Sinclair Plans 'News Special'

The announcement doesn't disclose whether "A POW Story" will explore allegations that Sinclair itself is one of those media organizations that ignore or filter legitimate news. In April, several Sinclair stations refused to air a "Nightline" episode cataloging military dead in Iraq, saying at the time that the ABC late-night news program "is not reporting news; it is doing nothing more than making a political statement."

Sinclair said Tuesday it had never publicly announced that it would air the "Stolen Honor" documentary in its entirety. But it does appear that the originally contested program will play some role in Friday's broadcast. "While the news special will discuss the allegations surrounding Senator John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities in the early 1970s raised by a number of former POWs in 'Stolen Honor,' it will do so in the context of the broader discussion outlined above," Sinclair said.