# Nightline preemption: I pit the Sinclair Group **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 30, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842 "2004-04-30T13:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/21 "2004-05-01T00:15:49Z")
While this is certianly within their rights to do, it’s yet another troubling sign of an increasingly fragmented public discourse, and a focus on partisan infighting being the be all and end all of far too much. What’s really dishonest here, though, is their claim that Nightline is focusing on just one negative aspect of the war. That’s disingenous in two respects. First, Nightline has aired countless segments exploring all facets of the war. They’ve run plenty of shows about all the great things happening in the rebuilding of Iraq, about life after Saddam, about what the soldier’s lives are like, etc. To imply that they are giving a one-sided account by only focusing on the fallen tonight is outrageous. Secondly, from the pre-clips of the show, it’s pretty far from a negative or anti-war piece. It refers to their deaths as a great sacrifice. It features people who are proud of what their children did. From Sinclair’s lying diatribe, you’d think that it insults the soldiers or belittles their sacrifice. But on the contrary: it places all the soldiers in positions of great honor, lionies them, calls them heros, etc. About the worst things it says are things like “families have to face the terrible cost” and other standard boilerplate that even FoxNews approved programs air all the time. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/22 "2004-05-01T00:58:56Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I wonder when you are going to stop ripping off my entry almost verbatim (except for a few Mad-Lib-like insertions of your own to support your specious argument). That was the point you idiot. > [@NDP](#): > > (Sorry, about that. I just remembered that I don’t feed trolls.) You just did. Idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/23 "2004-05-01T01:16:10Z")
> [@furt](#): > > ABC’s asinine attempt to highlight one of the more unpleasant aspects of war (i.e., people get killed) unfortunately seems to reflect an attitude that’s not uncommon among opponents of the Iraqi War. Every so often in my local newspaper, some left-wing crank with too much time on his or her hands writes a letter chiding it for putting war casualty stories on a back page instead of putting them on the front page where they’re more likely to undermine support for the war against terrorism. I used to believe viewpoints like this were the province of just a few jingoistic idiots who were deliberately trying to ignore the larger reality that many thousands more people people died under a cruel dictatorship and demanding that everyone else do the same. Sadly, it seems ABC also insists on imposing this “know-nothing” attitude on its TV viewers. > > I wonder if Ted Koppel will read the names of those put into mass graves in the last six months of Hussein. Of course not; he only has a half-hour. While using an opponent’s words against him can be an elegant and effective debate tactic, it works a lot better when it actually makes sense. What newspaper on the planet would EVER shove war casualty stories to a hidden corner of the paper? This is the industry that lives by the credo, “If it bleeds, it leads.” And you should have changed “know-nothing” to something like “know-too-much.” In your parody, ABC is not trying to suppress anything. Plus, jingoism is generally not a fault of the left wing, but the right. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/24 "2004-05-01T01:19:22Z")
> [@JamesCarroll](#): > > > [@NPD](#): > > > > (Sorry, about that. I just remembered that I don’t feed trolls.) > > You just did. > Idiot. So, let me get this straight. You’re admiting you’re a troll? ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/25 "2004-05-01T01:23:06Z")
The Sinclair Respose: > [@](#): > > The ABC Television Network announced on Tuesday that the Friday, April 30 edition of “Nightline” will consist entirely of Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq. Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq. > > There is no organization that holds the members of our military and those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country in higher regard than Sinclair Broadcast Group. While Sinclair would support an honest effort to honor the memory of these brave soldiers, we do not believe that is what “Nightline” is doing. Rather, Mr. Koppel and “Nightline” are hiding behind this so-called tribute in an effort to highlight only one aspect of the war effort and in doing so to influence public opinion against the military action in Iraq. Based on published reports, we are aware of the spouse of one soldier who died in Iraq who opposes the reading of her husband’s name to oppose our military action. We suspect she is not alone in this viewpoint. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of "Nightline’ this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming. > > We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, we believe you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday. Unfortunately, we may never know for sure because Mr. Koppel has refused repeated requests from Sinclair’s News Central news organization to comment on this Friday’s program. And to Sen McCain’s letter: > [@](#): > > Dear Senator McCain: > > I am writing to respond to your letter to me regarding Sinclair Broadcast Group’s decision not to air this evening’s episode of “Nightline.” > > Let me begin by saying that no organization more fully supports our military than Sinclair. In no way was our decision intended to show any disrespect to the brave members of our military, particularly those who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country. To the contrary, our decision was based on a