Sinclair Broadcast Group Gratified by NY Times Article - Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI)
Sinclair Broadcast Group - SBG - Gratified by NY Times Article
BALTIMORE (October 22, 2004) - Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI),
which has been vilified in many places regarding its decision to air a
special one-hour news program, entitled "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure
and the Media," was gratified to read an article published by the New York
Times newspaper on Thursday, October 21, 2004, advocating the broadcast of
the documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." This is
Sinclair's third news special of 2004. "Stolen Honor" will be discussed in
the Sinclair news special, but it was erroneous news reports indicating
that Sinclair intended to broadcast the documentary in its entirety which
set off a recent controversy.
In an Article entitled "An Outpouring of Pain, Channeled Via
Politics," New York Times television reviewer Alessandra Stanley opines
that it is "too bad" that Sinclair is not airing the entire documentary. In
fact, although Ms. Stanley's review of the film is far from completely
positive, she nonetheless expresses the view that "Stolen Honor" should not
be shown by Sinclair, but rather "should be shown in its entirety on all
the networks, cable stations and on public television." Sinclair is
pleased to note that the New York Times, which has generally been very
negative about Sinclair's plans in regard to this documentary, employs at
least one writer who continues to understand the importance of free speech
under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Further, an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal ("Sinclair and
Watergate") commented unfavorably on the attempts to influence the press
through a variety of pressure tactics, including threatened shareholder
litigation. While Sinclair, a staunch believer in the First Amendment,
appreciates the sentiment of the Journal's editorial stance, we take
exception with the inference that our failure to broadcast "Stolen Honor"
in its entirety resulted from our having "bent under enormous political
pressure." In fact, as noted in a separate article also in today's Wall
Street Journal, "Political Shows Prove Costly to Sinclair CEO," Sinclair
had never confirmed reports that it was planning to air the entire
documentary and actually posted a message on its corporate website stating,
"The program has not been videotaped and the exact format of this
unscripted event has not been finalized. Characterizations regarding the
content are premature and are based on ill-informed sources."
Sinclair's "A POW Story" is expected to include not only interviews
with the creator and some of the former POWs featured in the "Stolen Honor
documentary," but also interviews with Richard Klass, President of the
Veterans Institute for Security and Democracy, an organization which has
filed against Sinclair at the Federal Communications Commission, George
Butler, the director of the documentary "Going Upriver: The Long War of
John Kerry," considered a very favorable presentation of Senator Kerry's
war record, and Bobby Muller, a Viet Nam war veteran who the Kerry campaign
recommended Sinclair include in its news special.
The Sinclair news special will air this evening, October 22, 2004, on
the stations and at the times listed below.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., one of the largest and most
diversified television broadcasting companies, owns and operates, programs,
or provides sales services to 62 televisi WZTV Friday 10/22 7PM
Norfolk WTVZ Friday 10/22 8PM
Oklahoma City KOKH Friday 10/22 7PM
Paducah KBSI Friday 10/22 7PM
Pensacola/Mobile WEAR Friday 10/22 7PM
Peoria WYZZ Friday 10/22 7PM
Pittsburgh WPGH Friday 10/22 8PM
Portland WGME Friday 10/22 8PM
Raleigh WLFL Friday 10/22 8PM
Richmond WRLH Friday 10/22 8PM
Rochester WUHF Friday 10/22 8PM
Sacramento KOVR Friday 10/22 7PM
St. Louis KDNL Friday 10/22 7PM
San Antonio KABB Friday 10/22 7PM
Springfield, MA WGGB Friday 10/22 8PM
Springfield, IL WICS Friday 10/22 7PM
Syracuse WSYT Friday 10/22 8PM
Tallahassee WTWC Friday 10/22 8PM
Tampa WTTA Friday 10/22 8PM
Tri Cities WEMT Friday 10/22 8PM
BALTIMORE (October 22, 2004) - Sinclair Broadcast Group (Nasdaq: SBGI),
which has been vilified in many places regarding its decision to air a
special one-hour news program, entitled "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure
and the Media," was gratified to read an article published by the New York
Times newspaper on Thursday, October 21, 2004, advocating the broadcast of
the documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." This is
Sinclair's third news special of 2004. "Stolen Honor" will be discussed in
the Sinclair news special, but it was erroneous news reports indicating
that Sinclair intended to broadcast the documentary in its entirety which
set off a recent controversy.
In an Article entitled "An Outpouring of Pain, Channeled Via
Politics," New York Times television reviewer Alessandra Stanley opines
that it is "too bad" that Sinclair is not airing the entire documentary. In
fact, although Ms. Stanley's review of the film is far from completely
positive, she nonetheless expresses the view that "Stolen Honor" should not
be shown by Sinclair, but rather "should be shown in its entirety on all
the networks, cable stations and on public television." Sinclair is
pleased to note that the New York Times, which has generally been very
negative about Sinclair's plans in regard to this documentary, employs at
least one writer who continues to understand the importance of free speech
under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Further, an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal ("Sinclair and
Watergate") commented unfavorably on the attempts to influence the press
through a variety of pressure tactics, including threatened shareholder
litigation. While Sinclair, a staunch believer in the First Amendment,
appreciates the sentiment of the Journal's editorial stance, we take
exception with the inference that our failure to broadcast "Stolen Honor"
in its entirety resulted from our having "bent under enormous political
pressure." In fact, as noted in a separate article also in today's Wall
Street Journal, "Political Shows Prove Costly to Sinclair CEO," Sinclair
had never confirmed reports that it was planning to air the entire
documentary and actually posted a message on its corporate website stating,
"The program has not been videotaped and the exact format of this
unscripted event has not been finalized. Characterizations regarding the
content are premature and are based on ill-informed sources."
Sinclair's "A POW Story" is expected to include not only interviews
with the creator and some of the former POWs featured in the "Stolen Honor
documentary," but also interviews with Richard Klass, President of the
Veterans Institute for Security and Democracy, an organization which has
filed against Sinclair at the Federal Communications Commission, George
Butler, the director of the documentary "Going Upriver: The Long War of
John Kerry," considered a very favorable presentation of Senator Kerry's
war record, and Bobby Muller, a Viet Nam war veteran who the Kerry campaign
recommended Sinclair include in its news special.
The Sinclair news special will air this evening, October 22, 2004, on
the stations and at the times listed below.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., one of the largest and most
diversified television broadcasting companies, owns and operates, programs,
or provides sales services to 62 televisi WZTV Friday 10/22 7PM
Norfolk WTVZ Friday 10/22 8PM
Oklahoma City KOKH Friday 10/22 7PM
Paducah KBSI Friday 10/22 7PM
Pensacola/Mobile WEAR Friday 10/22 7PM
Peoria WYZZ Friday 10/22 7PM
Pittsburgh WPGH Friday 10/22 8PM
Portland WGME Friday 10/22 8PM
Raleigh WLFL Friday 10/22 8PM
Richmond WRLH Friday 10/22 8PM
Rochester WUHF Friday 10/22 8PM
Sacramento KOVR Friday 10/22 7PM
St. Louis KDNL Friday 10/22 7PM
San Antonio KABB Friday 10/22 7PM
Springfield, MA WGGB Friday 10/22 8PM
Springfield, IL WICS Friday 10/22 7PM
Syracuse WSYT Friday 10/22 8PM
Tallahassee WTWC Friday 10/22 8PM
Tampa WTTA Friday 10/22 8PM
Tri Cities WEMT Friday 10/22 8PM
