod Peterson
CBS2 KGAN-TV News Director
319-395-9060 ext. 401
[email protected]


Here is my original letter:

So hopefully you can get my point.

I sat through another one of your right-wing news commentaries that should best be classified as commercials for the Bush-Cheney campaign, or at least attack advertisements against John Kerry. How can you continue to show these horrid commentaries? There is so little quality local news. I used to watch your channel because I couldn't care less about helicopter camera angles. But now that is all I'm left with should I need local news. I'm not alone. When I talk with friends at work or other local activists, "The Point" frequently comes up when we discuss the sad state of local news.
But some good has perhaps come out of this. I plan to watch your channel for one more week with some friends of mine on a rotating schedule. We will be cataloging all of the local sponsors advertising during your news casts so that we may contact them and ask that they discontinue their accounts with you. We plan to notify them that we will not give them our patronage until they pull their adds. While we are just a few, there are several local organizations that may love to participate. The local Democratic party, America Coming Together, and ACT for Change (to name a few) would no doubt love to help and they have thousands of E-mail addresses in their databanks. Will we be successful? Only time will tell.

I hope you will take the time to respond to this. I never found your
local newscasters to be as offensive as Mark Hyman, yet it is they who are in jeopardy as each time "The Point" airs, you alienate more viewers and endager the jobs of employees of News Channel 2. Perhaps you can use the feelings expressed in this E-mail to take "The Point" off the air. We are not talking about honest political disagreements. Mark Hyman lies and distorts. Stand up for yourself and your local employees.



Can we get some DUers to mass E-mail this fuckwad?

[Carla in Ca]

226. Their 3Q profits are down, our boycott might make them think twice

Initial guidance was for third quarter net broadcast revenues to be up
4% to 5% from third quarter 2003 net broadcast revenues of $161.3 million.
However, due to weakness primarily in auto advertising spending and
cancellations resulting from the recent hurricanes which impacted eight of
the Company's television stations in the Southeast, the Company is revising
its net broadcast revenue guidance to be approximately $163.7 million in
the third quarter.

Sinclair will release final third quarter 2004 earnings results on
Thursday, November 4, 2004 at 7:30 am ET.

[Kadie]

26. CBS pulled the Reagan movie. Is there anything we can do

to stop this?

[Mr_Spock]

49. I'm trying not to overreact, but this calls for very serious action

They are trying to influence an election and they have the power with their broadcast license to do so. If they force these stations to show this propaganda and if it somehow pushed Dumbya over the top, well, let's just say there'll be hell to pay. I'll save my energy for then and I ain't gonna talk about it here, on a public forum.

[mzmolly]

69. SKINNER, CAN YOU PIN AN ACTIVISM THREAD HERE?

We need to get a plan and go for it. I have contact info in my thread on the subject. We need to brainstorm and act. We've got the weekend to think on it.

:hi:

We need to contact the DNC as well so they can get people involved.

[struggle4progress]

111. Pretty easy to demonstrate it's not real news. Here's the "poll" from ...

... the "documentary" website:

<snip>
What should John Kerry do to make amends for having slandered the honor, decency and courage of military veterans of Vietnam and other wars?

Admit publicly that his Senate testimony was false and exaggerated. Ask forgiveness from those he dishonored.

Disavow anti-war actions of Fonda, Hayden and himself that led to cruelty inflicted on US POWs in Vietnam.

Admit his youthful anger about the war got the best of him and some of his accusations were "over the top".

Do nothing and hope it all goes away.

Try to earn respect by confessing if he still believes American combatants were as barbarous as described. <snip>

http://www.stolenhonor.com/


<edit:>
New holes in Bush military record
BY THOMAS M. DeFRANK, JAMES GORDON MEEK and CORKY SIEMASZKO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

<snip> "I can't say he didn't do his duties, but I can say for sure I was there and I never met George Bush," says Bob Mintz, a lieutenant colonel in the 30-member unit when Bush was supposed to have been there. "You just can't come and go in a unit that small and not be noticed by someone."

Bush backers led by former Sen. Bob Dole fired back by unveiling a new anti-Kerry documentary called "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." <snip>

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/230399p-197749c.html

[Warren DeMontague]

235. Doesn't this make it a campaign ad?

Bush backers led by former Sen. Bob Dole fired back by unveiling a new anti-Kerry documentary called "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal."

[Ruby Romaine]

116. Carlton Sherwood (producer) worked for Tom Ridge in PA & for DHS!!!

[starroute]

130. Carlton Sherwood? Ouch!

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Carlton_Sherwood

He also is known for his purportedly independent investigation of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Sherwood concluded that Moon and his followers "were and continued to be the victims of the worst kind of religious prejudice and racial bigotry this country has witnessed in over a century." Sherwood himself had previously worked for the Washington Times, owned by members of the Unification Church. In a story on this book, the PBS television series Frontline obtained a copy of a letter addressed to Moon. The letter was written by James Gavin, a Moon aide. Gavin tells Moon he reviewed the "overall tone and factual contents" of Inquisition before publication and suggested revisions. Gavin adds that the author "Mr. Sherwood has assured me that all this will be done when the manuscript is sent to the publisher." Gavin concludes by telling Moon, "When all of our suggestions have been incorporated, the book will be complete and in my opinion will make a significant impact.... In addition to silencing our critics now, the book should be invaluable in persuading others of our legitimacy for many years to come."

[jmowreader]

140. "Members," my ASS

The goddam Washington Times is owned BY THE FUCKING UNIFICATION CHURCH!

United Press International is owned BY THE FUCKING UNIFICATION CHURCH!

The fucking Reverend Moon runs the GOP, and because he's hiding behind the veil of a church, he does it all tax-free.

When Kerry is President, one of his priorities has to be shutting down this shitty front and deporting Sun Myung Moon back to Korea.

[LizW]

14. Contact info for Sinclair affiliates in Alabama:

In the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa market area:

WTTO 21 (WB)
WABM 86 (UPN)

Snail mail address for both stations is the same:

651 Beacon Pkwy. W.
Suite 105
Birmingham, AL 35209

E-mail WTTO 21: go to their webpage and use the contact us link -- www.wtto21.com/birmingham_al/

E-mail WABM 68: [email protected]

Dont forget to mention that Sinclair refused to air the Nightline broadcast of the reading of dead soldiers' names because they claimed they thought it was "political"!

[pimpbot]

16. Official list of sinclair stations and links to their homepages!

http://www.sbgi.net/business/markets/all.shtml

Everyone needs to send an email to each one. Blast this out to other media as well.

[karlrschneider]

20. Good find! And welcome to DU!

:toast:

[Warren DeMontague]

234. Check this out:

This is apparently the new "The Point" Commentary for 10-11-04 over at WTTA in Florida. Coincidence?


http://www.wtta38.com/tampa_fl/

Endangered Species: Political Speech

There was one constant throughout the history of organized government. Political dissent was not allowed. Criticizing the government could land someone in prison or bring death. That is what made our founding fathers so remarkable; they added the freedom of speech clause to the First Amendment.

Yet in 2002, Congress banned certain political speech during specified periods of time before an election. And it severely restricted other forms of political speech, as well. Amazingly a divided Supreme Court narrowly upheld the abusive McCain-Feingold law in a 5-4 ruling last year.

I must disclose my ties to this issue. I am an American who believes everyone has the right to political speech.

The recent controversy over Dan Rather and CBS using obviously forged documents to push their political views in what was supposed to be an honest newscast is only the latest episode in the trend of major news organizations abandoning their pact with the public of providing truthful, unbiased and balanced news.

Other recent scandals include NBC's Today Show devoting three days to the widely discredited Kitty Kelley book all other authors only get a one-time visit on the show, ABC Nightline's Koppelgate, USA Today publishing the fiction of star reporter Jack Kelley and who can forget about the New York Time's Jayson Blair? From NBC Dateline's rigged, exploding gas tanks to CNN's Tailwind fabrication, the news gatekeepers are further blurring the lines between fact and fiction to suit their political agenda.

Which brings me back to political speech. If the nation's major news outlets cannot be trusted and politicians silence the voices of political dissent, then what is left? Leaving critical voices and alternative viewpoints only to Internet bloggers and talk radio is simply the Balkanization of free speech principles. It undermines the foundation of open and honest political dialogue. And it's a major action that undoubtedly has our founding fathers rolling over in their graves.

And that's the Point.

I'm Mark Hyman.

How much you want to bet, the next thing from the playbook is--- Calling any attempt to put a stop to this blatant attempt to illegally influence an election "censoring political speech".. Complete with bitching about Dan Rather (note the use of "obviously forged documents to push their political views")... This is how they're gonna spin it.

They put a fucking burqua on a statue, and we're the censors.

[ET Awful]

17. This needs to be publicized in the extreme.

In addition to a phone in and e-mail campaign to all the affilliate stations and Sinclair themselves, it needs to be pushed in every available media outlet.

In the event that they do end up running it, it will damage them more than Kerry as long as it's publicized. Remember that most Americans now believe that Vietnam was a mistake. I have a feeling that it enough people are made aware ahead of time, this will backfire on both Sinclair and the Bush campaign.

[pschoeb]

18. Shouldn't we contact the Major Networks

That Sinclair stations acts as an affiliate to? It seems that Sinclair is in the habit of preempting prime time content from the networks at it's affiliates. Wouldn't such constant behavior warrant canceling affiliate agreements? If we put pressure on the major networks, they can put pressure on their affiliates in Sinclair, maybe threatening to remove their affiliate contract for breach. Since Affiliates usually are given sole authority to broadcast the networks prime time content in a particular market, it seems like it would be a breach of contract to me.

[Catt03]

52. Thinking the same

contacting corporate office of call letters of affiliate...ABC, NBC, etc

CBS cancelled the Reagan movie, and no CBS affiliate aired it...Must have power over this

[karlrschneider]

21. Nominated for home page, this is HUGELY important!

:kick:

[sidwill]

22. Wait, think for a moment........

If we make a huge stink about this all it will do is create more interest in the bullshit movie. Remember F9/11, and Al Franken's book? The right went ballistic, which resulted in a ton of free press and as a result a far wider audience sought to watch/read them.


So before we fly off the handle lets at least consider wether or not a media firestorm hurts or helps our cause.

[Radio-Active]

28. Yes, I agree

we should protest this only once it becomes INEVITABLE, in the days before it's actually broadcast. Don't give this movie any more publicity.

[Warren DeMontague]

161. I say we figure out a way to spin it to our advantage..

Think how Karl Rove would handle something like this. Not only fight back to get to square one, but turn it into a win:

You know, regular folks in places like Ohio-- you've got high powered 'media elites' here who think the 'rules don't apply to them' ...trying to tell you who to vote for!

Not to mention the fact that the guy from Sinclair is a convicted SEX PERVERT.

[sisenor]

240. SINCLAIR A SEX PERVERT?

I am interested in where you learned that. It seems getting that word out might be a good (if underhanded) thing for us to do.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

23. They should air F/911 to be fair before the electrion, then.

Like that's going to happen.

[LittleClarkie]

77. A more direct counterpunch is "Going Upriver"

Show that movie just a prominently, and let it affect the viewers the way it affected me. Let them feel how much Iraq is like Vietnam, and how the Kerry then compares to the Kerry now, both in a position to save us from a terrible war.

Or ask McCain to do something. As a POW himself, and a friend of Kerry's, perhaps he can get on some of the news programs and pre-empt their point of view with his own. If he's willing, that is. I never know what side he's going to come down on anymore.

[David Zephyr]

98. I Agree. It's On the Front Page of the LA Times This Morning.

:kick:

[Fluffdaddy]

24. This can hurt us BIG time, Is this legal what the Sinclair Broadcast

Group is doing. Don't they have to give fair time to the other side. ? is the Sinclair Broadcast Group taking money for this or are they giving out Free Air time to the GOP ?

[PATRICK]

185. Hurts because Kerry's side has not been

prominently disseminated in rebuttal to the first smears. Our "fair" media oozes into taking brand words and memes from slurry like this with no critical follow through, what do they think their their blinded and back-stabbed viewers can do?

This is one October surprise that can be dealt with but NOT by waiting for the FCC. Go direct to the sponsors, then the yellow dog stations, then other authorities and especially all local papers to follow up on the LA Times lead. Campaign infomercials cannot be disguised, lies cannot be told or opinions passed as Gospel if they are to incite an unjust reaction for the direct purpose of influencing an election. This is a free speech violation in that it attempts to deny the rights of the electorate and the nation to a fair democratic election.

They have already tried the Pompidou ploy, going on TV to warn that if the opposition wins disaster will ensue. Expect more of the same at the hint of any event justifying President Quisling taking to the national airways right before election day. be ready to DEMAND equal time at the drop of a hat and get that now in writing in the event of such an occurrence. THERE is something for the lawyers to do. Waiting until after November 2nd is not acceptable.

I believe this is just one such ploy of attacking the airways and is a test or distraction. The Rose Garden address will be much harder to finesse in time and if this cowardly slime attempt holds they certainly will go for it.

Should be attacked at the roots most likely to listen- sponsors. The stations are not trustworthy and are compromised which is why they accept getting this shoved down their throats in the first place. The regulatory groups of course, full court press, but don't expect much, especially in the slowing of the process.

