WASHINGTON - A US owner of eight ABC stations will not air a "Nightline" news show dedicated entirely to US soldiers killed in Iraq.

Let the SInclair Broadcast Group Know What You Think David D. Smith President and Chief Executive Officer 410-568-1500 website

"Nightline" anchor Ted Koppel will spend his entire half-hour show Friday reading the names of more than 500 members of the US armed forces killed in Iraq. Pictures of the deceased will flash on the screen along with a brief description.

However, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which controls eight ABC-affiliated stations in areas including St. Louis, Missouri; Columbus, Ohio; Pensacola and Tallahassee Florida, will not air "Nightline" on Friday.

"Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq," the Sinclair Group said in a statement Thursday.

Koppel and the show "are hiding behind this so-called tribute in an effort to highlight only one aspect of the war effort and in doing so to influence public opinion against the military action in Iraq," the statement read.

The Sinclair statement wants to know why Koppel is not reading "the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001."

Sinclair owns stations affiliated with major US networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, in 39 markets around the country.

"Nightline" replied by describing the show as "an expression of respect which simply seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country."

ABC has "reported hundreds of stories" on September 11, and broadcast the names of victims on the anniversary of the attack, the statement read.

"ABC News will continue to report on all facets of the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism in a manner consistent with the standards which ABC News has set for decades," the statement concluded.

Copyright © 2004 Agence France Presse.

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