Posted on 10/11/2004 12:53:07 PM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
WASHINGTON -- The Democratic Party and 18 senators are objecting to a broadcasting company's plan to air on 62 TV stations a critical documentary about John Kerry's anti-war activities after he returned home from Vietnam three decades ago.
Sinclair Broadcast Group has asked its television stations - many of them in competitive states in the presidential election - to pre-empt regular programming to run some or all of the documentary as part of an hourlong program two weeks before the Nov. 2 election.
The company owns or manages affiliates of major broadcast networks in several states, including Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Mark Hyman, a vice president of corporate relations for Sinclair, said Monday the show would contain some or all of the 42-minute film as well as a panel discussion of some sort. He said final details had not been worked out.
Called ``Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal,'' the documentary chronicles Kerry's testimony before Congress and links him to activist and actress Jane Fonda. It includes interviews with Vietnam prisoners of war and their wives.
``The documentary is just a part of a special news event that we're putting together. We've invited one person to be a guest. That's Senator John Kerry,'' Hyman said.
The Democratic National Committee planned to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission contending that Sinclair's airing of the film should be considered an illegal in-kind contribution to President Bush's campaign.
Also, 18 Democratic senators sent a letter to the Federal Communication Commission on Monday asking that it investigate whether Sinclair's plan was an improper use of public airwaves.
``To allow a broadcasting company to air such a blatantly partisan attack in lieu of regular programming, and to classify that attack as 'news programming' as has been suggested, would violate the spirit, and we think the text, of current law and regulation,'' the letter said.
Hyman called the allegation ``absolutely absurd.''
``Would they suggest that our reporting a car bomb in Iraq is an in-kind contribution to the Kerry campaign? Would they suggest that our reporting on job losses is an in-kind contribution to the Kerry campaign?'' he said. ``It's the news. It is what it is. We're reporting the news.''
Carlton Sherwood, a Vietnam veteran and former journalist who made the film, said Monday that he felt the media had not explored the period of Kerry's life after he returned from Vietnam, including when he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about atrocities he and other soldiers witnessed.
``For 33 years, we've been saying that how Kerry portrayed us was utterly false. It was purgatory of the worst kind. It was slander,'' Sherwood said. ``But no one wanted to talk about it. Everybody ran for cover.''
Sherwood, based in Harrisburg, Pa., said the film took six weeks to make, and Sinclair contacted him last month upon the film's completion. He said he was told last week of the company's plans to run it.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander. We need to show support for Sinclair.
sounds like a good place for a email rule with "outrage" "Stolen Honor" and "Kerry" in the body going to File 13.
"The Democratic National Committee planned to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission contending that Sinclair's airing of the film should be considered an illegal in-kind contribution to President Bush's campaign."
But heck, Fahrenheit 911 isn't an in-kind contribution to fnKerry's campaign.
Do we know who the senators are?
The FEC can't make a ruling that fast!! Isn't that what they've been telling Bush about Michael Moore, etc.
We have Dan Rather to thank for paving the way: "It's not politics; it's news". (Wink, wink)
That is the best rebuttal I heard of this charge so far. I don't think it's an in-kind contribution because this movie DOES NOT promote George W Bush, nor does it say "Dont vote for Kerry". It just documents a period of his life when he protested the war.
I hope this hellraising about it continues, which I said from day one, because dems trying to shut it down will only drive the ratings this show gets up, and thus more voters will be exposed to the info.
Isnt Michael Moore-less going to show his film before the election?
WAAAAAA!!!!!
I believe he tried to but it is rated "R" so I think he's doing Pay-per-view
Mebbe they should send George Stephanopolous around to threaten all the networks...
The democrats can dish it out but they sure can't take it.
What a bunch of whinners.
Oh, but you must understand - Farenheit 9/11 is the "truth"!
The DUmmies are going bonkers over this. Total frothing frenzy. They know this will hurt kerry big time.
and to emphasize how nuts they are about the damage potential about 8/10 threads are about 'Sinclair'.
Personally, I don't think either Farenheit 9/11 or Stolen Honour should be allowed on TV before this election.
Both in their own way are a special form of propaganda and I believe democracy is not well served by either.
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