Now This/Sinclair Broadcasting Group

[yeahwho]

Up to 62 television stations owned or managed by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group - many of them in swing states - will show a documentary highly critical of Senator John Kerry's antiwar activities 30 years ago within the next two weeks, Sinclair officials said yesterday.

Those officials said the documentary would pre-empt regular night programming, including prime time, on its stations, which include affiliates for all six of the major broadcast networks in the swing states of Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and Pennsylvania.


http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200410 %5CCUL20041011c.html

[Grasshopper]

that is some fucked up repugnant bullshit. (n)

there is no way to doubt the political motive. I see propaganda.

Furthermore, the 'show' will be presented commercial free.

At least you had to choose to pay to watch Michael Moore's
movie.

This 'show' will be aired on regular ole TV stations.

There is something seriously wrong with this country. :mad: :mad:

[ASsman]

There's your liberal media, you conservative ball licking twats. Where are these idiots when they really to read something. e.g Adam F

[infidel]

If Sinclair continues on this course I have no doubt F-911 will be on free TV the week before the election. Moore has said he's already made his money and now just wants everyone to see it.

[ASsman]

He should fly around in a helicopter dropping DVDs with little parachutes.

[cookiepuss]

Even if they suceed in airing the documentary I don't think it's going to hurt Kerry that badly. So he was an activist when he came back from Nam. SO WHAT. Alot of soliders did the same thing. Most of my friends that were in the GULF war are now activist against war. Liberals are not going to forfiet thier vote for him because he was an activist, if anything more of them will applaude him. The only ones that are going to have a problem with his actions are the conservatives and they are ALREADY going to vote for Bush.

the liberals have ferenheit 9/11 and the convervatives have this little documentary. Let the mud slinging continue. no harm no foul. these are the rules of the game.

[yeahwho]

It's our FCC's job to monitor this type of blatant abuse. Seeing that FOX News is still considered news rather than entertainment for billionaires and broke dumbshits, I have little faith in them doing anything about regular programming being pre-empted for this.

On a good note, an email campaign has targeted the advertising interests of Sinclair BG, Sylvan Learning Center has pulled their ads. Heres hoping other business' following suit.

http://www.boycottsbg.com/advertisers/
http://www.opednews.com/kall_101204_sinclair.htm
http://www.mediachannel.org/

[cookiepuss]

unfortunately the FCC's main concern is to make sure the american public doesn't see any female nipples exposed and that kids on south park don't get away with saying an unbleeped "fuck" on the air. They are there to enforce the rules and regulations of broadcasting and to censor. they are not responsible for deeming certain programs propaganda, though maybe they should be. they aren't even responsible for cases of slander--those battles are left for the american legal system. the FCC's only job it to regulate standards for broadcasting. They are not a true watchdog of the media.

Watchdogs of the media are independent news sources and flimmakers like Michael Moore. It is the watchdogs who blow the whistle on propaganda and slants in the media.

[drobertson420]

Sinclair also offered Kerry EQUAL amount of airtime to Answer...90 minutes...Damn! :p

[jegtar]

MM should have just released his movie free in the first place, he was already stinkin' rich.

[D_Raay]

unfortunately the FCC's main concern is to make sure the american public doesn't see any female nipples exposed and that kids on south park don't get away with saying an unbleeped "fuck" on the air. They are there to enforce the rules and regulations of broadcasting and to censor. they are not responsible for deeming certain programs propaganda, though maybe they should be. they aren't even responsible for cases of slander--those battles are left for the american legal system. the FCC's only job it to regulate standards for broadcasting. They are not a true watchdog of the media.

Watchdogs of the media are independent news sources and flimmakers like Michael Moore. It is the watchdogs who blow the whistle on propaganda and slants in the media.
You know, when I read about this whole thing it got my blood boiling. Reason being is that there are bound to be inaccuracies and exaggerations and the media will then hold a key to the election. How big of a key I don't know but, they shouldn't have the option. So, will they pounce on these inaccuracies and report it on their loop 24/7 like they choose to do with other such stories (i.e. Rather, Bush's scowls) or will they deem it a non story?

