October 12, 200422 yr The Democratic Party is to launch a legal challenge to try to stop a major US television company airing a critique of presidential candidate John Kerry. Figures within the party have branded the decision to show a 45-minute film about John Kerry's Vietnam war record as "blatantly partisan". Democrats now plan to file a federal complaint against Sinclair TV, which owns or manages 62 television stations. The company intends to show the film just two weeks before polling day. The documentary - Stolen Honour: Wounds That Never Heal - highlights Mr Kerry's role as an anti-war activist upon his return from active service in Vietnam. In the film former US prisoners of war allege that Mr Kerry's testimony to Congress in 1971 prompted their captors to delay their release. Republican mouthpiece? Sinclair TV has asked the 62 stations, many of which broadcast in key battleground states, to suspend regular programming and show the documentary. The company insists the film is part of regular news coverage and said that John Kerry has been invited to debate the issues raised in the film. The BBC's Jill McGivering in Washington says the issue has renewed debate about the control of the US media and the political influence of major broadcasting groups. The family running Sinclair TV has a history of supporting the Republicans. Democrats have accused the company of acting as a mouthpiece for the campaign to re-elect President George W Bush. The Democratic National Committee is to petition the Federal Election Committee to classify the film an "illegal in-kind contribution" to the Republican campaign. In a letter to the Federal Communication Commission, 18 Democratic senators branded the documentary "blatantly partisan". The Democrats are not thought likely to obtain a ruling in time to stop the broadcast. Supporters of President Bush argue that film-maker Michael Moore used his hit cinema release Fahrenheit 9/11 to urge Americans to vote for Mr Kerry. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3737956.stm You don't see republicans suing Michael Moore .
October 12, 200422 yr You don't see republicans suing Michael Moore 589926[/snapback] conservative author Ray Bradbury, for a reason not nearly as complicated or controversial as this.
October 12, 200422 yr I don't think Sinclair should be airing this and I personally hope they are stopped or stripped of election press rights just as CBS should be for airing false information on the President. Unless everything in this "movie" can be proven to be facts and in accordance with the McCain-Feingold Election Reform Acts, they should be stripped of the right and labeled as electioneering like CBS should be.
October 13, 200422 yr Difference is there was a Bush representative refuting all of those allegation. CBS gave them the chance to speak and refute lies. Sinclair is not affording this opportunity. There are veterans out there who say these vets are plain and simple lying.
October 13, 200422 yr Sinclair offered to let Kerry and representatives be on the round table after the movie. He turned it down.
October 13, 200422 yr Sinclair offered to let Kerry and representatives be on the round table after the movie. 590189[/snapback] What a guy.
October 13, 200422 yr I am strongly against them showing this video on cable TV. They should at the least only show it on PPV or limited theatres.
October 13, 200422 yr Difference is there was a Bush representative refuting all of those allegation. CBS gave them the chance to speak and refute lies. Sinclair is not affording this opportunity. There are veterans out there who say these vets are plain and simple lying. 590170[/snapback] Isn't "Free speech" grand! Damn skippy. Ain't no guarantees in the constitution about fairness. Since you defended and rationalized the dem draft lies, I presume you'll have no problem with this right? 590550[/snapback] What media outlet paid for the draft ads? You dont think media has a responsiblity to be fair? Ethics in media be gone is ok? See the difference...MEDIA...NON MEDIA....PRESS...SPEECH. Just answer this question for me since youre so keen on posing one question and demanding answers for days on end. Do you think media has a responsibility to be fair?
October 13, 200422 yr I had no problem with Sinclair showing whatever the hell they wanted. They could show doctored footage of Kerry clubbing baby seals as far as I'm concerned. They paid as a private entity for the FCC license and as such should have full license to air anything within the FCC guidelines... UNTIL... They "insisted it was part of regular news coverage." This is where the gray, murky line was crossed. Claiming it falls under under an umbrella of news credibility is intentionally misleading. This is worse than that ignorant, fat, loud-mouthed, lying no good sheep Michael Moore in that Moore, despite his claims of validity, didn't attempt to slap an additional veneer of credibility on his propoganda by claiming it an effort of newsgathering. And that's the sad part. Someone actually stooped so low as to undercut the shamless crap that Moore throws out there. God, that's bad.
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