11.06.06

KNCT to air NOW episode featuring Mary Beth Harrell tonight

Posted in Election 2006, Williamson County at 9:37 am by dembones

KNCT has come to its senses, but Chancellor Jim Anderson continues to prevaricate about why the program was initially blacked out. The Associated Press is reporting that KNCT will air the program at 8 p.m. tonight.

The PBS station serving Fort Hood’s congressional district said it has rescheduled the airing of a program about the Iraq war after being criticized for blocking the show when it aired nationally.

Officials at KNCT said they would show the episode of the news program “Now” on Monday night. The station had blocked the episode, which features interviews with local congressional candidates, when it aired on other PBS stations Friday.

Mary Beth Harrell, the Democratic challenger in District 31, on Saturday threatened to file a federal complaint if KNCT didn’t air the program and explain why it was pulled.

KNCT, licensed in Bellton, Texas, broadcasts from its tower on the south side of Stillhouse Hollow Lake on channel 46. It serves Temple, Bellton, Killeen, Harker Heights and Copperas Cove.

We applaud KNCT’s decision and look forward to seeing this broadcast; however, the shifting excuses given by Central Texas College chancellor Jim Anderson as to why the station cancelled the original broadcast Friday night fall apart under even casual scrutiny.

Jim Anderson, chancellor of Central Texas College, which runs KNCT, said Sunday that the show was pulled because the station was following a policy not to give political candidates exposure 72 hours before an election.

There are 86 hours separating 8 p.m. Friday (when the show would have ended) and 7 a.m. Tuesday, when the polls open. This excuse is at least the third nonsensical explanation he has offered. First, KNCT said they had a legal concern about the show; however, we later learned they had never consulted their attorney for an opinion. Next, we were told that they didn’t schedule the program because they didn’t know about it. Nevermind that the PBS weekly newsmagazine has been a staple on public television for many years, and it appeared on KNCT’s online program schedule even while it was being blacked out on the air.

Nevertheless, if the program airs as rescheduled tonight, all will be forgiven.

The message Mary Beth Harrell’s political opponents did not want the public to hear was that it is possible to support our troops, love this nation and favor a strong national defense; while at the same time raise serious concerns about our President’s foreign policy and the military civilian leadsership’s poor planning. The Republicans in office do not want the voters to hear life-long Republicans tell NOW’s cameras that they are supporting a Democrat because they love our troops and want to fix the disaster Bush and Rumsfeld have created.

If you live in one of the communities served by KNCT, please watch NOW tonight. Invite your Republican friends over and let them see the contrast between our candidates for United States Congress. Mary Beth Harrell is going to be an excellent representative for the troops, their families and all citizens of district 31. Tomorrow, you can make that happen.

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