[yeahwho]

MM should have just released his movie free in the first place, he was already stinkin' rich.

MM is more than willing to do this, he has tried, that is why he bowed out of the Academy award race, to get his documentry on TV.

His distibutors have rights to this film. They also were willing to risk all (unlike Miramax) on a political film. With those risks taken, come profits, they are in the business to make a profit.

Really, go to MM.com, he has a whole statement about this affair. Been there for a few months now. Plus most major media outlets.

Michael Moore would if he could, he has tried, but in reality, business is business and when you sign that contract you are obligated.

PS It is the very ability to use mainstream media outlets to produce his films that make them readily available to a major public. He is being very coy in how he directs his films. It is a tightwire act to even get a news story on the air that takes a different look at this administration. Scary Shit.


PPS Are you saying MM should not be rich?

[ASsman]

It is the American Dream.

[jegtar]

MM is more than willing to do this, he has tried, that is why he bowed out of the Academy award race, to get his documentry on TV.

His distibutors have rights to this film. They also were willing to risk all (unlike Miramax) on a political film. With those risks taken, come profits, they are in the business to make a profit.

Really, go to MM.com, he has a whole statement about this affair. Been there for a few months now. Plus most major media outlets.

Michael Moore would if he could, he has tried, but in reality, business is business and when you sign that contract you are obligated.

PS It is the very ability to use mainstream media outlets to produce his films that make them readily available to a major public. He is being very coy in how he directs his films. It is a tightwire act to even get a news story on the air that takes a different look at this administration. Scary Shit.


PPS Are you saying MM should not be rich?

I was saying he doesn't need the money. He could have made the movie as an independent and released it on TV like these guys in charge of the Kerry documentry. Moore released his movie like this: Theater then DVD then Pay Per View and (maybe) TV. He could have made a much bigger impact on the election if it went from his hands to a TV station and he said "show it all you want". That's what the right-wingers are doing.

[yeahwho]

I was saying he doesn't need the money. He could have made the movie as an independent and released it on TV like these guys in charge of the Kerry documentry. Moore released his movie like this: Theater then DVD then Pay Per View and (maybe) TV. He could have made a much bigger impact on the election if it went from his hands to a TV station and he said "show it all you want". That's what the right-wingers are doing.

I understand what your saying. And I agree to a point. This Moore film is working though.

Moore is using mainstream distributers, he is playing the game the right way. There are better movies about 9/11 out there than his, Hijacking Catastrophe, for example.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/fahrenheit_911_for_grownups.php
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419806/

It will never get the attention of Moores movie because they don't have the distributership. Lions Gate has put him on the map, they picked up the slack from Miramax and legitimized this important movie. I applaud the fact that he is using all the correct channels, if he didn't, his films would not get any attention.

When this film was released it scared the shit out of Republicans. Hijacking Catastrophe isn't even on the radar. Here is what Moore has said.....

He has his eyes on broadcast TV, where a wider American audience is ripe for the viewing. To do this, Moore will have to sacrifice his bid for a Best Documentary nod, since under Academy rules documentaries are ineligible for Oscar consideration if aired on television or the Internet within nine months of their theatrical release.

'If there is even the remotest of chances that I can get this film seen by a few million more Americans before election day,' Moore said, 'then that is more important to me than winning another documentary Oscar. I have already won a Best Documentary statue. Having a second one would be nice, but not as nice as getting this country back in the hands of the majority.'

Lions Gate is really who should be contacted, I'm sure it is out of his hands, but many are trying to do what they can.

http://www.opednews.com/wade_101004_moore_letter.htm

[paulk]

This is a non-issue compared with the GARGANTUAN campaign contributions to both Bush and Kerry (in the form of free airtime) made by the numerous networks that aired the closed, private debates. And the fact that the public universities that hosted the private debates used public monies to do so. This shit be wack for real.