An article called Koppelgate, and what I learned today.

There is a station in Cincinnati called WSTR (Channel 64)that has been in operation a relatively short anount of time (maybe 20 years or so). They are a WB affiliate. They started a news department recently. Lately this right wing idealogue named Mark Hyman has been given his two minutes called "The Point" to spew midway through the newshour called . His recent masterpiece contained anexerpt that went something like:



Koppelgate is the controversy surrounding ABC Nightline's trivialization of the death of our brave servicemen and women. Violating the most basic tenets of journalistic context, anchor Ted Koppel read the names of all service members who died in Iraq, whether in combat, by accident or from natural causes. Casualties from the war in Afghanistan were intentionally left out.

When we asked Koppel or anyone on his staff to clarify their intentions on such a sensitive topic days before the program was to air, they refused to speak with us - either on or off the record, validating our concerns that there was another agenda at play. According to ABC sources, this Nightline segment was the source of great debate with some staffers arguing that it was insensitive to the fallen and their families.

Nightline immediately came under criticism when it was announced it would run the program at the beginning of the television ratings period. According to published reports, Koppel and his executive producer claimed they were not aware the ratings period had begun - perhaps the single most ludicrous statement anyone in network TV could ever make.

...

http://www.newscentral.tv/uploads/franchise/point/point-20040504.shtml


My first reaction was "Koppelgate? What praytell is that compated to WMD-gate, AWOL-gate CIA officer outing-gate and (Lynne-I-might-get-drafted-unless-we-conceive-a-child)-gate. Then I did a few minutes of investigating abut Mark Hyman and WSTR64.


Ding! ding! ding! ding! We have a winner:



Mark Hyman is the Vice President for Corporate Relations for Sinclair, the nation’s largest operator of television stations. Sinclair’s television operations are diverse in programming with stations affiliated with the top six networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, UPN and WB). Sinclair currently owns, operates, programs, or provides sales services to 63 television stations, reaching one in four U.S. television households. Sinclair’s corporate headquarters are based in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

In his current position, he is the head of Corporate Relations which includes developing strategic policy, managing Federal, state and local legislative and regulatory relations, public and media affairs, and community outreach and charitable activities. Sinclair’s total media operations are located in 24 states.

...

http://www.wb64.net/station/bios/mhyman.shtml



It turns out not only is Sinclair Broadcasting with a station in the Greater Cincinnati Area, they have one of their corporate big-wig neocons spreading their garbage on the air. I guess this might be commonplace with Sinclair stations.

Let's see we have the dim son visit our area in two locations today and now this revelation. Please tell me how goddamn lucky I am.

Did you just wake up and realize you were in Cincinnati? I lived there most of my life up to five years ago, and it's been that way since Reagan first got into office.

And here I thought I was free of that bunch of idealogues. It is bad enough around here when Clear Channel bought out Cincinnati-based Jacor Communications some years back, who had a good foothold on the area radio market.

I guess I might have just woke up on a couple of counts. I found out over the weekend about the Lebanan, Ohio restaurant called the Golden Lamb. It is a historical place with some good food. Ate there myself a few times. Anyway this was the backdrop of shrubs first visit. It turns out the Golden Lamb is owned by a group that includes Congressman Rob Portman (R-Oh). Didn't know that either.

I know I'm in Cincinnati. I fully expect Hamilton County to fall heavily shrubs way in November. Hech, I think Hamilton County is one of the few counties in Ohio that went Alf Landons way during FDRs years.

I grew up out in Clermont County, which was pretty conservative even forty years ago -- it's even worse now that the money's moved that way. I don't know how much effect the City of Cincinnati has on Hamilton County's vote totals, but we know who else lives there, in the 'outer belt' I guess.

The funniest thing about WB64 is that they were advertising that 10:00 p.m. newscast on the radio as some kind of 'Fox-killer' and running ads that promoted a 'truly fair and balanced' alternative newscast. That, apparently, is a load of doo-doo too. Not surprising.

We ate at the Golden Lamb a few months ago -- weren't all that impressed and don't plan to go back. The service wasn't great, and it seemed kind of hokey to us.

I live in Montgomery County, now, and it's bad enough -- but not nearly as bad as Greater Cincinnati.

Can we send e-mails?