if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?"
-- Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, 1803
Tale Of Two Censors
by
Well this is a strange coincidence:
Media Blackout Update: Pakistan and Alabama?
A controversy has been brewing on the Web since a “60 Minutes” segment failed to appear on a CBS affiliated TV station in Alabama last night. The report covered a bitter flashpoint between Democrats and the Bush administration: the case of Don Siegelman, a former Democratic governor of Alabama who was jailed for corruption last June.
So hot was the anticipation of the segment in left-leaning circles that one political site published an article, “Bama TIVOs at the ready for ‘60 Minutes’.” But many Alabamans did not see initial broadcast of the report, which included new allegations that Karl Rove, President Bush’s former top adviser, waged a campaign against Mr. Siegelman.
Instead, just before the segment was to start, people in the northern part of the state who were tuned in to WHNT-TV, Channel 19 in Huntsville, found this on their screen instead:
We apologize that you missed the first segment of 60 Minutes tonight featuring ‘The Prosecution of Don Siegelman.’ It was a technical problem with CBS out of New York.
That dad gum receiver just plum went out on us!
Update: I do not think this is some grand Rove-ian conspiracy and tried to clarify that. But, I wouldn’t put it past a station manager to screw up a broadcast because it conflicted with his political bias. It’s happened before. What I don’t know is if it actually happened in this case. It just seems strange which is why I said right off that it was a “strange coincidence”. That is the point of the post.
Upon hearing reports of the missed segment from readers, Scott Horton, a writer blogging at Harper’s, phoned CBS headquarters in New York, which offered him a startling contradiction:
“There is no delicate way to put this: the WHNT claim is not true. There were no transmission difficulties. The problems were peculiar to Channel 19, which had the signal and had functioning transmitters.” I was told that the decision to blacken screens across Northern Alabama “could only have been an editorial call.”The station later denied that it was an editorial decision, but it also changed its explanation. It was the receiver of the signal in Alabama, not the feed from CBS, that caused the blackout, the network said in a statement.
“We can assure you there was no intent whatsoever to keep anyone from seeing the broadcast,” Stan Pylant, WHNT’s president, told The Huntsville Times.
But the assurance alone seemed unlikely to appease all of his viewers. According to Mr. Pylant, the problem was fixed quickly, resulting in only 12 minutes of down time. But that mostly covered the controversial segment, which lasted about 13 minutes. (”Strange coincidence,” one viewer called it.)
See, you didn’t miss the whole thing so it’s ok.
But, clearly we can see what happens when you upset a president:
Thousands of miles away, another channel abruptly turned dark on Friday night. But this one didn’t claim technical difficulties.
After two broadcasters who had been banned by the Pakistani government appeared on the Aaj TV channel there on Friday night, the channel’s programming was suddenly cut off, and replaced with a message, according to CNN:
Dear Users, Please note Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) temporarily suspended transmission of independent news TV channels till further instructions.
The FCC not weighing in on this in 3...2...1…
It’s not that I see a conspiracy here. It’s most likely just the bias of the guy running the station. I guess my point is that local stations use airwaves that are considered public property licensed for corporate use. If a nipple can get you a fine, why can’t violating your affiliate agreement or faking a blackout? Somewhere there’s a technician that knows this wasn’t a problem with the receiver and he probably wants to keep his job.
Comments
Damn, Thrill actually made a joke about something coming from the DailyKos, but this actually originated from the DailyKos! Moonbats seethe over Karl Rove’s ass blocking 60 minutes feed to the moon.
It’s not that I see a conspiracy here.
It’s just that:
faking a blackout?
I don’t know exactly what happened but there seems to be a disconnect between multiple accounts. Did the station manager do it willfully as a result of his personal bia? Possibly. Did Karl Rove make a few calls? Doubtful. Why would he just target Alabama and what the hell would that buy him anyway? Does that clear in up for you?
And since when have not sensed a conspiracy you didn’t like?
I have a few questions to ask of the Karl Rove Black out.