[Native]

25. I sent an email in protest to my local affiliate

and to everyone in my address book. I also provided them with links to the latimes.com article, our local Sinclair affiliate, and the SBG site with links to other affiliates (for those outside of our area), and I asked them to write in protest too. This needs to get out there.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. could this in fact be the October Surprise? n/t

[Native]

29. I thought the same thing, but

it just doesn't seem vicious enough, you know?

[jerryster]

181. Yes

This has Rove's prints all over it. And the timing from their point of view is correct. Kerry is starting to pull ahead in a few key stats. If he has to spend what little time is left in the campaign dealing with this shit, we lose.

[Liberal Gramma]

30. Do we have a list of advertisers?

I'd like to inform them that I will NEVER buy any of their products

[debatepro]

31. I agree

A campain to get a list of the advertisers and never buy another product for them ever again.

[Dcitizen]

229. GOOD idea

[Jon8503]

32. Just Seems Like This Would Have To Be Illegal; Must be

something that can be done and I would think the Democractic party and Kerry Campaign is not going to let this happen. It is still a ownership that comes under the FEC and if they do this in a campaign, they have to give Kerry equal time at least.

[Generic Other]

36. F9/11 needs to air on competitor's station

I heard Michael Moore is planning for the film to air on tv before the election.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

38. Yeah, it is. On pay-per-view.

Does the Kerry campaign know about this?
They need to get their lawyers on this one.

[sisenor]

242. f/911

I heard that too but it would be on a pay-per-view basis. Can't george soros buy air time and have it broadcast on a regular station? I would be definitely into contributing to that effort. Just saw F/911 for the 4th time and I am ready to marry Michael Moore.

[Cookie wookie]

162. Equal time laws went out with Reagan

"In 1987, the FCC stopped enforcing most applications of the fairness doctrine. It relied upon a controversial opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, written by Judge Bork and then-Judge Scalia, that characterized the doctrine as discretionary, rather than mandatory. The decision contravened 25 years of FCC holdings that the doctrine had been put into law in 1959. In late 1991, the FCC extended its policy and ceased enforcing the doctrine as to ballot issues as well."

http://www.mediaaccess.org/programs/civicdisc/

[NoBorders]

33. we must do everything we can to stop this - DNC? KE04? MoveOn?

we need organizations with resources to help get the word out on this. If CBS can't show the Reagan move--WHO WAS NOT A CANDIDATE WHEN THEY WANTED TO SHOW THE MOVIE--then surely we can find a way to get this shut down. OR, they can ALSO BROADCAST F 9/11. This is horrible.

I never use caps. Man.

[jerryster]

34. Sent

email to WMSN in Madison, WI. I'm in Chicago so I chose an outlet in a neighboring state.

[Fiendish Thingy]

35. DU'ers in Sinclair areas- watch the station and post list of advertisers

If you post advertisers here, we can contact them and pressure them to cancel the program.

[Robert Oak]

37. This must be the October surprise

Looks like major action item as well as notify the elections
board as air time biased towards one candidate.

[cedahlia]

39. October surprise?

Could this be it? I'm wondering if this movie is going to include the video/pictures there's been rumblings about these past few weeks involving Kerry supposedly burning a flag. I think it's probably very safe to assume that Rove has his hands in this somehow.

I really do hope this disgusting bullshit is the final straw that takes down Sinclair...it sounds like they have decided kissing *'s ass takes priority over holding onto the viewers that keep them in business, so hopefully it's only a matter of time before they implode. The only good thing about all this is that their shrill practice of cheerleading for the right might just lead to their downfall. And hear I thought the pukes were supposed to be such smart businesspeople??? :eyes:

This gives new meaning to the whole MorAn thing!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

66. If there is an image of Kerry...

burning the American flag, which I doubt, it's all over. I'm new to this site and not following the "Moran" reference - can you explain?!

Is Sinclair (SBGI) in trouble financially? It closed Friday at a whopping $7.50 and has been downgraded by Wachovia and Bear Stearns (I'll latch onto any good news I can get at this point). The Rs have been in media takeover mode since Watergate and I doubt Sinclair is going any where. The Faux crowd is growing in ranks, conditioned to believe the "liberal media" is evil, and will consider the airing of this documentary perfectly acceptable. Sigh.

[RaleighNCDUer]

67. If there was a picture of Kerry burning a flag, Nixon would have

come up with it 30 years ago. Any that show up now are photoshopped. Guarantee.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

78. Good point.

I'd be curious to know how many actually believe the JK/Fonda photo to be legitimate. Too many for comfort.

[Dcitizen]

230. rats can fix this few seconds...FAKE MOVIE

Maybe must tell everbody NOW

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

102. And why is that?

[blue neen]

113. Hey TWriterD.

How are things looking in VA. My sister lives in your neck of the woods. Are any of the TV stations down there affected by this?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

124. Based on what I've gleaned...

from this thread, Sinclair has affiliates in Norfolk (military) and Richmond (Jerry Fallwell crowd in the rural areas), which could spell trouble. Sinclair is based in the Baltimore suburbs and broadcasts in Baltimore and surrounding areas, but I am certain Maryland will not be turning Red any time soon (despite Ehrlich's best efforts...). My fellow JK/JE volunteers and I are VERY optimistic that Virginia will go Blue.

Absentee ballot applications are way up and that is supposedly a predictor of overall turnout. In heavily populated and Democratic Arlington County and Alexandria City, the powers-that-be are expecting 88 to 90% voter turnout, and that would spell THE END for Bush. My personal belief is that the Northern Virginia intelligence community cannot be happy with the hits its taken over W's Iraq debacle (big difference between "faulty" intelligence and "cooked" intelligence). I would also tend to think that military men and women and their families, of whom there are many in Virginia, aren't too happy either. I may be grasping at straws here, but I imagine those working overseas are not happy either because of the image of the U.S. throughout the world (NOVA has many foreign service workers, diplomats, etc.). We also have many colleges and universities and voter registration is WAY up (must be those rumors on the "Internets" about the draft).

The Rs are counting on our 13 electoral votes and I would SO love for Virginia to be the "November Surprise"!

[blue neen]

134. Thanks for the info and the work you're doing in VA.

I keep hearing that northern VA is increasingly going Democratic...
will tell my sister what you said.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

166. Thanks, and good news...

from one of the groups I'm active with - Dumbya is polling only 2% ahead of Kerry in Virginia! (Kerry was ahead during the mid-summer, then lost ground during the Smear Boat campaign and R convention.) The close-in suburbs of NOVA are very Democratic; it's the outer suburbs where you'll find more Rs (many wacky Grover Norquist disciples).

[Warren DeMontague]

153. Welcome To DU, TwriterD.

:hi:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

167. Thanks very much!

[AmyStrange]

218. Welcome to the DU also...

you can find most DU slang explained here:

http://DUG.SeattleActvist.org/


or go here to read the specific def (and pix) about MorAn,

d

[WorseBeforeBetter]

219. "Tweety"...

made my night. Thanks for passing that along!

[Warren DeMontague]

152. Not a very welcoming message.

Remember, paranoia strikes deep.

[fudge stripe cookays]

155. No it's not.

But consider the content.

If there is an image of Kerry...
burning the American flag, which I doubt, it's all over. I'm new to this site and not following the "Moran" reference - can you explain?!

"It's all over?"

Sorry...the original post count was 4. No star. I called it like I saw it. Paranoid or not.

[Warren DeMontague]

160. He or she is right- it would be bad.

It'd be a PR coup for the swift boat vet types and allow Shrubber to not talk at all anymore about the ever-growing mountain of disasters he's been responsible for.

Believe me, I'm not shy on calling out the type of poster you had in mind... I just tend to give folks the benefit of the doubt; plus, everything that person was writing, in that post and the others, struck me as legit. I mean, new folks do show up from time to time, and not all of them are crawling out of that other website that starts with an f and ends with a c.com... I guess I just figure there's no sense in needlessly alienating people who might be genuine allies, at least until I'm sure they're not on the level.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

169. Thanks and trust me...

I'm an ally. I didn't appreciate Fudge Cookie's (?) snarky tone, but there's a workaround - block! :-) My point was that imagery and labels are extremely powerful - Dukakis can attest to that. When I saw Kerry in that damn spacesuit I felt sick to my stomach. If there still are undecideds out there (I'm with Arianna Huffington on this one - the hell with them!) they're probably gullible enough to get sucked in by this documentary and my guess is that it will not bode well for Kerry. I'm really heartened at all the great information on this site and pretty amazed at the effort so many people have put forth to combat Sinclair.

[Warren DeMontague]

173. Well, spacesuits don't worry me.

With Bush's atrocious record, Kerry could be campaigning every day in a bright orange jumpsuit- it wouldn't make a difference. The guy is more intelligent, more capable, and he's running against an illiterate disaster of a President who is imploding more and more every day in the face of a mounting shit-storm of his own creation.

Frankly, I'm not so worried about this documentary, either. I think the American people know John Kerry fought in Vietnam, and they know he came home and, after seeing what he saw over there, he protested it-- and he did so to save the lives of the men who were fighting the war. He has nothing to apologize for-- most people in this country, hard-headed Nixon throwbacks like O'neill notwithstanding, understand that war was a mistake. The person to blame for the deaths between 1968-1973 in Vietnam isn't named John Kerry, it's Richard Nixon.

What bothers me about the documentary isn't that I think it's a big threat to Kerry's chances- I think if they run it it smacks of desperation- what bothers me is that it shows what a large part and parcel of our media is owned by right wing interests that plainly have no compunction about not playing fair.

And to FSC's credit, we do get a lot of, well, disingenuous people showing up here. Bottom line is, you will be looked at with a jaundiced eye for a while just for being new. It's nothing personal. If you're for real, you have nothing to fear!

Just FYI.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

204. Aah, so...

guilty until proven innocent? I can certainly understand that, particularly since my first instinct after checking out that "other" site was to establish a bogus username and antagonize the hell out of them. I admire your optimism; I once took a presidential quiz and came out as Alexander ("You Have Little Faith in Humanity but Still Care About the Little Dolts") Hamilton. I'll have to watch that. OK, on to mass e-mailings...!

[Warren DeMontague]

154. Re: Morans

This tells you all you need to know.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

170. Mystery solved!

Oh man, what a mess. LOL Brings the "redneck agenda" lyric in "American Idiot" to life. Thanks.

[liberal_in_GA]

40. Military Families Speak Out

This group made noise about Sinclair's refusal to air the Nightline piece about the soliders who have died. Should we try to get them involved in this anti-Kerry movie effort?

http://www.mfso.org/

[LynneSin]

41. I can almost guarentee dems won't let this moment slip

They'll get their show in - trust me on that one! Heck Michael Moore will sacrifice getting an Oscar to make that one happen

[PlanetBev]

42. It all comes clear

Karl Rove recently made a comment to someone in the media, can't remember who, to the effect of "What till Kerry sees what we have in store for him in October". Sinclair obviously in cahoots with Rove.

[bri_in_austin]

44. this is an outrage

Does media matters know about this? It HAS to be illegal.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

48. There's a post about it on their site.

http://mediamatters.org/comments/latest/200407200002

We need to make sure the DNC knows about this.

[Jon8503]

61. re: Sinclair Broadcasting blatantly trying to throw election in 25% of TV

They are working on this over on Media as well, a post that has info
on Sinclair:

I live in St. Louis, where ABC is run by Sinclair. As I read this, it means once again, Sinclair will be knocking off Nightline. I want someone to give me a long list of suggestions of what to do. This is horrible, and I can't believe it isn't a serious violation of campaign finance, to run a negative attack so close to the election. If it cannot be stopped, would it be possible to get PBS to show Going Upriver on the same night across the country - and publicze the hell out of it? (Just saw the movie - it's reall extraordinary. Go see it.) The Sinclair people are truly scum, and their effect on local media around the country is far more intense than the 80 or so markets (wild estimate, not a fact!) they are currently active in.

From an Eschaton commenter - Corporate Headquarters Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 10706 Beaver Dam Road Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030 410-568-1500 (Main Telephone) 410-568-1533 (Main Fax)

Investor Relations Contact Lucy A. Rutishauser VP Corporate Finance and Corporate Treasurer [email protected]

Sales Questions Darren Shapiro VP Sales 410-568-1500

-or-

Jeff Sleete VP Marketing 410-568-1500

Web Site Concerns Mike O'Malley Corporate Webmaster [email protected]

Please, make a big splash on this. These guys must either be stopped cold, or effectively countered.

by Proteus - Saturday October 9, 2004 01:01:15 PM EST - reply - read this thread - view all active discussions

[harpo]

215. they've let other things slip...

we should not sit on our behinds...get this yanked or the impact is tremendous with no time for appeal.

[RummyTheDummy]

45. I worry we risk falling into what appears to be an obvious trap

It's the same school of thought that led F-911 to a record box office -- the wingnuts bitched about it, drawing more attention to it, and it became a blockbuster.

I worry we risk making this into must see TV by creating a huge stink about it. Could that be waht they're trying to do?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

47. Did the Reagan show get huge ratings?

Let people go spend money and see it at a theater...NOT ON TV TO 25% of all households..the film is made by the same guy that made the tribute film to Reverend Moon...he's more credible than MOORE?

