Lauren Coletta, Common Cause"   Causenet@commoncause.org wrote:
Sinclair Broadcasting Crosses the Line
 Like all broadcasters who receive their public
 airwaves licenses for free from the government,
 Sinclair Broadcast Group ("Sinclair" or "SBG")
 promises to serve the public interest.  At the heart
 of that promise is the commitment to report the news
 as fairly as possible, and to air diverse points of
 view on issues of national and local importance.
 Airing the anti-Kerry documentary, Stolen Honor:
 Wounds that Never Heal, and billing it as "news" is
 not fair, and fails to provide viewers with the
 even-handed journalism that they deserve.
 SBG, one of the largest media companies in the
 country, plans to force its 62 local stations
(http://sbgweb2.sbgnet.com/business/television.shtml)
 to air the blatantly partisan film just days before
 the election.  This is a glaring example of the
 dangers of media consolidation.  The public airwaves
 should not be used by television executives to
 promote a partisan political agenda.  This action
 crosses a line and we are asking you to  join us
 today in sending a clear message to Sinclair to drop
 its current plans to peddle partisan propaganda to
 the American people in place of the balanced
 election and public affairs coverage we deserve:
 http://www.commoncause.org/sinclairaction
 Sinclair's irresponsible partisan behavior isn't
 new.  This is the same company that ordered its ABC affiliates not to
 air Ted Koppel's Nightline tribute to fallen soldiers because it
 deemed it too partisan.  This is the same company that together
 with its executives have given more than $250,000 to
 national political parties and federal candidates
 since 1997, nearly all of it to Republicans.
 Sinclair's partisan actions don't represent the best
 interests of the viewing audience or its
 shareholders, who have seen their stock plummet in
 recent months.  And given the proximity of the
 timing of the movie to Election Day and the reach of
 SBG owned stations, Sinclair's decision to air this
 documentary may also raise questions about whether
 this constitutes an illegal corporate gift to the
 Bush campaign.
 
Also troubling is the fact that Sinclair reportedly
 is giving its 62 stations no choice in whether to
 air the controversial documentary.  This is one of
 the key flaws of concentrated media ownership:
 Sinclair, headquartered in Maryland, gets to dictate programming for
 communities in North Carolina, Ohio and Florida and across the United
 States.
 
Sinclair's plans reinforce the need for the Federal Communications
 Commission to place restrictions on media concentration and to define
 in specific terms what broadcast licensees must do to serve the public
 interest

(http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=192076).
 When media conglomerates with political agendas
 decide what constitutes "news" for the American
 public, true democratic discourse is threatened.
 While presenting political opinion is a right that
 we all have, using the power of the media to
 influence an election under the guise of news goes
beyond the bounds of responsible media ownership.
  
Please contact Sinclair today:
 
http://www.commoncause.org/sinclairaction
 
After you have contacted SBG share with us on our
 blog (http://www.commonblog.com/) what kind of
 responses you are getting from your local area
 Sinclair stations.  Your comments and feedback are
 crucial to us as we are continuing to track this
 story and figure out more ways to exert citizen
 pressure on SBG to drop its current plans.
 Thank you again for all you do.
 Sincerely,
 Lauren Coletta  Director of Campaigns: Common Cause

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