Sinclair boycott email

I had to get busy with the Sinclair boycott, finally. Here is my personalized email from the email form on the sbgboycott.com website:

Hello,

I respectfully ask that you disengage from advertising with Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBG) stations immediately, and indefinitely.

SBG's planned airing of an attack piece on John Kerry is reprehensible. As an American citizen, I did not agree to gift the airwaves to political organizations, but politically-neutral broadcast groups who programmed with the public interest in mind. Whatever your take on the presidential race, this abuse of the public trust by Sinclair should anger you as well.

Sinclair is obviously not afraid of the fallout from airing their attack ad, but I am. I am afraid that the one-sided picture it paints of Mr. Kerry will sway the electorate and result in four more years of President Bush. I am afraid that the American electorate will become even more disinformed. It may sound over the top, but I am afraid for our democracy itself.

This issue is bigger than John Kerry vs. George Bush - this is the heart and soul of America - free speech, the press, accurate information.

Sinclair's name has already been sullied. Your company's brand may become sullied, too. I hope you won't let that happen. I don't have an interest in your company, per se, but I do have an interest in making sure that you pull your advertising from Sinclair, and that will result in sparing your brand. Without Sinclair's unlawful activism, we may yet have an election more fair than not.

As Americans, I hope that you are as appalled as I at this threat to our democracy. If not for the profit-motive, then be a patriot and help me punish Sinclair for their shameful, un-American tactics.

With limited resources, I've decided to join thousands of others around the country in a boycott of all Sinclair advertisers to force Sinclair to change their ways. It is not what I and others would prefer to do in terms of action, but we have been forced into a corner, and the situation is dire. Without a DC Sinclair affiliate, I'm not sure how much I can affect the bottom lines of Sinclair and its affiliates and advertisers, but I aim to do my best.

I hope you'll pull your advertising from Sinclair immediately and disavow any use of their stations in the future.

Sorry this couldn't be a more pleasant email!

Thank you very much for your time.

Peter Smith
Washington, DC

At this point I expect I'll get on the horn and call most if not all of the advertisers on the advertiser list. There's no DC affiliate, but I have to drop a few dimes just to make sure they know we're out here. I urge you to do the same, especially if you live in a Sinclair affiliate's town.