Media Blackout tonight …

Ted Koppel is going to read the names of some of the 722 soldiers who have died in Iraq this evening on national television. The Sinclair Broadcast Group, (“one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. Sinclair owns and operates, programs, or provides sales services to 62 television stations in 39 markets.*“) has decided to NOT to syndicate the show. This means that “almost a quarter of households in the US will be prevented tonight from seeing” this show.

Why the blackout? You can read why on their site. You can also see that $120 000 was donated to The Republican Party by this company. The whole thing was covered on Air America Radio today. On their blog they write:

“Sinclair, in other words, is yet another media shill for the Bush administration. And shills for the Bush administration don’t want those names read. Blocking the Nightline episode is right in line with Brit Hume’s minimization of the danger in Iraq, the Pentagon’s denial of public access to photos of returning coffins, and President Bush’s refusal to attend a single funeral for a U.S. soldier killed during or since the invasion. It’s about ignoring the consequences of the war.” I agree…

Also of note, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz doesn’t even know how many troops have died in iraq.