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Boycott ABC and "The Path to 9/11"
Sep. 8th, 2006 03:07 pmThe ABC network plans to air a "docudrama" about 9/11 and the events that led up to it on Sunday, 9/10 and Monday, 9/11. ABC defines its docudrama as "a dramatization, not a documentary" which contains "fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, and time compression".
Now I don't care if you're a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian, a Green, or a Martian. I think we can all agree that it's not appropriate to be airing a "dramatization" about 9/11 on the 5th anniversary of the most significant attack on our country in the 21st century. Those who died that day deserve better than that. Those who lived through that day deserve better than that. A documentary would be appropriate. A fictionalized drama with various actors playing parts isn't appropriate for the anniversary. (And no, I didn't go see World Trade Center or United 93, either.)
We all deserve better than a docudrama.
We all deserve serious, thoughtful, objective documentaries and historical analysis.
We can afford to be intellectually serious about at least this event, no? At least on this.
And yes, the Democrats are raising holy hell about the first part (covering the Clinton years before the attacks) being libelous, untrue, and highly fictionalized. They (and some media watchdog groups) are spearheading a petition drive to try and get ABC to pull the thing. And of course they have agendas.
And yes, the President plans to broadcast a speech over the last hour of the broadcast (covering his administration's leadup to the actual attack and his reaction to it) - thereby preempting that last hour off the airwaves. (Nice when you don't have to try and organize a petition, eh?).
And yes, the ABC News Division had nothing to do with the creation of "The Path to 9/11". The director of this 5-hour "docudrama" has ties to a group with explicit agendas that have nothing to do with factual reporting.
And yes, "the film is still being edited" mere days from broadcast, probably due to ABC realizing it might have the mother of all lawsuits on its hands.
And yes, poor Peter Jennings is probably spinning in his grave.
So do us all a favor. Avoid this.
Now I don't care if you're a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian, a Green, or a Martian. I think we can all agree that it's not appropriate to be airing a "dramatization" about 9/11 on the 5th anniversary of the most significant attack on our country in the 21st century. Those who died that day deserve better than that. Those who lived through that day deserve better than that. A documentary would be appropriate. A fictionalized drama with various actors playing parts isn't appropriate for the anniversary. (And no, I didn't go see World Trade Center or United 93, either.)
We all deserve better than a docudrama.
We all deserve serious, thoughtful, objective documentaries and historical analysis.
We can afford to be intellectually serious about at least this event, no? At least on this.
And yes, the Democrats are raising holy hell about the first part (covering the Clinton years before the attacks) being libelous, untrue, and highly fictionalized. They (and some media watchdog groups) are spearheading a petition drive to try and get ABC to pull the thing. And of course they have agendas.
And yes, the President plans to broadcast a speech over the last hour of the broadcast (covering his administration's leadup to the actual attack and his reaction to it) - thereby preempting that last hour off the airwaves. (Nice when you don't have to try and organize a petition, eh?).
And yes, the ABC News Division had nothing to do with the creation of "The Path to 9/11". The director of this 5-hour "docudrama" has ties to a group with explicit agendas that have nothing to do with factual reporting.
And yes, "the film is still being edited" mere days from broadcast, probably due to ABC realizing it might have the mother of all lawsuits on its hands.
And yes, poor Peter Jennings is probably spinning in his grave.
So do us all a favor. Avoid this.