[AnIndependentTexan]

51. Well here is we make a difference between the two

Instead of having it look like we are protesting a movie we need to turn it into a need to show Going UpRiver!

[realcountrymusic]

53. correct

i didn't see your post before i posted the same argument a second ago.

let's not be stupid. revenge should be served cold.

rcm

[struggle4progress]

114. It looks to me like obviously illegal campaign activity ...

... under a transparent "disguise" as news. But I won't act until I see it on the TV schedules. Then I'll be calling station sponsors, telling them that I'm not giving them any business if the TV station treats Kerry unfairly ...


Stolen Honor is a 45-minute video documentary, produced by .. Carlton Sherwood. The video was released in September 2004 ... Stolen Honor is a project of .. Red, White and Blue Productions (http://www.redwhiteblueproductions.com/) ... Sherwood previously worked for former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge. Some time later, with Ridge serving as Secretary of Homeland Security, that agency awarded Sherwood a federal contract to create a government anti-terrorism website. In 1992, the PBS television series Frontline reported that Inquisition, Sherwood's "purportedly independent investigation" of the Unification Church, had been subject to prior review and revision by its subject ... (http://www.mediachannel.org/originals/moontranscript2.shtml)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Honor_Documentary


To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor
Contact: Amber Nettles, 800-536-5920 or 703-739-5920, for Red White and Blue Productions
News Advisory:
-- Former Sen. Bob Dole Joins Vietnam POWs to Unveil Documentary DC Press Conference Thursday <snip>
WHAT: Press conference and screening of STOLEN HONOR: WOUNDS THAT NEVER HEAL
WHEN: Thursday, September 9, 2004 10:30 a.m. EDT -- Press Conference 11 a.m. EDT -- Viewing of STOLEN HONOR
WHERE: Reserve Officers Association Building, 1 Constitution Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
STOLEN HONOR is produced by Red White and Blue Productions, Inc., an independent film producer based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 45-minute documentary includes testimony from highly decorated POWs and their wives revealing the truth about North Vietnamese prison camps and the ongoing negative portrayal and treatment of Vietnam veterans resulting directly from John Kerry's testimony and anti-war activities more than 30 years ago.
To schedule an interview please contact Amber Nettles with Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at 800-536-5920 or [email protected].
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35832


Hannity & Colmes gave Stolen Honor film producer Carlton Sherwood a forum for more smears of Kerry

One day before the opening of his film (subscription only), Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, Carlton Sherwood appeared on the September 8 edition of FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes and smeared Senator John Kerry, falsely accusing the senator of "label all of them war criminals."

Sherwood (author of the pro-Unification Church book Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon) appeared on Hannity & Colmes alongside Paul Galanti, a member of the anti-Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who was interviewed for Stolen Honor. During their FOX News Channel appearance, Galanti joined Sherwood in attacking Kerry by accusing him of treason for "iding and abetting the enemy in a time of war" -- yet no Kerry supporters were brought forth to make the debate "fair and balanced." Moreover, as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, in his 1971 Senate testimony, Kerry was simply relating the personal experiences of other Vietnam veterans who had come forward and told their stories; Kerry focused blame on the leaders at that time, not the soldiers, for the atrocities they claimed to have committed or witnessed.

Sherwood's book Inquisition, which defends Reverend Moon and his controversial religion against what Sherwood deems religious persecution, was published in 1991 by Regnery Publishing. In 2004, Regnery published such books as John E. O'Neill's and Jerome R. Corsi's Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry; Robert Patterson's Reckless Disregard: How Liberal Democrats Undermine Our Military, Endanger Our Soldiers, and Jeopardize Our National Security; Michelle Malkin's In Defense of Internment: The Case for "Racial Profiling" in World War II and the War on Terror; and David Horowitz's forthcoming Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left. <snip>

As Catchegory documented, Pennsylvania Insider editor Al Neri noted in the June 2003 Insider that Sherwood is "a former Ridge confidant and administration official" who was "tapped to create and manage a new Fed website -- www.firstresponder.gov -- a key Bush Administration public outreach program directed to the more than 8 million police, fire, EMS and emergency management personnel nationwide." (Firstresponder.gov is not yet operational. According to the American Public Works Association, it was supposed to be live by March 2004, but it has apparently been delayed.) In February 2002, Ridge heaped praise on Sherwood at a National Press Club luncheon. <snip>

http://mediamatters.org/items/200409100003


<edit:>

<snip> While working as a Ridge administration official, Sherwood directed then-Gov. Ridge's award-winning broadcast TV and radio operations in Harrisburg. He currently serves as executive vice president of the WVC3 Group, an anti-terrorism, security firm headquartered in Reston, VA.

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Carlton_Sherwood


WHO WE ARE: Senior Management

William V. Cowan
Co-founder
Chairman and CEO
Over 25 years of successful senior management, operations, and administration experience. An acknowledged expert in the areas of counterterrorism, homeland security, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and military special operations. Over 20 years of direct, on-the-ground experience in the conduct of special and clandestine counterterrorist and counterinsurgency operations abroad. National security policy and program experience from service as a U.S. Senate staffer. Technology and security consultant to major U.S. firms. Senior management in a number of small business, including the first to successfully place a low-Earth orbit satellite in space for global commercial applications. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy and former Officer of Marines.

Ernst U. A. (Alex) Schultes
Co-founder
President and COO
Over 37 years of successful experience in management, operations and administration in both military and civilian environments. A former Officer of Marines with extensive command experience in times of both peace and combat. Over 20 years of senior management experience in public and private financial service companies. Former Co-Chairman of the Russian-American Business Development Group, a joint venture between U. S. and Russian financial institutions. A graduate of the Virginia Military Institute.

Carlton A. Sherwood
Executive Vice President and Director of Communications
More than 35 years in national news and a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning newspaper and TV network correspondent, investigative reporter, author and media consultant. Distinguished member of the Washington Press Corps, served as Special Media Advisor to the Secretary of the Navy during the Reagan Administration and Broadcast Communications Director for Homeland Security chief Gov. Tom Ridge. Thrice wounded, decorated U.S. Marine Corps Viet Nam combat veteran.

James Tully
Director of business development
More than three decades senior executive and advisory experience for several multinational corporations, specializing in security, intelligence, management operations, technology and acquisitions. Former Chairman of the Boards for ICMX Systems, Inc., and International Computer Materials Express, Inc., founding board of director for Digital Commerce Corp., consultant for the Raytheon and ISI corporations. Graduate of NY City Police Academy, Iona College, BBA, and U.S. International University, MBA. Distinguished, highly-decorated senior combat Officer of Marines and founder of the Retired Marine Officers Assn

http://www.wvc3.com/whoweare_seniormanagement.cfm


Alghad Trading Corp. is an international joint venture trading company with offices in Reston, Virginia, Beirut, Lebanon, and Baghdad, Iraq. This joint partnership between the wvc3 group, inc. and prominent Lebanese businessmen is poised to expand on its already diverse and broad-ranging operations stretching throughout the African Continent, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. An 'import - export' business by design, Alghad utilizes the latest in modern technology and well established business relationships to foster the development of long-term capital growth in emerging markets.

http://www.wvc3.com/subsidiaries_alghad.cfm


comment | Posted April 3, 2003
TV's Conflicted Experts
by Daniel Benaim, Priyanka Motaparthy & Vishesh Kumar

<snip> At Fox News, military analysts Lieut. Col. Bill Cowan and Maj. Robert Bevelacqua are CEO and vice president, respectively, of wvc3 Group, a defense consulting firm that helps arms companies sell their wares to the government. It recently inked an exclusive deal with New Zealand's TGR Helicorp and will help the company hawk its military aviation equipment to the United States. The firm trades on its inside contacts with the US military, and a message on its website reads, "We use our credibility to promote your technology" (accompanied by the sound of loud gunfire). <snip>

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030421&s=interns


Flywheel Group Partnering with WVC3: Complex Technology Program Management Expertise

Washington, DC . . . Flywheel Group, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm, is partnering with WVC3, Inc. to provide complex technology program management expertise. WCV3, Inc. provides professional expertise and technical solutions for ensuring safety and preparedness of commercial and government sector clients. With access to top-level federal & state policy and governing officials, as well as relationships with recognized industry experts in security and readiness planning, WVC3 represents a compelling resource for planning readiness for physical, cyber, bio, and civilian threat assessment and containment. <snip>

Flywheel Group is a boutique, women-owned consulting firm whose mission is to help clients successfully manage mission critical programs that are sustainable and consistent with long-term plans and strategies. The firm provides comprehensive technology expertise and complex program management experience to effect bottom-line results--on-time, and in-budget. For more information about Flywheel Group, visit their website at www.flywheelgroup.net.

http://www.flywheelgroup.net/press_releases_4_16_03.htm


Contact Wondertec

Strategic Partners
Security - WVC3
Alex Schultes
[email protected]
[phone]
[phone] (Fax)
[phone] (Cell)
Security - WVC3
1800 Alexander Bell Drive
Suite 200
Reston, VA 20191
http://www.wondertecinternational.com/contact.html


Wondertech builds security walls, Flywheel seems to be another security company. These WVC3 guys have it great! They have good contacts with the Republicans and in particular with the security geeks, and they have the media contacts and expertise to push for political outcomes that will maximize their profits.

[KharmaTrain]

46. Picket Lines Anyone???

I posted this on another string:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1021550&mesg_id=1022100

gist: while they're showing this propaganda outside, DU puts on a show outside your local Sinclair station...

[realcountrymusic]

50. Hold on a second

remember how we walked into the swiftvet trap the first time? what should have been a one-week blip turned into a month-long orgy of cable rants, with the ad getting TONS of free airplay under the guise of "analysis" on the cable bushfests.

this could be the same ploy. most americans don't know that much about kerry's VVAW activities, nor do they really care. if we turn this into a big howl they will be treated to endless clips from the film and "objective" discussions about whether it could hurt K/E.

complain to sinclair advertisers and the FCC, yes, but be very wary of calling this out to the media. let's work positively to encourage a Nov. 1 PPV showing of F911 instead, and act like this is totally insignificant.

oh, and bruce springsteen, if you are reading this, what a great night for a free national cable concert. ok, i know he isn't reading this, but maybe someone who knows him might.

rcm

[bri_in_austin]

54. good point

Isn't there a chance that Sinclair isn't really even planning on airing this movie? This 'leak' of information could perhaps just be a ploy to get the media to cover the anti-Kerry movie. On the other hand, if they are planning on showing it, they must be stopped! How can we stop them without getting other media outlets involved?

[pk_du]

58. SBG scumbags

For the family values-loving, Bush supportin ,wing-nut-financin SBG Chairman....this ones for you...

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/8578432.htm?1c


..and I totally agree...weshould be prepared to react if this is true but more likely a ploy by SBG to get the file free press.

You can start the prep work here;

http://www.sbgi.net/business/markets/all.shtml

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

80. The Swiftvets didn't get airplay because of opposition from Dems though.

Cable News had already determined that they were going to pimp that act. INACTION, from the Kerry camp, hurt more than action in that case.

Their initial strategy of ignoring the SwiftVets would have been the best one, had cable and then network TV not pimped the story relentlessly.

[jerryster]

182. Exactly right

Kerry made the mistake of not responding to a political attack. That mistake CANNOT be made a second time. I already saw a crawl on a cable station about the movie and the crawl was during an interview with Kerry! No response would be the worst response.

[donkeyotay]

56. what is the rule preventing 527s from airing before elections?

For the purpose of pulling a Willie (Horton) and why is this any different? This is outrageous. Republicans say, "Win at any cost and f**k the good of the country."

:mad:

[Mr_Spock]

59. Sinclair is attempting an act of violence against our election system

n/m

[TomClash]

57. AIR FAHRENHEIT 9/11 ON BRAODCAST TV!!!

[Ksec]

60. agreed. Air Farenheit 911 at the same time slot !!

[harpo]

216. that's what I'm talkin about...

[nirvana3240]

62. MOBILIZE!

http://www.sbgi.net/business/television.shtml

You can get a list of their stations and it's contact info.
as you said before, MOBILIZE!

[George_S]

63. This is great!

What an opportunity, and at last we have the ammo we need to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. That is the only way to restore some sanity and common sense and get rid of the propaganda on TV and radio.

Agreed, we need to avoid giving it too much publicity, but the Swift Boat ads backfired on the repubs and took a lot more votes AWAY from Bush than it gave him. So negative publicity is to our benefit. This will get publicity no matter what anyway.

This needs its own web site with stations and their sponsors.

Their stupidity (desperation, actually) is a blessing in disguise. Most everyone will unite against this. It's exactly what we needed to expose the right wing propaganda machine for what it is.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

75. I must be missing something...

the Smear Boat Veteran ads hurt Kerry BIG TIME in many battleground states, particularly Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona (large veteran populations). Shrub was also helped in those states by the short-lived RNC convention boost. Many of the swing states swung back to Kerry immediately after the first debate, for obvious reasons. It will take a while to condition "the masses" about the RW propaganda machine - they're still in "evil liberal media" mode. I certainly don't have the answers, but if this documentary is aired a week or two before the election with powerful imagery and the Rs turning JK's words against him, it's over.

[tsuki]

239. Me Too

The Smear Boat Veteran ads hurt us in Florida too. It has been tough fighting back.

