Call local ABC affiliate to protest Path to 9/11, boycott local news

[gasperc]

This is advice just posted on dailyKOS from someone that works in the ad business: The best action we can take locally is to boycott local ABC newscasts, call or e-mail, be polite and tell them why and what you are upset about. Also, delete any DVR timers you've set for ABC shows, this data is sent on to ABC to project audience size.

"If ad revenue is king, then keeping affiliates happy is, well, queen. Your local ABC affiliate depends on the network to produce solid programming - especially programming that leads directly in or out of locally-produced newscasts.

The local affiliate has only a few commercials to sell in the network programs, because the majority of ads have already been bought by national advertisers (see above). Where the local affiliate makes its money is in their own newscasts, where they control (and make) 100% of the advertising inventory.

Telling the local affiliate that you won't watch "The Path to 9/11" is like throwing a lawn chair off the Titanic; it's meaningless because they control so little of the ad revenue there. The only real way to pressure the local affiliate is to stop watching their news. If you do that, the affiliate will exert its pressure uphill, to the network. And the network can hardly afford to piss off its affiliates.

THIS IS IMPORTANT: many of you have been sending emails to your local affiliates via their websites. Those emails, in the vast majority of cases, are going to the affiliate's Program Director. To be effective, you must send your emails to the General Sales Manager. He/she is the one person most concerned with the boycotts, news viewership, and the correlation between ratings and ad revenue.

Find a complete list of ABC affiliates here.
"

[blue4barb]

1. Tried to call my local ABC affiliate a couple days ago, no luck ...

I also tried to call the the headquarters, could not get through to speak to a person.

I finally tried the Lansing affiliate and did get a receptionist. I took about 5 minutes of her time explaining why I will not be watching ABC due to the airing of Path to 9-11. She said the individual affiliates have no control over what the programming is, but she gave me her manager's voicemail and I left him a message asking that he pass it on to the higher-ups at ABC. I also sent an email to ABC, but I really wanted to speak to someone directly since I thought it would have more impact.

The ABC news website has a list of all the local affiliates for each state. I just kept calling Michigan affiliates until I got someone on the line.

[gasperc]

2. good work, reposting with long list of #'s

Telephone numbers:
Main switchboard: 248-827-7777
Newsroom: 248-827-9407
Toll-free line: 800-825-0770
Verizon Wireless airtime-free: #WXYZ
7 On Your Side Health Team: 248-827-9340
Public Relations: 248-827-9307
Programming: 248-827-9302
7 On Your Side Investigative Team: 248-827-9252
Call for Action: 248-827-3362
News questions and feedback: 248-827-4468
Television and website sales: 248-827-9205
Website technical questions: 248-827-4991
Website content questions: 248-827-9382, 248-827-9293