You are probably aware of the recent attention Fox News has received for its “fair and balanced” coverage, but have you watched WICD (Channel 15) local news lately? Every day, three times a day they run a free infomercial for the Republican Party under the guise of “commentary” given by Mark Hyman. The name of the segment is “The Point” and the purpose is to indoctrinate the public with a conservative point of view on a daily basis. I have watched many of Mr. Hyman’s highly partisan commentaries in the past, but recent ones “take the cake.”

In a commentary two week’s ago, Hyman used broad strokes to paint the young John Kerry as an unpatriotic troublemaker and drug user. Last week, a commentary implied that war protesters in the 60s were “commies.” And Thursday night, Hyman harped about a missing document from Kerry’s military record. In other commentaries, Hyman typically extolls the virtues of President Bush and his policies.

Mr. Hyman works as the Vice President for Corporate Relations for the Sinclair Broadcasting Company, the media giant that owns the local NBC affiliate WICD. This corporation boasts that it is the “largest operator of television stations … and currently owns, operates, programs or provides sales services to 63 television stations, reaching one in four U.S. television households.” It claims to be “diverse in programming.” Unfortunately it is not diverse in political views.

In an April 2003 news article titled, “The Death of the Local News,” writer Paul Schmelzer compares Hyman to Rush Limbaugh, and gives an eye opening history of Sinclair Broadcasting Company’s rise to power and conservative agenda. The corporation is committed to using publicly owned airwaves to conservatively shape viewership opinion. Unfortunately, since the FCC media deregulation of the Reagan years, it is legal for media companies to give one-sided commentaries. They no longer are obligated to present a balanced view, and the only thing that will change this is public opinion and boycott.

Please watch Channel 15 news from about 10:20 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and see Mr. Hyman in action. If what you see is troubling, please call the following offices to express your opinion:

WICD News: 217-351-8500 (ask for Gary Hackler, manager)

Sinclair Broadcasting Company Corporate Office in Maryland: 410-568-1500 (ask for “News department”)

Colleen Vojak

graduate student