[DoYouEverWonder]

76. I agree

This is just way too blatant. But even worse, the story is so baseless that if Kerry wasn't a politician, he'd be able to sue for slander.

However, this gives us the opportunity to highlight Kerry's real record in regards to Viet Nam and the POW's. Kerry has down more for the POW's and MIA's than any other politician in this country. He has done every thing he can to bring them all home. Unlike W, who could care less about our current casualties, no less the ones from over 30 years ago.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

81. We have 24 days until the election...

in what forum are we going to highlight Kerry's real record? We preach to the choir on DU, Daily Kos, Salon, MoveOn, Daily Show, etc. Perhaps the only way to stop a juggernaut like this would be for a McCain, Hagel or Powell to break ranks and be totally forthcoming (stating emphatically that Kerry is a decent man and that Dumbya and his merry band of neocons need to go).

[derrald]

64. Just remember - these are the people who wouldnt allow us to hear who died

They were the ones who said that we shouldnt hear the names of those who sacrificed their lives for our country because it might hurt Bush.

When you tell people about this, TELL THEM THAT.

Do not say, "well, it'll hurt us." say that these people have nothing but DISDAIN for our men and women in uniform and they SHOULD NOT be allowed to further spit on our veterans, as they did when they denied their existence.

[RaleighNCDUer]

65. Is this their October surprise? A Rovian smear attack?

If that's the best they can do, Bush is toast!

[derrald]

68. The message I just sent to my college democrats reads as follows

use it if you like:

Fellow Dems,
The Sinclair Broadcast group - whom we should all remember as the group who denied the existence of our soldiers who had lost their lives in Iraq by refusing to air an episode of Nightline which read off their names - has shown itself, again, to only rally behind our troops when the troops agree with the Bush administration.
Sinclair Broadcasting Group is telling its affiliates to PRE-EMPT their REGULAR PRIMETIME COVERAGE days before the election in order to show a slanderous "documentary" about how <John Kerry obviously shoved a chunk of schrapnel 8 inches into his thigh without bleeding in order to get a purple heart><end sarcasm>

As a man who has friends fighting in that damned mess in Iraq, and who has one whom I'll never see again, I'm outraged and I want you to help me get the message out that you are tired of the anti-soldier trash that these people eschew.

So, get informed, here's the article: http://www.latimes.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept (you can use username: peeedash and password: 220911 to skip registration)

And here's the home of Sinclair, so you can get contact info to tell them how you feel about this: http://www.sbgi.net/business/television.shtml (notice how many of their affiliates are in battleground states? They own almost 25% of the nation's network affiliates. This is important.)

My friends fighting and the one who is lost hate(d) the rich boy in the White House, but while they bleed and burn for our country, Sinclair says that they dont exist and allows others who have never fought to make fun of a soldier who did nothing but serve valiantly in Vietnam. The pain can never go away, but we can stop it now instead of allowing people like those at the Sinclair Group to drive the dagger deeper.

[da_chimperor]

70. LINK TO FCC LAW/POLICY ON POLITICAL PROGRAMMING! CHECK IT OUT!

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/public_and_broadcasting.html#LAWANDPOLICY

It seems to me that this would indeed be a FCC violation unless they give the Kerry campaign a chance to respond on air. It looks like it all hinges on how the FCC classified this smear-piece on Kerry. It's doubtless political in nature, now we need to see if the FCC thinks so too! Someone needs to contact them about this.

Here's the text:

BROADCAST PROGRAMMING:
LAW AND POLICY ON SPECIFIC KINDS OF PROGRAMMING

Broadcast Journalism. Under the First Amendment and the Communications Act, the FCC cannot tell stations how to select material for news programs, and we cannot prohibit the broadcasting of an opinion on any subject. We also do not review anyone's qualifications to gather, edit, announce, or comment on the news; these decisions are the station's responsibility.


Political Broadcasting.

* Broadcasts by Candidates for Public Office. When a qualified candidate for public office has been permitted to use a station, the Communications Act requires the station to "afford equal opportunities to all other such candidates for that office." The Act also states that the station "shall have no power of censorship over the material broadcast" by the candidate. We do not consider either of the following two categories as a "use" that is covered by this rule:

o An appearance by a legally qualified candidate on a bona fide newscast, interview or documentary (if the appearance of the candidate is incidental to the presentation of the subject covered by the documentary); or

o on-the-spot coverage of a bona fide news event (including political conventions and related incidental activities).

* Political Editorials. Within 24 hours of airing an editorial where the station itself either supports or opposes a candidate for public office, it must transmit the following three things to the other qualified candidate(s) for the same office or to the candidate who was opposed in the editorial: (1) notification of the date and the time of the editorial; (2) a script or tape of the editorial; and (3) an offer of a reasonable opportunity for the candidate or a spokesperson for the candidate to respond on the air.

Edit: Here's another link to the FCC complain website! Someone needs to sit down and write an e-mail we can send them en masse. It should include all the sinclair stations. The FCC deals with individual station licencing. I think that we could pull this off. Here's the site
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/

[liveoaktx]

84. WRITE LETTERS OF COMPLAINT TO THE FCC-they can LOSE their

licence. They are using broacast airwaves... FOR FREE...

[WoodrowFan]

97. LINK TO COMPLAINT FORM

here is a link to their complaint form.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html

[StuartR]

146. Federal Election Commission Regulations for Electioneering Communications

Federal Election Commission Regulations for Electioneering Communications

This brochure focuses on the rules pertaining to electioneering communications—television or radio communications that refer to a clearly identified federal candidate and are distributed to the relevant electorate within 60 days prior to the general election or 30 days prior to a primary.1 In general, these rules require that electioneering communications be financed using funds from sources permissible under the federal campaign finance law; but neither the funds raised nor those spent are subject to the law’s contribution limits.2 Once payments for electioneering communications exceed $10,000, the disbursements and the sources of the funds used must be disclosed within 24 hours.

and

An electioneering communication is any broadcast, cable or satellite communication that fulfills each of the following conditions:

1. The communication refers to a clearly identified candidate;
2. The communication is publicly distributed shortly before an election for the office that candidate is seeking; and
3. The communication is targeted to the relevant electorate (U.S. House and Senate candidates only).

[AnIndependentTexan]

71. Sinclair owns TV stations in key markets in the swing states

Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida.

[LittleClarkie]

72. A link to finding the stations in your area

from their own website:

http://www.sbgi.net/business/television.shtml

In Milwaukee, both of our UHF stations (18 and 24) are owned by Sinclair.

[Raymond82]

73. Sinclair Broadcasting Group Inc.

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. is owner of KOVR-Channel 13 and is Sacramento's location for Sinclair Broadcasting and MARK HYMAN...

"Mark Hyman, who is being raped by the main stream media now for Sinclair's patriotic stand against media tyranny has the kind of resume we should all be proud of:..." : http://www.patriotwatch.com/Nightline-tyranny.htm

[AnIndependentTexan]

74. Mark Hyman, an executive of Sinclair Broadcasting

Mark Hyman, an executive of Sinclair Broadcasting, who does a one minute commentary called "The Point" on their channels after the 10pm news each night, is a grad of the Naval Academy.

He does NOT like Kerry.

[Kadie]

79. That man makes my skin crawl.

I change the channel when I see his face.

[starroute]

129. Sinclair's connections to the military and to homeland security

I did some Googling on Hymen and Sinclair earlier today and wrote up what I found on another thread.
(http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1021550)

The short version is that Mark Hyman not only has an extensive background in Naval Intelligence but is currently with the Naval Reserve’s Space and Network Warfare Program as well as being Sinclair's vice-president. (http://www.newscentral.tv/station/bios/mhyman.shtml) He's also the person who does the extremely xenophobic and anti-Kerry editorials on the Sinclair channels -- there's even a blog devoted solely to refuting them. (http://thecounterpoint.blogspot.com)

What strikes me as particularly odd is that Sinclair owns a share of a company called VisionAIR, which is "a respected leader in public safety software," with ties to the military, homeland security, and law enforcement. (http://www.sbgi.net/business/ventures.shtml) VisionAIR's software is used by the Pentagon, the Marine Corps, and at US bases in Iraq. (http://www.visionair.com/newsletter.asp)

What makes this so strange is that Sinclair's other investments all have obvious connections to broadcasting, advertising, or Internet services. This one link to the military and homeland security sticks out like a sore thumb.

The whole subject of these shadowy IT companies involved with the military and homeland security has been bothering me since I first learned about it in the course of a BBV thread a year ago. (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=217888) I became even more uncomfortable when I found out that the private contractors that have been active in Iraq, like CACI, are part of the same complex. (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1512673#1512921) Now we have what seems to be a third piece of the same puzzle.

This is TIA stuff, people -- these are the companies that are spying on all of us on behalf of the government. And that a company like Sinclair Broadcasting would be hooked into it is more disturbing to me than their blatant favoritism towards Bush. They're not just another bunch of Republican thugs -- this is something deeper and even more subversive of our democratic system.


On edit: I just noticed the post above about Carlton Sherwood, producer of the anti-Kerry documentary. It seems he has not only worked for the Department of Homeland Security but is in the pocket of of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. *Boy* does all this stink to high heaven.

[starroute]

135. More pieces falling into place -- danger, Will Robinson!!

The first link is to an item that reviews the ties of Carlton Sherwood -- who produced the anti-Kerry documentary -- to Homeland Security and to Sun Myung Moon. But it also adds one significant point -- that Sherwood's pro-Moon book was published by Alfred Regnery. Regnery is the publisher of both the anti-Kerry book "Unfit for Command" and the anti-Clinton "Unlimited Access," and his company and family have deep, deep right-wing associations going back as far as the 1940's. So in one sense, we're back with all the usual suspects.

Look behind the curtain
http://www.catch.com/comments/34140_0_17_0_M


But there's also something new and more dangerous in the mix, as indicated by this second article. What you need to know to understand its significance is that General McCaffrey is on the board of directors of VisionAIR (http://schema-root.org/region/americas/north_america/usa/government/executive/cabinet/defense/personnel/general/barry_mccaffrey), which is partly owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, while Carlton Sherwood is executive vice president of the wvc3 Group (http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Carlton_Sherwood).

The Nation: TV's Conflicted Experts
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml%3Fi=20030421&s=interns

One might have expected a pro-military slant in any former general's initial estimation of the US invasion. But some of these ex-generals also have ideological or financial stakes in the war. Many hold paid advisory board and executive positions at defense companies and serve as advisers for groups that promoted an invasion of Iraq. Their offscreen commitments raise questions about whether they are influenced by more than just "a lifetime of experience and objectivity"--in the words of Lieut. Gen. Barry McCaffrey, a military analyst for NBC News--as they explain the risks of this war to the American people.

McCaffrey and his NBC colleague Col. Wayne Downing, who reports nightly from Kuwait, are both on the advisory board of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, a Washington-based lobbying group formed last October to bolster public support for a war. ... NBC News has yet to disclose those or other involvements that give McCaffrey a vested interest in Operation Iraqi Freedom. McCaffrey, who commanded an infantry division in the Gulf War, is now on the board of Mitretek, Veritas Capital and two Veritas companies, Raytheon Aerospace and Integrated Defense Technologies--all of which have multimillion-dollar government defense contracts.

<snip>

At Fox News, military analysts Lieut. Col. Bill Cowan and Maj. Robert Bevelacqua are CEO and vice president, respectively, of wvc3 Group, a defense consulting firm that helps arms companies sell their wares to the government. ... Shortly after the Vietnam War, Vallely pioneered a concept he called MindWar, a strategy that uses "electronic media--television and radio" in the "deliberate, aggressive convincing of all participants in a war that we will win that war." With the televised version of Operation Iraqi Freedom, we may be watching his theory at work--and at a tidy profit, too.

[George_S]

138. Damn, you're good, starroute

And this sure explains a whole lot. Now I'm wondering if some of the same kinds of forces were at work during the Vietnam war. Seems impossible, but it is happening now.

War = money. We knew that, but now it is more than obvious what is really going on.

[George_S]

141. OMG! Vallely, and month ago, hell, yesterday, it would have been tin hat

<16> Colonel Paul E. Vallely and Major. Michael A. Aquino. Ibid. (p. 374/p. 6). The full passage reads: "In its strategic context, MindWar must reach out to friends, enemies, and neutrals alike across the globe - neither through the primitive "battlefield" leaflets and loudspeakers of PSYOP nor through the weak, imprecise, and narrow effort of psychotronics - but through the media possessed by the United States which have the capabilities to reach virtually all people on the face of the Earth. These media, are, of course, the electronic media - television and radio. State of the art developments in satellite communication, video recording techniques, and laser and optical transmission of broadcasts make possible a penetration of the minds of the world such as would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. Like the sword Excalibur, we have but to reach out and seize this tool; and it can transform the world for us if we have but the courage and the integrity to guide civilization with it. If we do not accept Excalibur, then we relinquish our ability to inspire foreign cultures with our morality. If they then devise moralities unsatisfactory to us, we have no choice but to fight them on a more brutish level." (p. 374/p. 6).

http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/article/id1298/pg4/

[starroute]

156. Vallely's name didn't ring any bells with me

But now I see that Minstrel Boy and bobthedrummer were posting about him and Aquino months ago:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1591681#1591851
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1414094#1416106

This is taking us fairly far afield from the practical business of organizing to deal with Sinclair -- but it's extremely important in the long run to know whether we really are dealing with a deliberate MindWar operation, and if so how deep it goes and how we can fight it.

