Keep it up, everyone; it’s working.
WGME’s plan to air a documentary critical of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry prompted three Maine companies Thursday to pull their advertising from the Portland TV station.
Hannaford supermarkets, the Lee Auto Malls, and the law offices of Joe Bornstein withdrew their advertising indefinitely from WGME [Channel 13, in Portland, Maine] over its plans to air “Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal” on Oct. 23.
And did I mention that Sinclair Broadcast Group’s stock has fallen every day this week?
Of course, political pressure, at this point, is the only option. We certainly can’t expect any help from Bush’s buddies at the FCC, who not surprisingly, have sided with the media conglomerate.
The Federal Communications Commission doesn’t have authority to stop Sinclair Broadcast Group’s upcoming airing of a film that attacks Sen. John F. Kerry for his anti-Vietnam War activities, FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell said Thursday.
“Don’t look to us to block the airing of a program. I don’t know of any precedent in which the commission could do that,” Powell told reporters after a regular FCC meeting, according to Associated Press. It “would be an absolute disservice to the 1st Amendment, and I think it would be unconstitutional if we attempted to do so.”
How refreshing. Michael “Fine Every Obscenity I Can Find” Powell is making a constitutional argument. The ACLU should send him a membership application.