posted
Put down that remote you baby, Big Media knows better than you!
Apparently, tomorrow night, 30 April 2004, Nightline intends to boradcast a show during which it will read the names and air pictures of American soldiers who have died in combat in Iraq.
The total combat deaths in Iraq so far is 523.
You can take the broadcast for what you will, a tribute or a comment on the situation. Or a some of each.
It seems some people won't get the chance to make up their own mind because Big Media simply wants you to have none of it.
Sinclair Broadcast Group is pulling the show from the air.
quote:ABC Nightline Pre-emption
The ABC Television Network announced on Tuesday that the Friday, April 30 edition of "Nightline" will consist entirely of Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq. Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.
There is no organization that holds the members of our military and those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country in higher regard than Sinclair Broadcast Group. While Sinclair would support an honest effort to honor the memory of these brave soldiers, we do not believe that is what "Nightline" is doing. Rather, Mr. Koppel and "Nightline" are hiding behind this so-called tribute in an effort to highlight only one aspect of the war effort and in doing so to influence public opinion against the military action in Iraq. Based on published reports, we are aware of the spouse of one soldier who died in Iraq who opposes the reading of her husband's name to oppose our military action. We suspect she is not alone in this viewpoint. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of "Nightline' this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming.
We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, we believe you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday. Unfortunately, we may never know for sure because Mr. Koppel has refused repeated requests from Sinclair's News Central news organization to comment on this Friday's program.
We respectfully disagree with Sinclair's decision to pre-empt "Nightline's" tribute to America's fallen soldiers which will air this Friday, April 30. The Nightline broadcast is an expression of respect which simply seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country. ABC News is dedicated to thoughtful and balanced coverage and reports on the events shaping our world with neither fear nor favor -- as our audience expects, deserves, and rightly demands. Contrary to the statement issued by Sinclair, which takes issue with our level of coverage of the effects of terrorism on our citizens, ABC News and all of our broadcasts, including "Nightline," have reported hundreds of stories on 9-11. Indeed, on the first anniversary of 9-11, ABC News broadcast the names of the victims of that horrific attack.
In sum, we are particularly proud of the journalism and award winning coverage ABC News has produced since September 11, 2001. ABC News will continue to report on all facets of the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism in a manner consistent with the standards which ABC News has set for decades.
Clearly, what's the phrase I've heard, you're only as liberal as the people that own you.
The Sinclair Broadcast Group stations not airing the broadcast:
KDNL � St. Louis, Missouri WSYX � Columbus, Ohio WLOS � Asheville, North Carolina and Greenville / Spartanburg / Anderson, South Carolina WXLV � Greensboro / Winston-Salem / Highpoint, North Carolina WCHS � Charleston / Huntington, West Virginia WEAR � Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida WGGB � Springfield, Massachusetts
7 stations.
Viewers in 7 areas can�t make up their own mind about watching a television show because Sinclair Broadcast Group thinks they shouldn�t.
Which brings up an interesting side piece, media ownership which is being concentrated as the FCC allows companies to own an ever increasing share of the outlets.
So, next time the FCC tries to allow media outlets to be concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer large companies, you might want to drop them a line telling them it is not in the best interests of the American people.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
You're missing the point Jay.
Sinclair Broadcast group is the only "real" and "honest" media around here.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
It's their station and their airtime so it's their call.
Wither you agree or not, the broadcast's timing is rather suspicous: why not wait untill the war/occupation/liberation/whatever is really over before broadcasting this?
What purpose does this broadcast serve other than undermining morale and support for the war effort? It's not as if there's a story that goes with this broadcast and as things stand, they'd have to re-broadcast an updated version of it every week so as to not exclude anyone... What does this hope to contribute other than to pull on the ol' heartstrings and cater to the lowerst common denmominator of the viewing audience?
Sinclair is only advertising and piquing intrest by refusing to air the broadfcast though... I can see their opposition as justified in that their advertisers and any military falilies might well find this objectionable (and regardless of how much research goes into the broadcast, some people will be left off their listing).
To many grieving families, this broadcast will only rub salt into fresh wounds: but hey, it's all good if they get high ratings, right?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
You really think they're going to get higher ratings by airing an hour of still portraits with someone reading off names? I suspect there will be very few people (of those who can watch it) who will watch it at all, much less sit through the whole thing.