I haven't had much luck in the past with trying to start spin-off threads, but if there are enough people here who are interested in these larger issues, I'd like to take this discussion someplace where we could spread out a little and really get into the issues.

[George_S]

198. I'm in

This is the war, and though the battles are important, we have to win the war.

Know thy enemy.

Anyone else?

[George_S]

145. Goldmind!

...here's Bush's "strategy" in Iraq so far...have our troops patrol a minefield aimlessly, wearing uniforms advertising their interloper status, sometimes with the explicit goal of drawing fire from insurgents (i.e., "kill enough of them, and they'll go away"); play "Highway To Hell" at 140db in the streets of Fallujah, so the English-speaking Iraqis can translate the lyrics, and the US Marines can "rock on"; torture, rape, sodomize, and otherwise copy Saddam Hussein's "interrogation tactics" from the absolute outset, in all of the same prison facilities; put US troops into positions where it isn't possible to avoid gunning down unarmed civilians, as a simple matter of life or death; claim that all of the above is the exception, and not the rule. I left out a lot, there's a lot more to Total Mindwar than that.. http://www.xeper.org/maquino/nm/MindWar.pdf NOTE: pdf WILL NOT DECRYPT note the authors- then-Col., now Gen. Paul Vallely, presently a military consultant with Fox News; and his assistant, the notorious then Maj., retired Lt. Col. Michael Aquino, founder of the Temple of Set, a splitoff of Anton Lavey's Satanic church. Note that the title page- which appears in web searches- contains a misprint of Vallely's name- Valley... http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=vallely+paul&ei=UTF-8&fr=FP-tab-web-t&cop=mss&tab=

Source: http://www.branfordmarsalis.com/branford/forum/subjectView.cfm?subNum=8736

[George_S]

157. For the record

I'm not trying to say the government is using mind control weapons on us, but only that they are trying to take control of the media so they can wage war without dissent. Maybe they thought they already had a majority and had control, which is all they would need.

To sum up:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/09/22/psychological_warfare/print.html

Explains the tactics at home.

The military machine mixed with the above explains the overall goals and why the anti-liberal propaganda is so severe.

It all equals a fascist neocon agenda.

[George_S]

137. !

Excellent. But this could be their downfall.

They got foolish and desperate.

[Kadie]

143. Here is something I found earlier....

in case you hadn't seen this yet...

A Trillion-Dollar Story

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 15, 2004; 3:03 PM

snip...
Thought the Swifties were fading away? Guess again:

"A newly surfaced document from John Kerry's Navy record says he shot a lone, wounded enemy who was running away in the incident that led to his Silver Star, his highest military decoration," says the New York Post.

"Members of the anti-Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth say the report vindicates their claim that Kerry didn't show the kind of valor that merits a Silver Star. The after-action report was obtained from the Navy archives by syndicated TV commentator Mark Hyman of 'The Point.' A Navy official confirmed its authenticity."

Kerry campaign officials said they would not respond to the story until they saw the documents.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A22859-2004Sep15?language=printer


I will be back to read through all you found later when I have a chance. Looks like you been working. :toast:

[jaznme]

83. Trying to start a campaign of protest

I just wrote the station in my area in protest and sent the article to the Kerry campaign organizer who regularly sends emails to Kerry supporters in our area asking for help by getting word out that action is needed by all. We have an outstanding system in the Hampton Roads, VA area of calling on Kerry supporters for help to vote in the polls after each debate, so I'm hoping we will be able to do the same to stop this film from being aired in our area! I hope you will all take the NECESSARY ACTION to be heard on this!

[doni_georgia]

85. My letter to FCC and FEC

To whom it may concern:

I read today in the Nation about Sinclair Broadcast Group's plan to preempt network broadcasting two days prior to the election to carry the anti-John Kerry film "Stolen Honor." I have to wonder about the legality of this. Mark Hyman, CEO of Sinclair is a conservative columnist and has repeatedly attacked John Kerry with false allegations concerning his service in Vietnam. I am appalled that someone would be allowed to use their own personal political beliefs to strong-arm television stations into airing political motivated lies two days before a presidential election. The state of our national media is appalling. Corporations have ruined the free press. Something has got to be done. I can only imagine the reaction from the right if a network like CBS decided to preempt national programming and show Fahrenheit 911 two days before the election. My guess is that many local stations would choose not to, but unfortunately those stations owned by Sinclair will not have this option.

[doni_georgia]

90. Also sent letter to Sinclair and to Senator McCain

This REALLY pisses me off!

[Behind the Aegis]

87. Equal Time

If they (Sinclair) are going to "give" Kerry equal time, he should request they play "Bush's Brain," "Unprecedented," "Undercover: the Whole Truth about Iraq," "The Bush Family Fortune," or "Outfoxed." All are about an hour in length! Personally, if they are going to play shit about Kerry and the Vietnam war, then they should play "Undercover" and show the truth about the war in Iraq! Let's see if the war-mongering RW would like them apples!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

88. Michael Moore should give a special license for all stations to show F9/11

for free (also free to make money off commercials on his dime), if and only if they show it in this EXACT time slot. And honor that whether or not these Sinclair idiots get away with showing this.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

91. YESSSSSS!

I just posted this in another Sinclair thread.
Moore has GOT to be thinking about it. Is his
pay-per-view plan so nailed down it couldnt be
changed?

[AnIndependentTexan]

92. Mark Hyman

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1023002

[MaineDem]

93. Portland ME affiliate info

WGME 13
1335 Washington Avenue
Portland, Maine 04103
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]

General Manager: Alan Cartwright [email protected]
News Director: Dave Kaplar [email protected]


WGME 13 is a division of Sinclair Broadcast Group.

[MockSwede]

209. Info

Thanks for information. I emailed some questions regarding above. Nice to have Carole King here in Bangor, today, to fire us up for canvasing.

[TexasBushwhacker]

94. Two avenues - FCC & CBS

Regarding the FCC, remember that it's run by Michael Powell. He's not really our "friend".

Maybe the inherent unfairness of what Sinclair is doing will be enough to push CBS to go ahead and air their 60 Minutes segment on the Niger yellow cake uranium investigation. It's really far more damning. You can read about it here:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/09/29/cbs_wmd/index.html

Perhaps CBS is the one we should be contacting.

[KBlagburn]

95. SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP AFFILIATE LIST!!!!

Tampa, FL
WB www.wtta38.com

Minneapolis, MN
WB www.kmwb23.com

Sacramento, CA
CBS www.kovr13.com

St Louis, MO
ABC www.abcstlouis.com

Pittsburgh, PA
FOX www.wpgh53.com
WB www.wcwb22.com

Baltimore, MD
FOX www.foxbaltimore.com
WB www.wbbaltimore.com

Raleigh-Durham, NC
WB www.wb22tv.com
UPN www.upn28tv.com

Nashville, TN
FOX www.fox17.com
UPN www.upn30.com
WB www.wnab.com

Kansas City, MO
www.wb62.com

Milwaukee, WI
UPN www.upn24.net
WB www.wb18.net


Cincinnati, OH
WB www.wb64.net

Columbus, OH
ABC www.wsyx6.com
FOX www.wtte28.com

Asheville, NC & Greenville / Spartanburg / Anderson, SC
ABC www.wlos13.com
WB www.wb40.com

San Antonio, TX
FOX www.kabb.com
WB www.krrt.com

Birmingham / Tuscaloosa, AL
WB www.wtto21.com
UPN www.wabm68.com
WB www.wtto21.com

Norfolk, VA
WB www.wtvz33.com

Oklahoma City, OK
WB www.kocb.com
FOX www.kokh.com

Buffalo, NY
FOX www.wutv.com
WB www.wb49.net

Greensboro / Winston-Salem / Highpoint, NC
ABC www.abc45.com
UPN www.upn48.com

Las Vegas, NV
WB www.wblasvegas.com
IND www.kfbt33.com

Dayton, OH
NBC www.nbc22.com
FOX www.fox45.com

Richmond, VA
FOX www.fox35.com

Charleston / Huntington, WV
ABC www.wchstv.com
FOX www.wvah.com

Mobile, AL / Pensacola, FL
ABC www.weartv.com
IND www.wfgxtv.com

Lexington, KY
FOX www.wdky56.com

Flint / Saginaw / Bay City, MI
FOX www.wsmh.com

Des Moines, IA
FOX www.kdsm.com

Portland, ME
CBS www.wgme.com

Rochester, NY
FOX www.foxrochester.com

Syracuse, NY
FOX www.wsyt68.com
WB www.wb43.com

Paducah, KY / Cape Girardeau, MO
FOX www.kbsi23.com
WB www.wdka49.com

Champaign/Springfield/Decatur, IL
NBC www.wicd15.com
NBC www.wics.com

Madison, WI
FOX www.fox47.com

Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Dubuque, IA
CBS www.kgan.com

Tri-Cities, TN
FOX www.wemt39.com

Charleston, SC
UPN www.wmmp36.com
FOX www.wtat24.com

Springfield, MA
ABC www.wggb.com

Tallahassee, FL
NBC www.wtwc40.com
ABC www.wtxl.com

Peoria / Bloomington, IL
FOX www.wyzz43.com

[LTR]

96. If it makes you feel better, Sinclair stations get shitty ratings

Sinclair has a corporate-produced national newscast out of Baltimore called News Central. Nothing wrong with that, since ABC, NBC and CBS have been doing something similar for decades. But the national newscasts are blended in with the local newscasts and clash horribly. Local news departments are often not very partisan - they go out, find the news, and report it. News Central makes FOX seem like the TV version of Pacifica. Not to mention they have a fondness for national weathercasts :wtf: Not a recipe for success, especially when most of Sinclair's stations are also-rans in the market.

Oh, and they have seriously gutted their stronger news operations. The ABC affiliate in St. Louis? Entire news department gone! Same with the FOX affiliate in Rochester. News may have been brought to the tiny UPN and WB stations throughout the chain, but some strong news departments have been destroyed.

http://www.newsblues.com/Tips/poynter_speech.htm

As for ratings, take Pittsburgh, for example. FOX53's ratings plummetted when they gutted their news department, including the weather. The result? The newscast's ratings were slashed in half.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04176/336547.stm

The weaker stations have almost non-existent ratings, even when they run news in the 10 PM ET slot against FOX affiliates' news and the last hour of prime time on other stations. At 11? The only audience seems to be birds flying around the transmitter tower. And why should they? No local weather, no local sports, cheap looking local newscasts, and a hardcore RW slant on the national drop-in. Sinclair may own a lot of stations, and they are a big company, but I don't think they're highly respected. I'm sure the others simply laugh at them. Here in my town, Sinclair owns two stations - one UPN and the other WB. They're laughingstocks with Fresh Prince reruns. Baseball and NBA games keep them afloat.

It's the analogy of 'if a tree falls in a forest...'. Sinclair is a vile, amateurish company, and they deserve to be hounded (I'd complain with big shareholders, board members and their advertisers). Someday, karma will bite them all in the ass.

[PATRICK]

186. Regardless of the stations' vulnerability

The sponsor must be guaranteed to feel controversial repercussions way beyond their listening audience, a negativity nationwide they will run from like the plague. The troll corporations will take the hit for Bush. Their political goals and ties are too strong to be completely vulnerable to economic pressure or even ratings. The sponsors also will put better pressure on them than we can. I believe that worked locally here in exiling a racist talk show host.

Those posting here about taking the beef directly to the sponsors are correct. Getting trapped by the legalities is not the hammer blow needed. Typical and LOCAL and NAIONAL BRAND STATION sponsors not program sponsors. They'll air it without any particular sponors. Hammering Sinclair the same way obviously is something they might risk, but it depends how much they stand to lose. This is not about partisan anger but about treasonous behavior paid for by Aermican corporations. It goes beyond boycott heat and to an everlasting determination and emnity. Let them understand THAT.

Law? What law if Bush wins? Corps. like Diebold are gambling for tyrannical monopolies from a government of slaves. Nothing has been enough so far, not even loss of revenue and sales.

[David Zephyr]

99. Has John McCain Reacted to This News Yet?

He has been against the media consolidation and rebuked Sinclair about the Nightline censorship.

[Mr E McSquare]

100. FREE F/911 PAY-PER-VIEW

How about finding a way to run F/911 on pay-for-view the same evening of the sinclair broadcast for FREE. And then advertise heavily.
I'm writing a letter to Moore running this idea by him. He's always said he didn't make the movie for the money. I'm sure this would be an effective counter-punch to the sinclair broadcast. The point is to make F/911 as FREE and easy as it would be to see the Sincrap broadcast.

Americans will watch any anti-bush film as long as its FREE and they don't have to move off the couch. Then you could point out to the simple minds that whatever they may have seen in the anti Kerry movie happened thirty years ago but the stuff they saw in F/911 is happening NOW and its only going to get worse once Bush doesn't need to worry about re-election.( I know its more complicated then that but remember, simple minds)

If anyone thinks this is a good idea write Michael Moore's web sight and help me get this idea across.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

126. I think it's a good idea...

and just fired off an e-mail to michaelmoore.com!

