Press Release
Public interest group announces investigation of Sinclair Broadcast Corporation
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Washington -- After learning that the Sinclair Broadcast Corporation has ordered its eight ABC affiliates to pull the Friday, April 30th episode of Nightline - which will air the names and photos of U.S. military personnel who have given their lives in Iraq - Free Press, a national media reform organization, has released a letter sent to David Smith, Chairman of the Sinclair Corporation. The letter announces Free Press' intent to conduct an investigation into whether Sinclair has fulfilled its obligations as a steward of the public airwaves.
Nearly one quarter of U.S. households will not be able to see the censored ABC Nightline program. Free Press President Robert McChesney said, "What we see in Sinclair broadcasting, with its cozy and corrupt relationship to the Bush administration is TV journalism that is anything but independent of the government. It is a commercial version of Pravda, and it is an outrageous and entirely unacceptable use of the public's airwaves."
From: Free Press Managing Director Josh Silver
To: Sinclair Chairman David Smith
Date: April 30, 2004
Dear Mr. Smith:
As a national, nonpartisan organization working on behalf of the public interest, we believe that your decision to block the transmission of ABC News "Nightline" on your ABC affiliate stations is a violation of the public interest obligations you are required to meet as a user of the public's airwaves.
First, your actions indicate a disregard for the intelligence of the viewers in the communities in which you operate and demonstrate a bold misuse of your power as a broadcaster. We believe your viewers can evaluate the merits of a news program such as Nightline to determine whether it is of value to them as citizens. It is not appropriate for a station owner to serve as a self-appointed arbiter of public choice. Moreover, how should we reconcile Sinclair's willingness to broadcast over-the-top reality TV programs such as "Extreme Makeover" while it chooses to censor programming that deals with the most critical issue of our times?
Second, the excuse that the airing of the names and pictures of Americans killed in the line of duty is a "political statement" makes us wonder whether the censoring of the ABC tribute to the American soldiers is itself political statement. Why has Sinclair determined that its viewers will not be permitted to see this program? On what grounds has Sinclair been given the right to decide for the public what is politically acceptable and what is not? We note that Sinclair executives have been consistent financial backers of the Bush Administration, which may perceive "Nightline" as unfavorable coverage. According to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, Sinclair executives have donated more than $16,000 in hard money and more than $120,000 in soft money to President Bush and his allies since 2000. It is also noteworthy that in 2003, the President attempted to push through a sweeping relaxation of media ownership regulations that would have benefited Sinclair handsomely.
Finally, Sinclair's actions belie any notion that local station managers who live and work in their communities have any autonomy from the policies of corporate headquarters. Sinclair's stations are forced to speak with one voice, not diverse local voices. Moreover, Sinclair is well known in the industry for distance-casting of news programs using off-site anchors to lower costs in local markets at the expense of quality public service and local programming. We believe your actions undermine the principles of democracy.
We intend to investigate your actions to ensure that your stations are adhering to all of the requirements outlined by the FCC for proper stewardship of the public airwaves. We intend to make certain that Sinclair's local marketing agreements do not violate FCC rules governing concentrated ownership. Further, we intend to encourage citizens in communities with Sinclair stations to actively challenge your stations' commitment to localism and the public interest when license renewal hearings begin in September. Licenses for Sinclair's ABC affiliates in West Virginia and North Carolina come up for renewal later this year; affiliates in Ohio and Florida will follow in 2005. When the public trust has been violated, citizens have the right to hold broadcasters accountable.
Sincerely,
Josh Silver Managing Director
Free Press (www.freepress.net) is a national public interest group that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
Nearly one quarter of U.S. households will not be able to see the censored ABC Nightline program. Free Press President Robert McChesney said, "What we see in Sinclair broadcasting, with its cozy and corrupt relationship to the Bush administration is TV journalism that is anything but independent of the government. It is a commercial version of Pravda, and it is an outrageous and entirely unacceptable use of the public's airwaves."
From: Free Press Managing Director Josh Silver
To: Sinclair Chairman David Smith
Date: April 30, 2004
Dear Mr. Smith:
As a national, nonpartisan organization working on behalf of the public interest, we believe that your decision to block the transmission of ABC News "Nightline" on your ABC affiliate stations is a violation of the public interest obligations you are required to meet as a user of the public's airwaves.
First, your actions indicate a disregard for the intelligence of the viewers in the communities in which you operate and demonstrate a bold misuse of your power as a broadcaster. We believe your viewers can evaluate the merits of a news program such as Nightline to determine whether it is of value to them as citizens. It is not appropriate for a station owner to serve as a self-appointed arbiter of public choice. Moreover, how should we reconcile Sinclair's willingness to broadcast over-the-top reality TV programs such as "Extreme Makeover" while it chooses to censor programming that deals with the most critical issue of our times?
Second, the excuse that the airing of the names and pictures of Americans killed in the line of duty is a "political statement" makes us wonder whether the censoring of the ABC tribute to the American soldiers is itself political statement. Why has Sinclair determined that its viewers will not be permitted to see this program? On what grounds has Sinclair been given the right to decide for the public what is politically acceptable and what is not? We note that Sinclair executives have been consistent financial backers of the Bush Administration, which may perceive "Nightline" as unfavorable coverage. According to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, Sinclair executives have donated more than $16,000 in hard money and more than $120,000 in soft money to President Bush and his allies since 2000. It is also noteworthy that in 2003, the President attempted to push through a sweeping relaxation of media ownership regulations that would have benefited Sinclair handsomely.
Finally, Sinclair's actions belie any notion that local station managers who live and work in their communities have any autonomy from the policies of corporate headquarters. Sinclair's stations are forced to speak with one voice, not diverse local voices. Moreover, Sinclair is well known in the industry for distance-casting of news programs using off-site anchors to lower costs in local markets at the expense of quality public service and local programming. We believe your actions undermine the principles of democracy.
We intend to investigate your actions to ensure that your stations are adhering to all of the requirements outlined by the FCC for proper stewardship of the public airwaves. We intend to make certain that Sinclair's local marketing agreements do not violate FCC rules governing concentrated ownership. Further, we intend to encourage citizens in communities with Sinclair stations to actively challenge your stations' commitment to localism and the public interest when license renewal hearings begin in September. Licenses for Sinclair's ABC affiliates in West Virginia and North Carolina come up for renewal later this year; affiliates in Ohio and Florida will follow in 2005. When the public trust has been violated, citizens have the right to hold broadcasters accountable.
Sincerely,
Josh Silver Managing Director
Free Press (www.freepress.net) is a national public interest group that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
