Press Release
Sinclair backpedals under weight of public pressure
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Washington - Sinclair today responded to public opposition to their plans to air an anti-Kerry documentary days before the election by denying they ever intended to air it.
Thousands of citizens protested Sinclair's plans as an abuse of the public airwaves. "Citizens have roundly rejected the use of a broadcast station to insert bias into election coverage," said Free Press executive director Josh Silver. "It is unacceptable for the owners of broadcast stations to use the public airwaves to advocate for the candidate they support."
Pressure has been mounting on Sinclair for days, with financial analysts projecting that the controversy would hurt Sinclair's lobbying efforts to lift media ownership caps -- as well as the company's stock values, which are at a 52-week low. Shareholders have reacted aggressively to Sinclair's actions, perceiving that their investment in the integrity of this publicly licensed broadcaster has been undermined.
In a thinly veiled attempt at damage control, Sinclair claimed Tuesday that they never intended to air 'Stolen Honor,' and announced plans to air a one-hour news program entitled "A POW story: Politics, Pressure, and the Media." The program will feature extended clips from 'Stolen Honor.' It is unclear to what extent this program will carry a one-sided message.
"We will watch with great skepticism to see that 'A POW Story' is not a wolf in sheep's clothing," continued Silver. "We must continue to hold all broadcasters accountable for airing accurate, balanced presentations of the issues from both sides of this presidential race."
Despite this latest twist, as of 6:30pm EST October 19, several local affiliates in swing states (including WVAH in Charleston, WV; WTTA 38 in Tampa, FL; KMWB 23 in Minneapolis, MN; WPGH 53 in Pittsburgh, PA; WSTR 64 in Cincinnati, OH; and WSYX 6 in Columbus, OH) still have "Stolen Honor" listed to air this week.
Thousands of citizens protested Sinclair's plans as an abuse of the public airwaves. "Citizens have roundly rejected the use of a broadcast station to insert bias into election coverage," said Free Press executive director Josh Silver. "It is unacceptable for the owners of broadcast stations to use the public airwaves to advocate for the candidate they support."
Pressure has been mounting on Sinclair for days, with financial analysts projecting that the controversy would hurt Sinclair's lobbying efforts to lift media ownership caps -- as well as the company's stock values, which are at a 52-week low. Shareholders have reacted aggressively to Sinclair's actions, perceiving that their investment in the integrity of this publicly licensed broadcaster has been undermined.
In a thinly veiled attempt at damage control, Sinclair claimed Tuesday that they never intended to air 'Stolen Honor,' and announced plans to air a one-hour news program entitled "A POW story: Politics, Pressure, and the Media." The program will feature extended clips from 'Stolen Honor.' It is unclear to what extent this program will carry a one-sided message.
"We will watch with great skepticism to see that 'A POW Story' is not a wolf in sheep's clothing," continued Silver. "We must continue to hold all broadcasters accountable for airing accurate, balanced presentations of the issues from both sides of this presidential race."
Despite this latest twist, as of 6:30pm EST October 19, several local affiliates in swing states (including WVAH in Charleston, WV; WTTA 38 in Tampa, FL; KMWB 23 in Minneapolis, MN; WPGH 53 in Pittsburgh, PA; WSTR 64 in Cincinnati, OH; and WSYX 6 in Columbus, OH) still have "Stolen Honor" listed to air this week.