desire to stop the misuse of their sacrifice to support an anti-war position with which most, if not all, of these soldiers would not have agreed. > > Senator McCain, together with you, I also support the President’s decision to go to war in Iraq. Moreover, while I don’t disagree that Americans need to understand the costs of war and sacrifices of our military volunteers, I firmly believe that responsible journalism requires that a discussion of these costs must necessarily be accompanied by a description of the benefits of military action and the events that precipitated that action. To those who would accuse Sinclair of censorship, we ask that they consider the daily decisions of network shows like “Nightline” as to what issues to cover and how they are to be presented, decisions that necessarily involve ignoring other issues and points of view that the networks choose not to present to the American public. > > Sinclair’s news coverage during the last year has reported on all aspects of the war in Iraq, including the tragic loss of lives of military combatants. In fact, we will be replacing “Nightline” this evening with a balanced report addressing both sides of this controversy. It is worth noting that “Nightline” and its host, Ted Koppel, have ignored repeated requests from Sinclair to comment on their decision regarding the content of tonight’s program. > > It is “Nightline’s” failure to present the entire story, however, to which Sinclair objects. “Nightline” is not reporting news; it is doing nothing more than making a political statement. In simply reading the names of our fallen heroes, this program has adopted a strategy employed by numerous anti-war demonstrators who wish to focus attention solely on the cost of war. In fact, lest there be any doubt about “Nightline’s” motivation, both Mr. Koppel and “Nightline’s” executive producer have acknowledged that tonight’s episode was influenced by the Life Magazine article listing the names of dead soldiers in Vietnam, which article was widely credited with furthering the opposition to the Vietnam war and with creating a backlash of public opinion against the members of the U.S. military who had proudly served in that conflict > In closing, I would like to quote for you the words of Captain Kate Blaise of the U.S. Military. Captain Blaise served in Iraq as a member of the 101st Airborne Division and suffered the loss of her husband Mike who was killed while also serving in Iraq. In commenting on exactly the type of practice which “Nightline” intends to employ, Captain Blaise had this to say: > > “I was watching the news, watching this anti-war demonstration and they were reading off names of soldiers who had fallen in Iraq and they read off my husband’s name. That made me very angry because he very strongly believed in what he was doing and they were using his name for a purpose that he would not have approved of.” > I hope that this letter has adequately addressed your concerns and explained why Sinclair has taken this action. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you in greater detail. In addition, if you are available, we would be delighted to provide you with a chance to be part of our program this evening discussing this issue. > Sincerely yours, > David D. Smith Frankly, while I don’t agree with the way that they’re doing it, I think its really hypocritical of some to deny this company the same rights that you give to Koppel. As the response says, the media COULD read the thouasands of names of the WTC dead. But they don’t. The media could plaster the front page with stories of newly opened schools and hospitals, or tell the stories of those totrured by Saddam. But they don’t. Most, if not all, of the “news” coming out of Iraq is negative. And anyone who thinks that the only happening in Iraq is what they read is just as stupid as the Sinclair Group. Frankly, it’s time to realize that, just like the Sinclair Group, all media is controlled by people with certain biases and that those biases affect what many people hold to be Truth. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/26 "2004-05-01T01:28:42Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > So, let me get this straight. You’re admiting you’re a troll? No, that remark was to chastize NPD for feeding furt. Try to keep up. Obviously “big” doesn’t refer to your brain. The “girl” part is between you and your “life partner” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/27 "2004-05-01T01:36:10Z")
> [@JamesCarroll](#): > > No, that remark was to chastize NPD for feeding furt. > Try to keep up. Thanks for the clarification, jackass. > [@JamesCarroll](#): > > Obviously “big” doesn’t refer to your brain. > > The “girl” part is between you and your “life partner” Yes. Right. Carry on showing everyone how right you are with your clear points and witty observations. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/28 "2004-05-01T01:47:11Z")
> [@JamesCarroll](#): > > As the response says, the media COULD read the thouasands of names of the WTC dead. But they don’t. [http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/30/koppel/](http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/30/koppel/) > [@Ted Koppell](#): > > And it ignores the fact that we have done any number of programs in tribute to the people who have died on 9/11. > > And ABC News as a whole has done live coverage of the reading of the names of the people who died on 9/11. I’m not quite sure what he’s saying. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/29 "2004-05-01T01:51:49Z")
