Market vs. Message
October 22, 2004
Two weeks ago, Sinclair Broadcasting Group unleashed a hornet's nest when it ordered its 62 local TV stations to air a documentary attacking John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities. Advertisers pulled out in the face of a boycott threat, and Sinclair's stock plummeted. This week, Sinclair appeared to backtrack, announcing it would only air segments of the film as part of a larger documentary about…political documentaries. Brooke talks to Legg Mason managing director Blair Levin about the dubious wisdom of Sinclair's politically-oriented business model.
