Friday, April 30, 2004


Yahoo! News - Sinclair Stations to Boycott 'Nightline' Tribute
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A major television chain, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, will bar its ABC-affiliated stations from airing a planned "Nightline" tribute to fallen U.S. troops in Iraq , saying the program is a political statement disguised as news.

ABC News plans to devote Friday's entire "Nightline" segment to the tribute, with anchor Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of hundreds of fallen American servicemen and women as their photographs are shown.

Sinclair said the "Nightline" segment "appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."

Sticking to its plans, ABC News issued its own statement defending the planned broadcast as "an expression of respect which simply seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country."

These men and women are heroes. Do we not honor our heroes? If this war is just and enjoys the support of the American people, why must we hide the dead as if we are ashamed of them?

Censoring the realities of war "appears to be motivated by a political agenda" also. It makes me sad for the families of these men and women. If I had a close family member killed in this war, I would want their memory and sacrifice honored on the national stage.