[Demi_Babe]

136. excellent idea

[Dcitizen]

231. Got my vote

[California Griz]

101. 6 Months ago

I was speaking with a friend I said to them this is going to be so close the election might hinge on what movies they show on TV right before the Election. If we are fed a diet of John Wayne in the Green Berets it will be bad for Kerry. If they play coming home with John Voight or Born on the 4th of July with Tom Cruise Kerry will win.

When talking with friend don't forget to bring up the POW/MIA issue that McCain and Kerry worked on to get resolved. Also bring up the legislation he worked on for Vets and reservist small business owners. Don't let them forget Kerry has never stopped working for his comrades.

[Ruby Romaine]

103. FYI- Sinclair affiliate station web pages have some ads-

contact them!

[SoCalDemocrat]

105. They need to give equal time

They need to air F-911.

[Name removed]

106. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

112. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rocktivity]

115. Well, he DID say, I "SUSPECT", LOL!

:headbang:
rocknation

[tmooses]

118. Got news for you......

The Bush family is the very definition of elitist. Ask anyone from Ct to TX.

[high density]

123. How realistic of him

Tombsoned already! Darn. :)

[Warren DeMontague]

127. Have a nice cup of

[struggle4progress]

109. COMPLAIN TO FEC. eom

[Nightwing]

117. What Networks do they intend to preempt??

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox? It would appear to me that any major broadcast network would stand to lose plenty of ad revenue if a local market preempted their regular programming, especially so if they're losing 25% of their target audience.

I just dint see it unless of course it's Rupert "Mad Dog" Murdoch looking to take a bath now for a large pay off later. :puke:

[liberal N proud]

119. They are stopping at nothing!

This is KKKarl Rove's way!

[jmellman]

120. My letter to the FCC and many news editors around the country

Send letters to the FCC and your congresspeople. This is beyond even dirty tricks.

=====

I am almost not surprised to see that Sinclair broadcasting, one of the most
conservative corporations in America, will attempt to preempt normal
broadcasting to air an Anti-Kerry “documentary” within weeks of the
election. Moreover, they intend to classify this propaganda as ‘news,” thus
eliminating the requirement for equal time. How dare they and how dare you
as stewards of our airwaves allow this to even be considered. Having just
finished William Shirer’s tome on Nazi Germany, the ability of the ruling
power to even dare to silence dissent and promote its own agenda is
strikingly similar — and more than just a little Orwellian.

It is not enough that most media is now consolidated in the hands of about 6
multinational firms; is it not enough that the Supreme Court seems to feel
that money is speech and therefore protected just as strongly, regardless of
the outcome; it is not enough that practically any campaign finance
regulation has been gutted by both the Congress and you sitting as
Commissioners. In this case, Sinclair Broadcasting is not acting according
to charter — it does not own the airwaves, it licenses them for the public
benefit. Surely you can see that presenting a documentary — whether from a
right-wing shill like Sherwood or from a leftie like Moore — and claiming
that it is news so as to avoid being subject to fairness rules should be
construed as shameful. Can you hear the shouts from the right if a large
network preempted its programming during prime time to air Fahrenheit 9/11
two weeks prior to this election? There would be outrage.

Most people in America have given up on the FCC as a regulator in the public
interest. We are seeing a return to the days of the Hearst newspaper empire
and yellow journalism. This much not be allowed to happen.
}(

[Hard Attack]

121. INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP OF SINCLAIR BROADCASTING

THESE ARE THE TOP 10 INVESTMENT FIRMS COMPANIES THAT OWN BIG CHUNKS OF SINCLAIR BROADCASTING - INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM MSN MONEY CENTRAL: http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/ownership/ownership.asp?Symbol=SBGI


Earnest Partners @ http://www.earnestpartners.com/default.asp?P=149858
SHARES HELD: 4,946,278

Gabelli Asset Management Co (gamco) http://www.gabelli.com/
SHARES HELD: 3,640,000

Westfield Capital Management Co http://www.westfieldcapital.com/
SHARES HELD: 2,616,950

Morgan Stanley Investment Management http://www.morganstanley.com/
SHARES HELD: 2,526,303

Neuberger Berman http://www.nb.com/home/
SHARES HELD: 2,266,809

Putnam Investment Mgmt http://www.putnam.com/
SHARES HELD: 2,081,861

Perry Corp WEBSITE UNKNOWN
SHARES HELD: 1,911,452

Barclays Global Investors Intl http://www.barclaysglobal.com/
SHARES HELD: 1,801,161

Blackrock Inc / Ny http://www.blackrock.com/
SHARES HELD: 1,428,435

Janus Capital Corp http://ww3.janus.com/Janus/Retail/JanusUmbrellaHomePage
SHARES HELD: 1,417,887

MORE INFORMATION - OTHER INSTITUTIONAL OWNERS AVAILABLE @ http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/ownership/ownership.asp?Symbol=SBGI

[JDPriestly]

122. To protest or not to protest

That is the question.

Will this blow over if we ignore it? Probably not. Will Kerry look weak if he allows Sinclair to televise this program without a protest? Probably. Will voters gauge Kerry's commitment to standing up to terrorists according to his commitment to stand up for himself against the Sinclairs of the world? Absolutely. What will people think? If Kerry cannot stand up against Sinclair, how can he stand up against terrorists?

How best to stand up against Sinclair? Go to the FEC. Isn't the gift of this time a corporate donation to a specific political candidate. We should all write any sponsors of Sinclair programming to voice our disapproval against this abuse. We should also write and call not only the FCC, but local authorities -- cities, etc. that give Sinclair cable rights (if, as I understand it, Sinclair is a cable co.). In addition, we should publicize the names of all companies that advertise on Sinclair channels and ask subscribers to Sinclair cable to cancel their subscriptions or alternatively ask those who watch Sinclair stations to stop watching them and write Sinclair and Sinclair's advertisers to say why they have stopped.

[Cookie wookie]

164. Overwhelming the FCC with email

letters and faxes complaining about Sinclair and demanding that they lose their license if they do this would have an impact.

Over a million people complained about the attempt by Michael Powers and the other 2 republicans at the FCC to push through further deregulation and consolidation of the media in the spring of 2003. That got the attention of Congress and slowed down the process.

So, I'm emailing my little list to ask them all to get on the phones and email first thing next week.

Considering how damaging the swift boat liar campaign was to Kerry, and some people still don't know or believe the truth, this can not be allowed to happen if there is any way we can stop it.

The airwaves belong to the American people, not to special interests, corporations, or the political right wing.

[Nightwing]

125. Why not counter punch the bastards!!!

Along with putting pressure on the Sinclair Broadcast Group why not put pressure on the Mouse to air F-911 during the same time slot? After all, Disney ponied up the money to make the movie and then sold the rights to it.

IMO this would be a ratings bonanza for a sinking network that can use all the help they can get. :think:

[FatDave]

128. Local vs. National Advertising

OK, I have no background in television, so I may be completely wrong here, but isn't there two types of advertising that occurs on television? For example, let's assume there's a Fox Sinclair affiliate. A significant portion of advertising on this station is going to be purchased from Fox and carried to all affiliates. These would be your big nationwide advertisers, Pepsi, Ford, McDonalds etc. Then there will be the local advertisers, Joe's Body Shop, Pam's Fine Eats, etc. that actually purchase advertising time from the affiliate.

Now to me it seems like this arrangement is going to make it extremely hard to boycott advertisers on Sinclair stations. Each of us can only boycott the local advertisers in our market (which in my case is none, as Chicago has no Sinclair affiliate). Otherwise what we're actually doing is boycotting companies who advertise with Fox, and it's not Fox who is trying to air this "documentary". Also, I'm not sure if any of this national advertising revenue is even paid to the affiliates. If the affiliates entire revenue stream comes from local advertising then these are who we need to target, which will be much harder. We've got to organize many small local efforts as opposed to one large national effort.

Now we could boycott Fox advertisers in an attempt to get them to pressure their Sinclair affiliates (who they probably aren't going to be happy with for preempting prime time programming in the first place), but of course Sinclair owns much more than Fox affiliates. They own UPN, WB, ABC and NBC affiliates also. We would end up boycotting every company that advertises on television, and possibly starve.

I think Sincliar trying to push right-wing propaganda is an outrage, and I want to do my part (I've already talked to my democrat friends who are in Sinclair markets) but I'm not sure a boycott is going to fly.

If my concept of how television advertising is purchased and distributed is incorrect, please correct me. Like I said, I have zero television experience (aside from watching).

[0rganism]

131. Protest by picketing their affilliate studios, & project F9-11 on walls

The time has come to take the battle directly to the doorstep of the media itself.

[jaznme]

132. Email George Soros for help re Sinclair Broadcasting

Here is address that provides a "comments" message box to send email to George Soros at GeorgeSoros.com:

Address:http://georgesoros.com:80/index.cfm?Fuseapp=Main&Fuseaction=SiteMailForm

Mr. Soros has the means to provide a large-scale investigation and take any action needed to fight Sinclair's smear campaign, and he has the desire to help! I hope you will all join me in emailing him.

[jerryster]

183. Done

Here is my email:

Dear Mr. Soros:

By now you are aware of Sinclair Broadcasting Group's plan to air an anti-Kerry movie called "Stolen Honor". We need your help to stop this blatant misuse of airtime.

As you recall, Sinclair Group blocked several of its affiliates from airing the Nightline broadcast of our soldiers killed in Iraq. They said it was political commentary disguised as news. Now they are trying to get around their own reasoning by stating that they are fulfilling their legal obligation by "inviting" John Kerry to a panel discussion after it airs.

Mr. Soros, please join us - no, lead us - in protesting this despicable manipulation of the airwaves. Thank you.

[liberal_in_GA]

188. done

and :kick:

[greyXstar]

133. sick, sick, sick....

This is beyond freaking disgusting!! I wouldn't want us to run into a trap, but if we sit on this too long and it turns out to be a real thing, the impact could be huge. Let's just hang on to that article and get the word out.

[Warren DeMontague]

139. kick, kick, kick!

[MockSwede]

142. From another Duer - Sinclair SEX offender

Or is that offensive sex?

From Atrios/Eschaton, for those who may not have noticed yet:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)

August 17, 1996, Saturday, SOONER EDITION

David D. Smith, president and chief executive officer of Sinclair Broadcast Group, was arrested this week in his hometown of Baltimore and charged with a misdemeanor sex offense . Sinclair owns WPGH, the Fox affiliate in Pittsburgh, and programs most of WPTT.

The Baltimore Sun reported that Smith, 45, was arrested Tuesday night in an undercover sting at a downtown corner frequented by prostitutes.

On Thursday night, Sinclair issued a statement that Smith's arrest was unrelated to company business and ''The company will continue to operate under the direction of its current management.''

------

Oh but these things do work both ways, don't they, these smeary, cheezy sex allegation things. Specially if you're a holier-than-thou Reptilican media magnate bent on someone else's political destruction. Stay tuned....

Stuck here outa gas

[RunningFromCongress]

150. I have a question, and possible line of attack

I heard and do not right now have the time to research but I have heard that the 527 orgs are not allowed to air commercials a certain number of days before the election. I'm sure the legal wording of that rule would be able to cover a media outlet showing a partisan political "ad" after the deadline, if there is one. Since I'm sure neither the RNC or GWB Campaign are putting their actual names to this effort it could certainly be viewed as an attempt to show such an ad after a deadline. What do you think??

[MockSwede]

210. Good head

There's some thinking! Anyone know more?

[digno dave]

147. He's learning from his buddy Vladimir

[digno dave]

148. the airwaves belong to us!!! Not the RNC

[Born_A_Truman]

149. Going Upriver

Why doesn't the DNC put "Going Upriver" opposite the airing by buying time on a competitive station or have a free screening the same night in the cities involved?

[AmericanErrorist]

158. Sinclair's half-assed attempt to comply with Equal Time regulations

Station and network sources said they have been told the Sinclair stations — which include affiliates of Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, as well as WB and UPN — will be preempting regular programming for one hour between Oct. 21 and Oct. 24, depending on the city. The airing of "Stolen Honor" will be followed by a panel discussion, which Kerry will be asked to join, thus potentially satisfying fairness regulations, the sources said.

Kerry campaign officials said they had been unaware of Sinclair's plans to air the film, and said Kerry had not received an invitation to appear.

from the article at the top of the thread.


READ THIS, FOR YOU MAY BE SOON HEARING FROM SINCLAIR's LAYWERS.

[AmericanErrorist]

159. More relevant material from the LA Times article

...although broadcast stations are required to provide equal time to major candidates in an election campaign, the Sinclair move may not run afoul of those provisions if Kerry or a representative is offered time to respond. Moreover, several sources said Sinclair had told them it planned to classify the program as news, where the rules don't apply.

Calling it news, however, poses its own problems, said Keith Woods, dean of the faculty at the Poynter Institute, a journalism school in St. Petersburg, Fla., that teaches professional ethics. "To air a documentary intended to provide a one-sided view of Kerry's record and call it news — it's like calling Michael Moore's movie news," he said, adding that the closer to an election that a controversial news report is aired, the "higher the bar has to go" in terms of fairness.