1. How did Karl Rove coordinate this?
2. Isn’t the state of Alabama already Republican, and therefore impervious to reason and logic from 60 minutes? shouldn’t this have been blocked from New York and Los Angeles?
3. Why would one prohibit the viewing of this? Wouldn’t it just create more buzz (like it is now)?
But, I suppose because DailyKos blogged it, it didn’t even happen!
I sthis enough of an explanation?
WHNT-TV-TV Channel 19 experienced technical difficulties last night at the beginning of “60 Minutes,” as a special investigative report called “The Prosecution of Don Siegelman” was airing at 6 p.m.
The broadcast was later aired at 10 p.m. Sunday night and can also be seen at whnt.com.
The WHNT web site explained the technical problems.
“NewsChannel 19 lost our program feed from CBS. Upon investigation, WHNT has learned that the CBS receiver that allows us to receive programming from CBS failed. WHNT engineers responded as quickly as possible to restore the feed at 6:12 p.m.
To correct the issue, we re-broadcast the entire piece Sunday on NewsChannel 19 at 10.”
Here’s a statement from WHNT president/general manager Stan Pylant:
“Sunday night at approximately 6 p.m., WHNT lost the network feed of “60 Minutes” for 12 minutes at the beginning of a segment on former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman. Upon investigation, WHNT learned that our station’s CBS receiver that allows us to receive programming from the CBS network’s feed failed. WHNT engineers responded as quickly as possible to diagnose the problem and were able to restore the feed at 6:12 p.m. WHNT aired the segment in its entirety last night at 10:15 p.m. during our late news and it is currently posted on WHNT.com as well.
“We apologize to all of our Tennessee Valley viewers for the interruption and we can assure you there was no intent whatsoever to keep anyone from seeing the broadcast.”
What a conspiracy. the people of Northern Alabama couldn’t see the Siegelman interview until 10pm.
A four hour delay in viewing something in Northern Alabama, on a Sunday. Without a ball game?
CONSPIRACY!!!!
Did Sir Edmund Hillary summit Mt Everest or was the whole thing faked on a Hollywood soundstage after bribing a tribe of sherpas? Surely somewhere there’s a “researcher” drinking vodka from a gallon jug and wearing roach clips on his eyeglasses following the developing story.
You really think you have any credibility on issues concerning the hint of conspiracy? Puh-lease!
Yes, it’s most likely not a conspiracy.
But, I suppose because DailyKos blogged it, it didn’t even happen!
DailyKos is so reliable too! They have noooooo agenda in anything they cover and always endeavor to be factually correct. Almost as trustworthy as CBS (fake but accurate, anyone?) News itself.
It’s a good thing that the tv transmitting tower didn’t get knocked down by a thunderstorm or you’d be accusing Karl Rove of controlling the weather right now.
The FCC not weighing in on this in 3...2...1…
It’s not that I see a conspiracy here. It’s most likely just the bias of the guy running the station. I guess my point is that local stations use airwaves that are considered public property licensed for corporate use. If a nipple can get you a fine, why can’t violating your affiliate agreement or faking a blackout? Somewhere there’s a technician that knows this wasn’t a problem with the receiver and he probably wants to keep his job.
Yes, it was a conspiracy.
You guys just love this don’t you. It’s exactly what you need. I think I got it now, Moonwhore.
You guys just love this don’t you. It’s exactly what you need. I think I got it now, Moonwhore.
No, I’m actually confused here. If you think that this is actually something that was done by an over-zealous administration to smite Seigelman and sweep under the carpet 60 minute’s attempt at exposing it, then say so.
I think that if you believe that, I’ve got an ARM loan for a house near groud zero for Katrina to sell you. If not, then please explain what this post is about.
Is it okay to question what has been written about, or is that too much to ask?
Shame on you for calling this a conspiracy, Manwhore. To have a conspiracy, you need more than one person. You should detail the obvious links to the station manager, Karl Rove, Nixon’s soul (which Karl Rove had transubstantiated into an ashtray using the highest form of Human Alchemy), the Trilateral Commission, and Jesus.
