Tell ABC to run WEF protest piece

Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 14:34:35 -0800

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A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
http://www.ainfos.ca/
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ABC Nightline has decided not to run a potentially sympathetic piece it had
prepared on a group of protesters organizing against the World Economic
Forum
in NYC. The Group of anarchist oriented protesters, despite strong
misgivings, had bent over backwards to work weeks in advance with ABC,
granting hours of interviews and discussions with two different producers
and
camera crews, demonstrating medic and direct action trainings, and allowing
ABC to film them at the demo.

Among the reasons cited by ABC Nightline producer Ted Gerstein is that there
was not enough of what the corporate media likes to call "violence" at the
demonstration. Ted acknowledged that the actions taken by ABC sends a strong
message to protesters that you're "damned if you do and damned if you
don't."
ABC is a member of the World Economic Forum, and has been widely criticized
for sending in undercover reporters to videotape protesters' meetings.

Additionally, members of the group ABC was filming were targetted
specifically by the police. Despite the fact that ABC was supposed to be
following the group, they were not on hand to video tape any of the arrests.
Eyewitness accounts, and an IMC video, shows those targetted for arrest were
not engaged in any confrontational or disobedient act at the time of arrest.

The producers involved expressed regret that the higher ups at ABC cancelled
the special, but are unlikely to stand up against ABC.

You can call the producers to voice your outrage / disapointment, or . . .

PRODUCERS NUMBERS

Ted: Work: 212-456-2583, Cell 917-881-7593

Phil: cell: 202-258-0127