[Cookie wookie]

165. Here's my letter to the FCC,

with thanks to posters above for your information, suggestions and sample letter:

"I'm writing to complain about Sinclair broadcasting which is attempting to influence the upcoming Presidential election by airing a rabidly anti-Kerry program, "Stolen Honor," just days before the Presidential election. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sinclair is reputed to be forcing their local stations to preempt their regular programming to air "Stolen Honor." They are billing it as a "news" program in an effort to sidestep media regulations governing such programming.

I am asking that you take immediate action against them, to stop them from airing "Stolen Honor" and to revoke their broadcast license. Remember, Sinclair was the corporation that refused to allow their stations to air Nightline programming honoring our fallen troops from the Iraq war because it was "too political." By airing "Stolen Honor" they are demonstrating that they indeed do have a political agenda, and are not above committing an egregious violation of the public airwaves and the public trust if it will forward that political agenda.

I insist that the FCC act immediately to halt this attempted violation of the airwaves of the American people."

[951]

168. kick and beg Skinner to pin this

Here's a direct like start begging like you've never begged before! :D http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=alert&forum=132&topic_id=1020830&mesg_id=1020830

[951]

171. kick

:kick:

[KellyPaDem]

172. Ask for help

How about sending e-mails to other democrat friendly broadcasters and asking for their help. People like Micheal Moore, Bill Maher, Howard Stern, Keith Oberman (MSNBC), CBS, The Daily Show, and Air America. Political people like Sen. Biden, Sen Clinton, and McCain.

In regards to seeing if this blows over, the majority of people base their opinions on first opinion. It is imperative that we make that impression.

Last thing try to phrase your letters with the words, desperate attempt from the RNC and Bush because of the polls, a losing campaign, hypocrisy, and smear campaign. The media tends to pick up on words and phrases that are repeated and will therefore begin using the phrases themselves.

[Blue_State_Elitist]

174. Kerry has nothing to hide.

No worries.

[Silver Gaia]

175. Contact Air America's Local Sacramento Radio Show?

OK, folks... please give me some feedback here.

In Sacramento, we have an Air America Radio affiliate station: KSQR 1240 AM. Every weekday afternoon, a local radio personality, Christine Craft, has a 2 hour local show on our Air America station.

I'm thinking it would be a good idea, considering that Sinclair CEO Hyman is located here, to alert Christine to it. She has already organized several local protest efforts for various causes (a recent one was a protest against a local appearance by Bill O'LIEley campaigning for the evil ones). I think she'd jump on this. I could spend some time putting together an email to her tomorrow, but I'd appreciate some feedback from folks here on this, too. Do you think it's a good idea? Should it be done now? Or wait a bit and see what shakes out first?

My other thought also involves Air America as a voice on the national level. Randi Rhodes will likely ALREADY be on top of this one, but if not, I also think she would be a good resource for getting the word out on this at the national level.

I guess my point here is that we have more tools at our disposal than just letter-writing and phone calls, and perhaps we should move to take advantage of them. (I'm not dissing letter-writing and phone calls... they are GREAT tools... but that and the internet isn't all we have any more.)

Just some thoughts... let me know what you think...

[mia]

176. Air America !

[fairyduster]

192. I'm a moderator

on the Randi Rhodes Show message board. The Rhodies are on top of this already and, I myself have already emailed:
1. The Fcc
2. FEC
3. Senator Durbin (I live in Illinois)
4. My congressman (a rethug) :grr:

[fairyduster]

193. Oops almost forgot

I also emailed the local tv stations owned by sinclair.

[AnIndependentTexan]

196. She does a good show

I'm still amazed that she can do a 4 hour show with so little help during the show. My dad is now listening to her show at work and I catch it at home. We are in a part of Texas that does not have the channel on our radio so we listen to the live stream of it. Keep up the good work with Air America!

[Silver Gaia]

203. fairyduster...

Awesome! I figured Randi's folks were already ON this. ;) Please tell her that I worship her. :D

[Divo]

177. Boycott

The most effective way to fight Sinclair is to organize a boycott against the advertisers on their broadcast channels. The boycott itself will generate it's own publicity and will hit Sinclair where it hurts. It might also let the rest of the country know how little support this administration truly has.

[markus]

178. Bump--I know it's on the home page

but this needs to stay in front of everyone, especially if you're in one of their markets. (I'm not, but will complain to the Mineapolis station).

[drunkendeserter]

179. WPGH, Pittsburgh

FOX53 - WPGH
750 Ivory Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
412-931-5300
News FAX: [phone]
News Line: 412-939-NEWS (6397)

[Chiyo-chichi]

184. Fox News Sunday

just "reported" on this. Chris Wallace talked about Michael Moore's election eve PPV event, then said "as a response, blah blah blah, Stolen Honor, blah, blah, blah."

Sure, we believe it was only done as a "response." And there is a big difference between PPV and broadcast.

[bri_in_austin]

187. All mainstream media

is talking about Sinclair's move now. So we need no longer debate on whether or not to inform the media. Now the question is, how can we really keep this from happening?

[GinaMaria]

190. organize

Contact Michael Moore
Move On
KE headquarters
Soros

Make a list and post it here. Everyone can take at least one on the list and write or call. I've sent something to Moore and a contact at the LCV who endorse Kerry.

Keep in mind that repug 'movies' are poorly made and usually mimic someone else's style. They lack originality, a unique voice or POV, and style. It's likely the film is not too compelling and will fail to hold interest. The idea isn't to squash the waste of video tape but to have other films and POVs shown too. UpRiver and F9/11 are the first two that come to mind.

Can someone start to assemble a list of advertisers?

Could we collect donations to make f9/11 No Pay per view? Make it Free Per View?

[democraticrevolution]

189. What's the matter with Kansas Question?

Anyone who reads this please respond to my questions at [email protected]


I am almost done reading what's the matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank

There are a few questions I need answered and some statements that I need confirmed to make sure I get this book.


The point of the book is to show that people in the poor to middle class in Kansas often vote against their interests by voting Republican and voting for the GOP candidates that don't help them correct? They'll vote for a GOP candidate that aligns themselves with their religious beliefs but not their economic concerns. They vote for W. because of his stance on gay marriage and moral issues but don't care that his tax cuts hurt them and make the rich richer and their class well, poorer.


There is obviously a class warfare going on, the poor to middle class against the elite. This has always been an issue and probably will continue to be an issue, however the people on the right in the book are quoted saying that the Democratic party used to be the party of the working class people. They are saying that is not so anymore as they register all of those people in those income brackets into the Republican party now. However it seems that there is also a war within the GOP of the evangelical conservatives against the moderates.
To the evangelical conservatives who now consider the GOP the party of the middle class and the farming class why do they vote against their interests economically? Also what is the actual war with the mods in Kansas really about?

The book also talks about the class warfare and how conservatives of the latter are victims of backlash politics. They are angry that these "snobs" and "the elite" people make all the money off of their hard work, but they buy into it's the "liberal east coast elite" that are the enemy that has done this. In truth it seems that when they then vote for candidates that align themselves with their religious values but ignore their economic policies they end up making the real elites"in the Republican party conservatives and moderates that reside in Mission Hills, Kansas even more elite.

So what's the deal in Kansas? the religious right bombard the Kansas State Government back in the early nineties and take over the government. This in turn kicks out all the moderates in the GOP the mods become extremely angry so angry that they end up backing a Democratic Candidate for Governor. What I see is differing opinions there is the class difference and social difference.

I guess like I said before it comes down to pro corporation, pro tax cut, anti regulation, pro globilzation/privatization, pro NAFTA, pro WTO , pro lassie z fa ire trickle down economics people who end up hurting the middle class. But the social aspects end up clouding the economics and make people vote against their economic interests. The right wing distorts the truth and says it's all the liberals fault that socially we are a nation full of immorality etc. That the liberal elite are snobs and are rich people who look down on the middle class who do all the work while they tax and spend. So then you have all these middle class people believing this stuff and then go and vote for people like W. and what do they have to show for it? Socially they may get one or two things accomplished but in truth Roe V. Wade is going to take a long time to be overturned if it ever is done and W. will try. They are never going to get their constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and W.'s administration knew that. So basically these people, these right wing religious social conservatives were used by the real corporate elite.

With the GOP leadership currently installed it seems not really to be about morals but really about class and keeping them rich.

So that's it did I get some of the book? What are the points that need to be made? What did I miss ?

I need enlightenment............

Jason Gooljar

[Streetdoc270]

191. LA Times pulled the story?

I tried to read the article and got the 'you must register to read this' page. In the time it took me to go to bugmenot.com and get a login the link now says 'page not available'

Interesting..............

[jerryster]

194. Try again

It's there. Maybe just slow after a lot of hits.

[MsUnderstood]

195. My two cents on what to do

1) You must protest. Karl Rove is a tricky bastard--he setup CBS with the NG story. Don't let his reverse psychology work on you (f 911 was a big hit only because of media so we should ignore this one)

2) You must contact the FCC and CONGRESS and SENATE cause the FCC is not going to do anything if left alone. They are not voted in, the CONGRESS is!

3) You must contact the stations aring this crap and tell them what for.

4) You must contact the stations not airing this crap and tell them they need to cover this dishonest. Remeber, f911 ADS are not played on network TV because of the POSSIBILITY of election conflict, so what the hell is going on when a whol TV show is played?

Give this story the attention it deserves--this is the LAST STAND by bush and we need to knock himi down. E-mail makes the protesting so easy. Write your letter in word, then copy and paste it EVERYWHERE!!!

[MADem]

197. DO NOT FORGET

Your LOCAL reps as well, state senate, city council, whatnot. ALSO YOUR GOVERNOR....

Since many national officeholders are busy with the national races, these local guys and gals, especially those not on the ballot this time around, might have a minute or two of time to spare to work this issue. Cover all the bases--if they hold any elective office above dogcatcher, bitch long and loud.

[gauguin57]

201. All my reps are as Pug as Pug can be.

I'm sure they're already buying the microwave popcorn to sit back, kick their slippers off and watch this puppy on TV!

[FUCK_BUSH]

202. We Have to fight back. Every one Please read this

We have to fight back. Republicans are acting Exactly like NATZI Party. They attack and attack with lies and negative Ads.

Every one Should call Sinclair and let them know how ANGRY YOU ARE.


PHONE # [phone] and 410-568-1540 and 1 410 568-1533


EXTENSIONS: 1569 , 1501

CONTACTS : David D. Smith ( HE IS THE MAIN ASS-HOLE), David B. Amy Jeff Sleete , Darren Shapiro , Lucy A. Rutishauser ( YOU CAN FIND THEIR EX BY SEARCH THEIR LAST NAME IN DIRECTORY)


EMAILS:

CALL THE ALL DAY LONG TOMORROW AND ALL WEEK LONG NEXT WEEK. WHY FUCKING REPUBLICAN ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO ATTACK AND WIN ALL THE TIME. !??????

WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK.

CALL THEM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN EVERY DAY . SEND THEM AN EMAIL . LEAVE MASSAGES FOR THEM EVERY DAY.

DON'T LET THEM DO THEIR SHITTY WORKS. SHOW THEM THERE ARE MORE OF US THAN THEM.

[Barney Rocks]

205. Welcome

to DU, FUCK_BUSH!

:toast:

[Capn Sunshine]

206. Kick

Great Screen name FUCK_BUSH! :kick:

[demcolorado]

223. a new idea on fighting back

What if Kerry could see this thing and found it slanderous? Could he get an injunction of it airing on this basis. You know there are going to be untruths in this thing. Got to be something their to litigate. Any lawyers out there who know how this could happen. Lets open another front..

[mistertrickster]

207. Okay, this is war--blitz mail their sponsors

Hit them where it hurts--BELOW the money belt

[Vogon_Glory]

208. Obvious Countermeasure: Get Demos to Polls Early

There's one obvious, low-profile countermeasure--try and get Democratic and Democratic-leaners to the polls early. Most states have arrangements for early or absentee balloting. Texas certainly does--early voting starts about the fifteenth of this month.

If enough Kerry--Edwards supporters cast their ballots BEFORE Sinclair airs the Smearboat commentaries, it won't much matter what Rove's little playmates broadcast, save to add a capstone of ordure to the shabby public discourse of Runnin' Dubya Posse supporters.

[ze_emobile]

211. My letter to investor relations!

DU readers, let's not waste any time with this! We need to hit them where it hurts -- share prices! My god they are publicly traded now I have to see if one of my 401k funds is invested in them. Here's my response.

******************************

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
Investor Relations Contact
Lucy A. Rutishauser

Dear Ms. Rutishauser:

I am an employee at a major institutional investment management company in New York City, and while I have no direct input into investment decisions there, I would still like to call your attention to the damage that could accrue to your shareholders if you force your affiliates to air the anti-Kerry propaganda film as was reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Since you are publicly traded let me weigh in. This would be not only a public relations disaster for your company, but the rabid partisanship your management is displaying by taking this action may cause many individuals to be offended and unload shares. The impact will be far bigger than the Nightline incident earlier this year, if for no reason other than your management claimed they refused to show the Nightline segment because they felt it was too political. The hypocrisy of having used that justification, then, on the eve of the election, running a Bush surrogate attack piece, will alienate and stigmatize many shareholders.

The fund managers where I work similarly would be leery of any company that take such controversial measures. Even Fox News, who practically serve as a propanda wing of the Bush administration, try to maintain a veneer of non-partisanship because they know that being open about their affection for the Republican machine is bad for investor relations.

