Sinclair: The People Respond, but WE NEED YOU TOO!
So Sinclair’s decision has nothing to do with anything about Kerry’s service. The fact is that Sinclair is a sinking corporation. It can only survive by gobbling up more TV stations - getting a corner on the market. In the old days, this would be akin to a ‘trust’, which Teddy Roosevelt would have busted.
Simply put, if Bush wins, Sinclair knows the FCC rules would permit more media consolidation. If Kerry wins, they know the FCC will clamp down to prevent this.
So they call this propaganda ‘news’ when they’re trying to swing the election to save their own asses.
The question is: how many corporate advertisers are willing to take a hit to save Sinclair, and how many will understand that the hit of all Democrats boycotting their products could be huge?
From USA Today:
But many believe Sinclair’s provocative decision shows how much the company has riding on the election.
With its heavy concentration of Fox and WB affiliates, ranking in the middle of the pack in mostly midsize markets, Sinclair is barely profitable and laden with debt. It had a net profit of $14 million on revenue of $739 million in 2003.
Sinclair hopes to change that by solidifying its hold on local markets by controlling, for example, two stations in more cities and sharing operating and news-gathering costs. But it needs the federal government to relax several media ownership restrictions.
Sinclair wants officials to permit a company to own two or more stations in more communities than allowed now. It also wants the FCC to ease a restriction that bars a company from owning TV stations reaching more than 35% of all homes, and to lift the rule that keeps companies from owning newspapers and TV stations in most markets.
That’s where the parties part ways. FCC Chairman Michael Powell, a Republican, has made media deregulation a priority, although many of the FCC’s rule changes are tangled in court.
Kerry says he’ll clamp down on changes that promote consolidation.
Here’s the advertisers starting to pull out:
First Reported Success
benjamin sent in this reponse from Chesrown Pontiac Buick GMC in Columbus, OH:
Hi Benjamin,
We are pulling our advertising business with Fox/ABC for the time being.
Thanks for your concern.
Ryan Gill
Internet Sales Manager
Chesrown Pontiac Buick GMC
Sylvan Learning Center pulls ads
Anti-Defamation League reports Holocaust analogy comments by Sinclair (another reason to complain LOUDLY! (ADL Letter )
The complete advertiser list mirrored on Kos.
Realtors pull ads in Columbus, OH.
The DNC has listed phone numbers to every Sinclair affiliate.
FCC Commissioner Copps sends a public statement about Sinclair.
Carroll’s furniture in MN pulls out
Oliver Willis points out Sinclair has a subsidiary that recently profited from the war.
But the deal is we need people calling advertisers LOCALLY rather than the national chains, as this will have the greatest impact fastest.
So go join in at Daily Kos, read updates at Talking Points Memo and Atrios (who reminds us to be polite and firm. And use the dropdown box to find an affiliate near you!
There are many blogs reporting on this but these three handle the traffic best and Kos and Josh seem to be leading the charge. GET INVOLVED!
October 12th, 2004 at 7:42 pm
AH! The light bulb turns ON! I hadn’t realized that Sinclair owned so many Fox and WB affiliates, and that it was so important to their survival to be allowed to increase their holdings. (I thought they owned ABC affiliated channels.)
However, I did start looking through their TV listings, and it appears they also own some stations that are not WB or Fox.
I think Sinclair ought to be exhibit A for the argument about media conglomeration. Sure, they’re no Viacom or Time-Warner, but it’s also clear that they’re hoping that a Republican controlled FCC will change the rules of the media business so they don’t have to live and die by free-market conditions.
October 12th, 2004 at 8:39 pm
I think they own six ABC affiliates, but also many stations affiliated with Fox and WB.
October 12th, 2004 at 10:14 pm
Look Behind the Curtain, Pt. 2
By now I’m sure all of you have heard about Sinclair Broadcasting forcing all of its 62 local television stations to show the anti-Kerry documentary “Stolen Honor” before the presidential
October 13th, 2004 at 12:41 am
media stories about Sinclair, a photo of the clan, and some other info about Sinclair.
http://condi.topcities.com/sinclair/sinclairindex.htm
I even know David D. Smith’s residence and a few other facts. I’m not sure I’ll lay that out, but there’s enough here to chase a few avenues the Sinclair mob would not welcome.
But trace your own trails. There’s a lot above to look over.
norealname
October 13th, 2004 at 10:40 am
[blogwhoring] Pudentilla has a summary with links of the blogosphere’s coverage of the Sinclair scandal today. [/blogwhoring]
October 13th, 2004 at 12:33 pm
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/05/287287.shtml
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
David D. Smith, president and chief executive officer of Sinclair Broadcast Group, was arrested this week in his hometown of Baltimore and charged with a misdemeanor sex offense. Sinclair owns WPGH, the Fox affiliate in Pittsburgh, and programs most of WPTT.
The Baltimore Sun reported that Smith, 45, was arrested Tuesday night in an undercover sting at a downtown corner frequented by prostitutes.
On Thursday night, Sinclair issued a statement that Smith’s arrest was unrelated to company business and ‘’The company will continue to operate under the direction of its current management.'’
October 13th, 2004 at 9:59 pm
In the des moines Iowa listing there is a store called the art store,,, I have been informed by the owner he has withdrawn all advertising from KDSM the local sinclair group owned station.Do you know how to get him removed from the boycott list?
Also, here the local station is threatening advertisers with breeching contracts if they choose to pull ads
October 14th, 2004 at 1:55 am
Carol: I’ll quote your note, and will pass it on to other major bloggers. Thanks for both notices.
October 17th, 2004 at 9:17 am
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Kerry film stirs storm
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/10/16/loc_loc1chadv.html
LaRosa’s pulls ads from Channel 64 on day of ‘Stolen Honor’
By Gregory Korte and Cliff Peale
Enquirer staff writers
A Cincinnati television station is beginning to feel the heat from some viewers and advertisers upset about its parent company’s plans to air a documentary that accuses Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry of being a “willing accomplice” to communist North Vietnam during the war.
At least one advertiser has pulled its ads - if only for one day - over Sinclair Broadcast Group’s intention to air Stolen Honor at 9 p.m. Thursday on Channel 64.
ELECTION 2004
• Kerry film stirs storm
• Roundtable and a coney
• Fairfield levy opponent says his truck vandalized
• Senator keeps eye on economy
• Senate foes set to debate
• Dearborn to elect two commission newcomers
• Monroe tax issue on ballot
• Clooney ads deny he would raise Social Security taxes
• Election 2004 section
Friday, the Federal Communications Commission turned down a request by 18 Democratic senators to intervene and censor the program - or at least to demand “equal time” for the Kerry campaign. Channel 64 WSTR is one of 62 Sinclair-owned stations airing the program on different days next week.
“This is not a local program or a local decision,” said news manager Peter Janovas. He referred questions to station manager John Lawhead, who did not return a phone call.
Sinclair executives could not be reached. Calls to its Maryland headquarters are answered by a recording that calls the program a “special news event featuring the topic of Americans held as prisoners of war in Vietnam.”
“No offense to Channel 64, because they’re the tail that’s being wagged here, but when’s the last time they had a serious news program or news documentary?” said David P. Little, a Clifton activist and Democratic campaign manager who’s leading a local protest. “Can you imagine the outcry if they ran Fahrenheit 9/11 a week before the election?”
Pete Buscani, executive vice president at LaRosa’s Inc., said the pizzeria chain would not run ads on the day the movie is to air.
“Enough of our customers have told us they have concerns that I don’t want to be on the station that day,” Buscani said.
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E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com and cpeale@enquirer.com