> [@Johnny G](#): > > More coverup. > And David D. Smith, head of Sinclair, was arrested in 1996 for prostitution. Family Values indeed. Can I get a cite on that? Oh, wait. It’s you. Never mind. So it seems the Sinclair group has an agenda. I don’t think that’s anything to get up in arms about. They can choose to broadcast whatever they wish (within the FCC regs), or choose not to. Yeah, it’s stupid and probably will end up biting them on the ass in the end, but that’s the free market. If some liberal group wants to to do the same thing, well more power to them. It’s not like they are the only source of programming available to us. We can choose to go to their competitors. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/30 "2004-05-01T02:08:58Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Thanks for the clarification, jackass. > Yes. Right. Carry on showing everyone how right you are with your clear points and witty observations. Just fighting ignorance babydoll. Let me know if you need help with any of the big words in my next post. ---
**Author:** ![trey\_goesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@trey\_goesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trey_goesh)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/31 "2004-05-01T02:26:45Z")
i’m trying to figure out why it was a show of support for the families of the 9-11 bombing to use the ruins in a presidential ad, but it is disrespecting of killed soldiers families to hold a roll call so that we can know of theri lost ones valor, and share in their grief. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/32 "2004-05-01T02:28:14Z")
> [@JamesCarroll](#): > > I think its really hypocritical of some to deny this company the same rights that you give to Koppel. Koppel is delivering news. Sinclair is censoring it. Huge difference. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/33 "2004-05-01T02:29:33Z")
According to some, it’s now almost treason to honor our dead. Too bad those “some” own so many TV stations. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/34 "2004-05-01T02:40:12Z")
> [@JamesCarroll](#): > > Just fighting ignorance babydoll. > > Let me know if you need help with any of the big words in my next post. Would it by chance happen to deal with the reading of the names of the victims of 9/11 on ABC TV news? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/35 "2004-05-01T02:45:40Z")
> [@Dan Norder](#): > > Koppel is delivering news. Sinclair is censoring it. Huge difference. No, they are refusing to air a program. That news is available in many other sources in a variety of media. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/36 "2004-05-01T02:53:09Z")
> [@furt](#): > > ABC’s asinine attempt to highlight one of the more unpleasant aspects of war (i.e., people get killed) unfortunately seems to reflect an attitude that’s not uncommon among opponents of the Iraqi War. Every year on Memorial Day my hometown’s American Legion reads off a list of all of the veterans who have died in the last year, as well as all of those who were killed in action in any of our wars. Is the Legion post “asinine”? ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/37 "2004-05-01T02:53:34Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > No, they are refusing to air a program. That news is available in many other sources in a variety of media. While not being a violation of the First Amendment and its definition of government censorship, I find it difficult to not consider it censorship in any form. Not that censorship of this kind is bad on its face, but it **is** censorship. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/38 "2004-05-01T03:09:03Z")
From Sinclair’s response: > [@](#): > > We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. Now that we are aware that Sinclair didn’t do their homework (on Koppel’s previous tributes to the victims of September 11 _and_ on the number of troops killed), may we judge their decision now? > [@](#): > > In his answer, we believe you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday. I don’t think that Ted Koppel has made any great secret of _Nightline’s_ motives. He was forthcoming about what inspired the idea. What I find most interesting is that the factual information is considered anti-Bush policy. Heaven help us when people begin to see truth as “propoganda.” ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/39 "2004-05-01T03:28:11Z")
[QUOTE=JamesCarroll] The media could plaster the front page with stories of newly opened schools and hospitals, or tell the stories of those totrured by Saddam. But they don’t. [QUOTE] You’re full of it, because Nightline has done programs on precisely those things. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842/40 "2004-05-01T04:25:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by NDP > I wonder when you are going to stop ripping off my entry almost verbatim (except for a few Mad-Lib-like insertions of your own to support your specious argument). > > Originally Posted by JamesCarroll > That was the point you idiot. I was aware of that. However, as Snooooopy pointed out, Furt’s attempt to turn my words against me was “sloppy”, shallow and not germane to the topic of this thread (i.e., the Sinclair Group’s decision not to air Nightline). > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by NDP > (Sorry, about that. I just remembered that I don’t feed trolls.) > > Originally Posted by JamesCarroll > You just did. > Idiot. Look, as much as I might be tempted \*[feeling hostility towards JamesCarroll building, holds breath and counts to ten] , \* I won’t insult you back because I try to maintain some decorum on the internet \*[begins chanting “Serenity now” to suppress anger]. \* If I was feeding a troll, I’m sorry but it was just an impulsive response on my part that I’ll try to avoid in the future _[with clenched teeth, resists urge to tell JamesCarroll to commit a physically impossible carnal act]._ Let’s just agree to disagree and be more polite to one another from this point on _[abruptly pulls himself away from the computer and storms across the room to go punch a hole in the wall]._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nightline-preemption-i-pit-the-sinclair-group/242842.md?page=3)