This attempt to deny the people of the Huntsville area the right to see 12 minutes of a bullshit expose will never succeed! Si si puede!
Whoops, time for an Espanol refresher course:
Si se puede
I made an update to the post that answers your question, Manwhore.
This attempt to deny the people of the Huntsville area the right to see 12 minutes of a bullshit expose will never succeed! Si si puede!
Well, you have to wonder who was even going to watch it since:
That dad gum receiver just plum went out on us!
This is the Thunderdome and all, but you know what? I’m from the South and I think that’s a little bit of a poke. Which way does the pendulum swing?
Are they missing out on the show because the operator was too stupid to comprehend ‘the dadgurn reciever’ or are they too stupid to have even tuned in to such a high brow broadcast outfit, because Hee-Haw is now running Sunday nights in the same spot?
why am I being called the mean and condescending one here, when such blatant pokes at huge populations of people are being made?
Keep in mnd someof those ‘Bubba Gumps’ are the ‘whistle blowing Republicans’ (no bias intended there too, I’m sure) who also seem to be the butt end of the transmission conspiracy as well.
It’s just a little confusing to get it all in order, that’s all .
What’s even stranger is that you don’t really get more “red state” than the Huntsville area. I’m not sure what this station manager (Karl Rove) would have been hoping to accomplish by blacking out something that few people in the area were going to be sympathetic to anyway.
What’s even stranger is that you don’t really get more “red state” than the Huntsville area.
Good point. I’m actually listening to you, believe it or not, despite the noise of sarcasm.
Good point. I’m actually listening to you, believe it or not, despite the noise of sarcasm.
I got it out of my system. You know that I’m never happier than when I’m busting someone’s balls.
Believe me, I know.
Update: I do not think this is some grand Rove-ian conspiracy and tried to clarify that. But, I wouldn’t put it past a station manager to screw up a broadcast because it conflicted with his political bias. It’s happened before.
Except, you go so far as to say so in an implication ‘under the fold.’:
But, clearly we can see what happens when you upset a president:
Thousands of miles away, another channel abruptly turned dark on Friday night. But this one didn’t claim technical difficulties.
After two broadcasters who had been banned by the Pakistani government appeared on the Aaj TV channel there on Friday night, the channel’s programming was suddenly cut off, and replaced with a message, according to CNN:
Dear Users, Please note Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) temporarily suspended transmission of independent news TV channels till further instructions. -emphasis mine
Clearly, this is retribution from an angry President Bush? Should we ask who is the angry president is? Or is it clear, that you can’t piss off the president without a ‘strange coincidence’?
What’s even stranger is that you don’t really get more “red state” than the Huntsville area. I’m not sure what this station manager (Karl Rove) would have been hoping to accomplish by blacking out something that few people in the area were going to be sympathetic to anyway.
that’s why I asked question number 2:
2. Isn’t the state of Alabama already Republican, and therefore impervious to reason and logic from 60 minutes? shouldn’t this have been blocked from New York and Los Angeles?
I think it’s far more dangerous when aired here. It barely draws more than a ‘what crime is Karl Rove NOT committing’ type of response.
Except, you go so far as to say so in an implication ‘under the fold.’:
I conspired to do that.
Anyways, just asking questions. Let the calls for me not to write here, or to not be a meanie continue.
sorry to ruin your thread.
You know damn well I would never do that. Maybe I actually need to be checked sometimes.
What’s even stranger is that you don’t really get more “red state” than the Huntsville area.
Ever been here?
Yes, I worked in Huntsville for about a week in 2004. I do not know about the inner city, but I thought the area was conservalicious for the most part.
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I really do not buy the conspiracy theory. I live 25 miles from WHNT and it is my local CBS affiliate. While anything is possible, WHNT has some of the most liberal vocal Siegelman supporters anywhere in Alabama.
Was Siegelman railroaded, possibily, was he a crook, defiantly.