I highly recommend that if you have any say with your management, you recommend that they don't even think of proceeding with airing this film as reported.

Regards,

[demcolorado]

222. We should all check and see if we are invested in sinclair

Tomorrow morning we should all call any mutual fund we have money in, check with pension plan managers, keogh plans to find out if we own shares in Sinclair. We should demand they be sold and if they are not sold then we must tell them that we are cashing out of the fund, plan, etc. Put pressure the only place these people are really afraid of.... their bank accounts.

[Bolo Boffin]

213. MENTION MEDIA CONGLOMERATION IN ANY LETTER YOU WRITE!

Sorry to scream, but I think that's a very important point to raise.

This is a perfect example of the inherent dangers of media conglomerates. I live in Nashville, where there are 3 Sinclair stations! Are they all going to be running this screed at the same time? How will they all sell advertising? Many markets have two Sinclair stations, it appears.

Admittedly, it's the local Fox, UPN, and WB stations that are the chumps in this situation. But it's going to be quite a sight for channel surfers to see the same show on three different channels. There's got to be a way to get an injunction against this film. It's not "news." It's a blatently partisan film, and then Sinclair is running it, then they should provide an equal amount of comparable time for something like "Fahrenheit 9/11" or "Going Upriver".

[wildflower]

214. Posting link to WiseMen's thread on countermeasures...

...which includes contact info for Soros and sites/forums of veterans who support Kerry:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1023440

-wildflower

[KharmaTrain]

217. Sinclair Alert Thread Now Added To The Media Forum

May I express my thanks to all those who have acted on this incredible act of hubris and abuse of the public airwaves. While this is a major event and hopefully it'll draw attention to the right wing bias and other issues involving Sinclair, I know that the ebb and flow of the news cycles and just the frantic pace of this place will dillute our rage and focus.

Sinclair will still be around after November 2nd, as will a lot of the problems we've encountered with a media that is unaccountable to the public. I've set up this thread in the hopes of keeping this topic alive and using it to network on many levels in developing a response similar to what many of us have seen with BBV in tackling Sinclair and a lot of other broadcast-related issues.

Cheers!

On Edit...Ooops...almost forgot, here's the thread I've stated

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=109&topic_id=14342&mesg_id=14342

If you're interested, please say hello...and pass this along.

[Spiffarino]

220. My letter to the FCC

WLOS TV in Asheville, NC, will be forced to preempt it's regular programming to air a controversial movie that is essentially a political smear ad against John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for President of the U.S.

This is an unprecedented affront to our democratic system. The same broadcast group refused to air the movie Fahrenheit 9/11 because they deemed it too politically controversial; yet, in an act of astounding hypocrisy and political partisanship they have chosen to air a movie that is at least as controversial and even misleading.

This is beyond outrageous. This kind of callous manipulation of the electoral system must not be allowed on the public airwaves. If the Republicans or another group wishes to pay for it as a political advertisement, so be it. But for a corporation to use its public charter to promote its favored candidate is reprehensible and must not stand.

I fervently urge you to demand that Sinclair Broadcasting Group stop its attempt to unfairly influence the Presidential election. Any refusal to do so should be met with severe sanctions, including loss of its broadcast licenses. Furthermore, I urge the FCC to at the very least reprimand this company for abuse of its public charter.

Very sincerely, blah blah blah

More letters forthcoming, but I won't waste DU bandwidth or storage by posting them here...

These MF'ers will stop at nothing to get their spokesmodel elected. We must stop at nothing to ensure that this does not happen. We'll get the word out to local and state K/E groups and Dem HQs about this outrage.

This must not be allowed to happen without huge consequences for Sinclair, its advertisers, and its local affiliates!

[kimpossible]

221. BBC World News picked it up!

The BBC World News just reported on this. It was a short bit, but leaned critically against Sinclair. There's international attention on the issue now!

[Carla in Ca]

224. And, I also called my wonderful LA Times

and thanked them for putting it on the front page. I also told them to hurry up and endorse Kerry.

[Dcitizen]

227. help to spread this little article every where now

MORE THAN A HERO http://rightousvoice.tripod.com/50topicstoeditors/

[drfemoe]

228. Stations, Advertisers, Contacts

Boycott Website:
http://www.boycottsinclairbroadcasting.com/pages/1/inde ...
Includes list of Mutal Funds who hold the stock
FCC Regulations
Petitions
Much More

Stations:
http://www.sbgi.net/business/markets/all.shtml

Adversisers:
http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/advertisers/main.html

Blog:
http://boycottsinclair.blogspot.com /

Yahoo Stock Page:
watch them tank
http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=l&m ...

***
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-568-1500 (Main Telephone)
410-568-1533 (Main Fax)

David D. Smith
President and Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: [email protected]

Investor Relations Contact
Lucy A. Rutishauser
VP Corporate Finance and
Corporate Treasurer
[email protected]

[mebadgett]

232. The Iraq - 9/11 Connection

Check it out: http://www.moveonpac.org/kerryad-QT.html

Source: http://www.moveonpac.org/

[Warren DeMontague]

233. My Letter to the FCC:

To whom it may concern;

As a United States Citizen and Taxpayer, I want to loudly object to the usage of public airwaves by the Sinclair Broadcast Group to air a thinly veiled political smear ad, masquerading as "news", immediately prior to the November 2 Presidential Election. Undoubtedly, you are familiar with the definition of an "electioneering communication" under Federal Election Commission Guidelines. To refresh your memory, however:

An electioneering communication is any broadcast, cable or satellite communication that fulfills each of the following conditions:

1. The communication refers to a clearly identified candidate;
2. The communication is publicly distributed shortly before an election for the office that candidate is seeking; and
3. The communication is targeted to the relevant electorate (U.S. House and Senate candidates only).

It is clear that the film "Stolen Honor" is a propaganda piece designed for one purpose, and one purpose only- to smear the reputation of Senator John Kerry, days before the American People are to vote for their next President. This is the same Sinclair Broadcast Group, mind you, that in April 2004 ordered its stations not to air an edition of ABC News "Nightline" which listed the names of U.S. Servicemembers killed in Iraq, due to what it alleged was "political content".

If Sinclair Broadcast Group goes through with their plan to force affiliate stations to pre-empt their normal programming, and air political propaganda obviously intended to influence a major election, I urge you as strongly as I possibly can to revoke their broadcast licenses, and censure or fine them to the maximum extent allowable by law. This is not a partisan issue, Democrat or Republican-- this is the fundamental nature of our democracy, the public ownership of the airwaves, and the right of the people to have a free and fair press that is at stake.

Thank you for your consideration and hard work.

[Warren DeMontague]

236. Open FCC Meeting Oct. 14

This from the boycott sinclair advertising blog:

The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on Thursday, October 14, 2004, which is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. in Room TW-C305, at 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.


You know, if you're not doing anything else that day...

[strizi64]

237. my mail to the FCC

BCC: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Dear Sir,

it's insane to air such a false and pure propagada documentary like Sinclair plans to do right before the Election. Do your job and stop it at any cost!

Subject: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-sinclair9oct09,1,4817545.story?coll=la-home-headlines
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22788-2004Oct10.html

Market Affiliate Call Sign

Asheville/Greenville WB 40 WBSC-DT14
Baltimore FOX 45 WBFF-DT46
Buffalo FOX 29 WUTV-DT14
Cedar Rapids CBS 2 KGAN-DT51
Champaign/Spfld,IL NBC 15 WICD-DT41
Columbus ABC 6 WSYX-DT13
Columbus FOX 28 WTTE-DT36
Dayton ABC 22 WKEF-DT51
Dayton FOX 45 WRGT-DT30
Des Moines FOX 17 KDSM-DT16
Milwaukee WB 18 WVTV-DT61
Minneapolis WB 23 KMWB-DT22
Nashville FOX 17 WZTV-DT15
Oklahoma City FOX 25 KOKH-DT24
Pittsburgh FOX 53 WPGH-DT43
Portland, ME CBS 13 WGME-DT38
Sacramento CBS 13 KOVR-DT25
San Antonio FOX 29 KABB-DT30
Spfld/Champaign, IL NBC 20 WICS-DT42
St. Louis ABC 30 KDNL-DT31
Tallahassee NBC 40 WTWC-DT2


Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-568-1500 (Main Telephone)
410-568-1533 (Main Fax)

David D. Smith
President and Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: [email protected]

Investor Relations Contact
Lucy A. Rutishauser
VP Corporate Finance and
Corporate Treasurer
[email protected]

"While the Sinclair Broadcast Group honors the memory of the brave members of the military who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, we do not believe such political statements should be disguised as news content. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of Nightline this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming."

http://www.fair.org/activism/sinclair-nightline.html

blast them :mad:

[ProgressiveFool]

252. My own email to Michael Powell

Dear Mr. Powell,

Since finding the proper category to classify my complaint has proven difficult in the web of bureaucracy that is the FCC web site, I'm lodging this complaint with you. I'm sure you can pass it on to the people who need to see it.

Some time shortly before the November 2 presidential elections, Sinclair Broadcasting Group is planning on having its 64 television stations, which reach an estimated 25% of American households, preempt their normally scheduled prime-time programming to air Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, a "documentary" attacking and distorting the anti-war activities of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry after the Vietnam War. Although Sinclair challenges the newsworthiness of broadcasts, such as an edition of ABC's Newsline back in April during which Ted Koppel honored our fallen soldiers in Iraq, and forbid their ABC stations from showing it, they are brazenly claiming that this proposed broadcast of Stolen Honor is "news", so that they can get around Equal Time restrictions on broadcasts of a political nature.

Sinclair has been free to air their conservative viewpoint in the past, and though it is a shame that such a powerful media conglomerate would choose to reject any semblance of impartiality, it has not been illegal up to this point. This action of SBG, however, does cross that line. I demand that you revoke their broadcasting license for this flagrant attempt to use our free and public airwaves to influence our national elections in favor of their preferred candidate.

[GiantCranes]

241. An idea for a new website

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1033476

[timezoned]

243. Equal time does NOT mean....

Inviting Kerry to appear among attackers to defend himself against slime is NOT equal time. This is an important point, this will be their defense.

Equal time would mean airing Farenheit 911 right afterwards. Or the equivilant. Have to be firm about this also and anticipate that pathetic counter-attack.

[Chiyo-chichi]

244. Hijacking Catastrophe

would be a good documentary to show as a counter. Quick, contact the liberal media and ask them to air it.... uhhhh....

http://www.hijackingcatastrophe.com/

[Chiyo-chichi]

245. What ticks me off

is that the fact that the White House LIED about W.'s service record -- and very recently -- was buried. On Sept. 30 they said unequivocably that Bush was never disciplined by the ANG, but on Oct 5, MINUTES BEFORE THE VP DEBATE, records were released that confirmed that he had been grounded -- put on "no-fly" status -- for failing to take his physical. If that is not disciplinary action, what is?

AND he resigned from the ANG because he didn't have time to fulfill his obligations -- yet he has insisted that he fulfilled his obligations.

No one in the media wants to touch Bush's National Guard record any more after the CBS debacle. Now we get this Sinclair affront?

NO! We must do whatever it takes to avert this.

[joeprogressive]

246. Hit em where it hurts

Can we gather a list of companies that advertise on Sinclair stations then we can go about boycotting products etc? Stations can't survive without advertising. If we can peel away a few of their big sponsors we can hurt them.

[joeprogressive]

247. I just left message w/ Jeff Sleete, VP marketing

I asked how I get a hold of the names of their advertisers. I'm not expecting a call back. I think we just need to keep flooding them with calls. They will wish they never started this.

[strizi64]

248. Sue Sinclair

1. Take legal action against Sinclair for violating the campaign finance laws.
2. Shareholders should start a class action lawsuit due to violating campaign finance law and the following loss in stockvalue.

Go for him and hit'em hard. Sinclair Broadcasting will go down in flames :mad:

[Kipepeo]

250. New "Boycott Sinclair" website

http://boycottsinclair.blogspot.com/

Also, the list of advertisers:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/10/19162/939

The list of advertisers is as follows:

* Indicates that this company had several ads on several different Sinclair websites.

Halls Fruit Breezers
Sylvan Learning Centers
Kentucky Fried Chicken
ITT Tech *
Ford Motor Company
Yahoo DSL
Isuzu
Hardees
Taco Bell
Toyota
Warner Brothers * (many Sinclair owned stations are WB stations)
Century 21
Prudential
Zigzagzone.com *
Cnn.com *
General Motors
Geico
Pepsi
Mountain Dew
Titan TV *
Iams (this one breaks my heart, I'll tell you)
Miller Lite
Ringling Brothers (coming to Lexington, KY)
Oak Express
ABC Solutions
Kentucky Lottery
Florida Lottery
NFL
Lincoln Mercury
H&R Block
Pontiac

[CBHagman]

251. More links.

I should have known the Moonies were somehow connected, however loosely. This was mentioned above, but check this out:

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Carlton_Sherwood

And here's the contact info for the production itself. Ugly stuff.

http://www.stolenhonor.com/

[Doohickie]

253. I noticed on Sinclair's website

That if you select the pull-down menu called "about sinclair", to of the options are (consecutively) "ethics" and "complaint proc." Why do you suppose are they next to each other?