Certain ABC affliates will not be air the upcoming "Nightline" devoted to fallen U.S. soldiers in Iraq:

Let me know when Tom Waits decides to read the Yellow Pages on "Nightline". I'd definitely tune in for that.

I supported the President's decision to go to war in Iraq, and remain a strong supporter of that decision. But every American has a responsibility to understand fully the terrible costs of war and the extraordinary sacrifices it requires of those brave men and women who volunteer to defend the rest of us; lest we ever forget or grow insensitive to how grave a decision it is for our government to order Americans into combat. It is a solemn responsibility of elected officials to accept responsibility for our decision and its consequences, and, with those who disseminate the news, to ensure that Americans are fully informed of those consequences.

There is no valid reason for Sinclair to shirk its responsibility in what I assume is a very misguided attempt to prevent your viewers from completely appreciating the extraordinary sacrifices made on their behalf by Americans serving in Iraq. War is an awful, but sometimes necessary business. Your decision to deny your viewers an opportunity to be reminded of war's terrible costs, in all their heartbreaking detail, is a gross disservice to the public, and to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. It is, in short, sir, unpatriotic. I hope it meets with the public opprobrium it most certainly deserves.

I don't know how that could be .. sounds like a terribly boring program. No offense to those who have died .. but seems like very dull television. Can't imagine it being a ratings stunt.

This boggles me.

Because there's a deep cynicism towards the major American media outlets. And understandably so.

Sinclair ... called the broadcast a political statement "disguised as news content," pointing to the producers' omission of "the names of thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks" since 9-11.

In its own statement, ABC said its news division had reported "hundreds of stories on 9-11" while noting that, on the first anniversary of that tragedy, it aired the victims' names.

I love it when the people on the wrong side of an issue like this are so stupid, their bluster can be smacked down with simple, easily available facts.

on Air America, Ted Koppel called the idea that it would get ratings completely ignorant of the nature of broadcast media

When Politically Incorrect got dropped from local ABC affiliates (before it was completely cancelled) - was that directed by Sinclair? Or is that just wishful/conspiracy thinking?