Do the Networks have any clout over Mark Hyman & SINclair stations?

Our Sinclair station is also a WB affiliate. If they plan to air that tripe on 8:00 Wednesdays it will preempt Smallville, one of WBs stronger shows. Other networks have higher stakes that night like Law and Order (NBC) and Lost (ABC).

I know some of the networks don't mind local programming or a baseball game preempting their popular shows but would they take issue about a politically motivated movie?

Also if the networks get too many complaints about Sinclair during a renewal of the contract with the network, might that not have an affect as to whether a network renews with your local station?

Just a thought and I don't know if this ever came up on DU before. And please excuse me if I am not up on how the network contracts stations.

On edit: I changed the title to "Do the Networks have any clout over Mark Hyman & SINclair stations?" I hope Gabi calling me Mr. Bush was in reference to the guy that owns the Baked Beans company or even the talkative dog, each infinately more articulate than Chimpy. No problem, just ahving a good time myself.

"does the networks?"


is our posters learning?

Gabi Hayes? "Yer darn tottin'!"

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/002985.html

But what isn't done a lot which requires the broadcaster to rack up expensive legal fees, is to challenge every one of their affiliates' FCC license renewals as they come up this year and next.

The FCC rules state that anyone who has an interest, presumably a local interest, in the renewal of a TV license may file either an informal objection or a more formal petition that must meet specific requirements. Note that Petitions to Deny are required to be filed with the FCC one month in advance of the station’s license expiration date. According to the FCC’s schedule of station expiration dates by state, any move to file Petitions to Deny or objections in advance of the station’s license expiration date are already too late to be accepted for Sinclair stations in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia, as the expiration date has passed and the file has closed. However, note that there still is time to organize and file Petitions or objections by November 1, 2004 for Sinclair stations in North Carolina and South Carolina, and for Florida by January 1, 2005.

Bloggers could link up with local media law attorneys of like mind in each of these Sinclair affiliate towns to gather informal objections and formal petitions challenging the renewal of these Sinclair licenses, which would then be forwarded to the FCC for inclusion in the station's renewal file at least one month prior to the license expiration date for consideration at the time of the upcoming license renewals this year and in 2005-2007. For example, here are the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida stations with upcoming license expirations, for which objections and petitions must be filed by November 1, 2004 for the Carolina stations, and by January 1, 2005 for the Florida stations.

Do you think the stations might be more responsive to complaints about the pre-emption than they would to complaints about a stretched-out political ad?

...to them. I heard somewhere today that there was going to be congressional hearings into this.