This country has suffered thousands of military casualties over the past year. Many more Iraqi civilians have been killed or wounded in the same time. All this has been done in the name of, first, disarming Saddam Hussein of weapons he didn't have and, second, giving the Iraqis freedom that they still haven't gotten. Our government has done nothing but lie to us before, during, and after the war, and the vast majority of the media have done nothing but back them up.
Now one news show attempts to make people aware of even a fraction of the death our government has wantonly spread among even its own people, so perhaps at least those hundreds of soldiers might not have died in vain, and all you can do is accuse them of looking out for their own profits?
It's all the media outlets that have done nothing but support Bushco who help extend this war indefinitely. Their the ones who should be accused of using the war to their own advantage. After all, the longer Bush keeps killing people, the longer they can keep doing stories about it.
"Nightline" is making at least some attempt here to show the public just how bad things really are�to broadcast the truth, which is supposed to be the news media's only purpose for existing�and they're the ones accused of profiteering.
If that's the attitude of our country today, maybe we deserve a president like Bush.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
They're broadcasting the "Truth" by who's standards?
Who chooses what casualties they'll show?
If it's only those lost in Iraq, it sure slights the fallen in Afghanistan.
As to ratings, I really cant be sure if this'll be a big hit or not: I bet it's advertised as "a very special nightline" or some crap to make everyone feel obligated to watch.
It's strange, if they tried showing all the victims of 9/11 this way, it'd be seen as completely tasteless.
I can see both reasons for and against this kind of show, but as long as soldiers are dying daily, its all a bit premature. If they want to "put a face on the victims" they should describe indivuals and their reasons for going to war, not just a rollcall of the dead.
It'd be nice if they mentioned why those people were there- the personal reasons they went, not just the fact that they died while serving their country.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Sinclair owns and operates, programs, or provides sales services to 62 stations in 39 markets, according to its Web site.
In addition its ABC outlets, Sinclair's television group includes 20 Fox, 19 WB, six UPN, three CBS and four NBC affiliates, and two independent stations.
It reaches approximately 24 percent of all U.S. television households, according to the Web site.
24% of the households in the United States will have to read a book...that's not such a bad idea...because of an overtly political decision to censor a program.
Or as U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey puts it...
quote:"The decision by Sinclair ... to keep this program off its stations is being made by a corporation with a political agenda without regard to the wants or needs of its viewers," Hinchey said. "This move may be providing a chilling look into the future if we allow media ownership to be consolidated into fewer and fewer hands."
quote:The network initially said the 30-minute telecast would be limited acknowledging only the 523 U.S. troops killed in combat since the start of the war in March 3002. But on Thursday, ABC said it would expand the program to 40 minutes to include another 200 or more Americans who died as a result of accidents, friendly fire or suicide.
I'm not na�ve enough to think that self-censorship doesn't happen all the time with our lap-dog press corps, but there is more than one way to look at this broadcast, and it's just plain wrong for Sinclair Broadcast Group to make that decision for 24% of America.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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"It's strange, if they tried showing all the victims of 9/11 this way, it'd be seen as completely tasteless."
Funny. That's precisely what Sinclair suggested they do. And ABC responded by pointing out that they did broadcast the names of the 9-11 dead a year-and-a-half ago.
"I can see both reasons for and against this kind of show, but as long as soldiers are dying daily, its all a bit premature."
Oh, right. Let's wait 'til they're all dead.
"If it's only those lost in Iraq, it sure slights the fallen in Afghanistan."
Granted, Bush fucked up Afghanistan pretty royally, too. But the casualties there are much lighter, and at least it wasn't a botched idea from the get-go.
They're focusing on the casualties in Iraq because those are the ones that are out of control, and that the administration and the majority of the media are doing their damnedest to downplay into seeming nonexistence.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
"I can see both reasons for and against this kind of show, but as long as soldiers are dying daily, its all a bit premature."
It's premature for people to know the unadulterated truth? Namely that the war in and occupation of Iraq aren't as clean and neat and spotless as BushAd would have them believe?
Oh, and speaking of interesting sidepieces you don't hear much about...
Registered: Nov 1999
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quote: Oh, and speaking of interesting side pieces you don't hear much about...
Not particularly pleasant revelations, as I'm sure even the most ardent neo-con would agree, but not terribly surprising given the complaints from British and Australian (and possibly others, I'm not sure) officers about the way US troops treat the Iraqis. Given the 'all terrorists are scum and all those captured are terrorists' line put about by some in the US government and military it really shouldn't come as a vast shock. What I found surprising is the apparent lck of interest the US media has hd in the story (page 20-something in the Washington Post, I believe). Hopefully it is only a small number who have actually gone this far.
