While broadcasters have the right to pick and choose what types of programs to air, it’s dangerous when speech on one side of the political spectrum is given disproportionate airtime. The rise of media conglomerates has brought into question the role of media companies and whether they have a responsibility to uphold basic fairness.

Earlier this week, 62 TV stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group, including Champaign’s WICD-TV NewsChannel 15, had planned to air a documentary about Sen. John Kerry’s criticism of the Vietnam War. The film, Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, features former prisoners of war calling the Democratic presidential candidate’s 1971 Senate testimony against the war a “betrayal.”

But on Tuesday, falling stock prices, viewer criticism and advertising boycotts caused Sinclair to scale back its plans. Currently, it plans to air the documentary, A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media, on 40 of its stations. The new documentary features selected clips from Stolen Honor.

In the past, Sinclair executives have contributed to the Bush campaign and the Republican National Committee. Sinclair blatantly reveals its agend by ordering its affiliates – many of which are located in electoral swing states – to pre-empt regular programming for a politically charged film

Last fall, CBS caved to conservative pressure by deciding not to air its mini-series about the Reagan administration. This week, the cable-TV company iN DEMAND announced that Michael Moore’s pay-per-view Election Night special would be canceled. In both cases, these companies were within their legal rights to make these programming decisions. However they might have evaded their social responsibilities by allowing partisan agendas to determine programming.

To be fair, there is a difference between the news and entertainment divisions of a broadcasting company. The news divisions should have an obligation to be fair and unbiased. The entertainment division does not. After all, some audiences might accuse shows such as The West Wing or Walker: Texas Ranger of having a liberal or conservative agenda. But progamming decisions still shouldn’t be politically motivated.

Already, advertisers and watchdog groups have expressed their outrage with Sinclair’s decision, and the Kerry campaign even has asked that Sinclair provide equal time for him to respond to the film. While the broadcasting corporation might not be legally obligated to give Kerry equal time, in the spirit of fairness it should be.

Ultimately, government regulation poses a dangerous threat to the marketplace of ideas, and as a result, media companies never should be obligated to air or censor programs.

However, the ability to reach a mass audience should be used responsibly, and programming should not be politically motivated. Thankfully, audiences, advertisers and stockholders have responded accordingly.