Keep Corporate Bias off Local News:  Take Back the Media from Sinclair Broadcasting 
MoveOn.Org, MediaMatters, Iowa Rapid Response

Please join us in the fight to take back our public airwaves from corporate special interests!

Before the election, we stopped Sinclair Broadcasting from airing an anti-Kerry hit piece.  Sinclair continues to interject partisan bias into local evening news reaching 1 in 4 homes.

Every night, Sinclair vice president Mark Hyman broadcasts a conservative rant - called "The Point" - which most of Sinclair's 62 stations are required to air during their local news. "The Point" predictably attacks Democrats and progressives while praising George Bush. No counterpoint is offered. This is an abuse of the public airwaves.

Our friends at Media Matters for America are spearheading a campaign to demand balance on Sinclair's evening news by telling Sinclair's advertisers about the partisanship they're supporting.

Can you contact Sinclair's local and national advertisers? Click here to visit the new website, SinclairAction.com:

You can tell advertisers how Sinclair's "The Point" interjects partisan commentary into the evening news program they sponsor, reflecting poorly on their product. We are not suggesting a boycott of these advertisers. Rather, we are hoping these advertisers, as good corporate citizens, will persuade Sinclair to include a counterpoint.

Sinclair's partisan bias is not new. In April, Sinclair forbade its stations from airing an ABC Nightline special [The Fallen] honoring the 700 American soldiers killed in Iraq. Explaining its decision, Sinclair declared: "We do not believe political statements should be disguised as news content."

Noah T. Winer, MoveOn.Org
DEC 16th, 2004
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From Iowa Rapid Response:  You can help in Iowa by contacting the following Iowa Sinclair Affiliates:

Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque:  KGAN Channel 2
  e-mail address:  kgan@kgan.com
  Ph.  800-642-6140 toll free or 319-395-9060

Ames, Des Moines:  KDSM Fox 17
  e-mail address:  comments@kdsm17.com
  Ph: 515-287-1717 or FAX:  515-287-0064

NOTE: Sinclair also has outsourcing agreements with stations that aren’t on the list referenced below (e.g., KFXA and KFXB in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, Iowa). These stations also carry Sinclair newscasts.  You can e-mail KFXA/KFXB:  fox2840@fox2840.com or call 319-393-2800

If you live in these broadcast areas, watch Mark Hyman tonight at the end of the 10:00 news.  We guarantee you will be moved to action!


Resources:

KGAN Advertisers

There are no KDSM advertisers up on the site yet.  If you can identify some, click here to post.

For a complete list of Iowa newspapers, click here .

For a list of Sinclair owned and/or operated stations click here.

If you’re looking for some ideas for responding to “The Point,” visit "The Counterpoint"

Join your fellow Iowans in the fight to take back the media for ordinary citizens.  Click here to join RapidResponse - Iowa.