Registered: Feb 2002
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McCain Letter to Sinclair Broadcast on Preemption of Nightline
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) issued the following letter today to Mr. David Smith, President and CEO of Sinclair Broadcast Group, in response to the preemption of this evening's Nightline program:
I write to strongly protest your decision to instruct Sinclair's ABC affiliates to preempt this evening's Nightline program. I find deeply offensive Sinclair's objection to Nightline's intention to broadcast the names and photographs of Americans who gave their lives in service to our country in Iraq.
I supported the President's decision to go to war in Iraq, and remain a strong supporter of that decision. But every American has a responsibility to understand fully the terrible costs of war and the extraordinary sacrifices it requires of those brave men and women who volunteer to defend the rest of us; lest we ever forget or grow insensitive to how grave a decision it is for our government to order Americans into combat. It is a solemn responsibility of elected officials to accept responsibility for our decision and its consequences, and, with those who disseminate the news, to ensure that Americans are fully informed of those consequences.
There is no valid reason for Sinclair to shirk its responsibility in what I assume is a very misguided attempt to prevent your viewers from completely appreciating the extraordinary sacrifices made on their behalf by Americans serving in Iraq. War is an awful, but sometimes necessary business. Your decision to deny your viewers an opportunity to be reminded of war's terrible costs, in all their heartbreaking detail, is a gross disservice to the public, and to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. It is, in short, sir, unpatriotic. I hope it meets with the public opprobrium it most certainly deserves.
And if you are interested, you can read more about right-wing agenda driven media presence here.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
At this time, I do think this bit of programming is in bad taste. It slights people in other areas, and possibly those that are yet to die. If nearer to the beginning of November I would call it politically motived. On whether the show was for or against the war effort the show needs to be seen.
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Cartman: "I can see both reasons for and against this kind of show, but as long as soldiers are dying daily, its all a bit premature."
It's premature for people to know the unadulterated truth? Namely that the war in and occupation of Iraq aren't as clean and neat and spotless as BushAd would have them believe? Premature because the deaths havent stopped: all this does (besides pander to those that already oppose the war) is to briefly mention a name and not mention none of the person.
They'll re-run this to death as casualties mount and conviently avoid all the living breathing servicemen/women that know they're making a real diffrence (regardless of how botched the whole operation is becoming). [quote] Originally posted by Jay: [QB]I'm not na�ve enough to think that self-censorship doesn't happen all the time with our lap-dog press corps, but there is more than one way to look at this broadcast, and it's just plain wrong for Sinclair Broadcast Group to make that decision for 24% of America.
How exactly is it making any decision for 24% of america? You think that 24% of America would actually be watching Nightline? That figure is just the percentage of americans served by Sinclair: not the actual Nightline viewers. That's literally millions upon millions more viewers than Nightline is likely to ever draw on any night.
There's the potential to deprive those viewers from seeing the broadcast, but if all those millions really wanted to see the program, Sinclair would have to bow to the viewer demand or forfit an incredible marketshare and really piss off his advertisers that paid to run their commercials on Nightline.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
That's quite the hoop you put up for yourself to jump through.
It's abundantly clear that not very viewer allegedly served by Sinclair would have watched the show. What's more, no one ever made that claim.
What IS clear is that Sinclair made a decision for the people it allegedly serves so that NO ONE can watch the program.
That's roughly 24% of the population they decided can't make up their own minds whether or not they want to watch the show. Even if they never watched it ever in their lives, Sinclair made the decision for them.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Actually, you made that claim by stating that Sinclair "and it's just plain wrong for Sinclair Broadcast Group to make that decision for 24% of America." when in fact it's likely less than one tenth of one pf those 24% at best.
Splitting hairs...I agree that their deciding not to broadcast this sets a bad precedent but it's highlighting the underlying problem that the FCC has allowed this kind of unfair semi-monopolization of television.
At the same time though, it's their station and it's their right to air something else instead of programming that might be deemed offensive by the programming department- people actually paid to forecast audience reactions.
Should there be more choices for news coverage? Sure! Dozens in fact! Oh wait, there are!
Th rollcall of the fallen soldiers is not cassified info or anything and a simple search will yield numerous stories on the people that have died.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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