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It refused to air 60-second spot that defends U.S. policy, saying it is untruthful in how it represents the media.

Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
In an unusual break from its competitors, KSTP-TV refused to air a controversial ad defending U.S. policy in Iraq that the station says unfairly claimed the media is misleading people about the lack of progress in the war.

ABC affiliate KSTP, Channel 5, declined to air the 60-second ad, which features images of smoke pouring from the World Trade Center and testimonials from soldiers who talk of the value of fighting terrorists in Iraq rather than at home. Some in the ad, produced by the conservative advocacy group Progress for America Voter Fund, also complain that the media only report bad news about the war.

"You'd never know it from the news reports but our enemy in Iraq is Al-Qaida, the same terrorists who killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11," the ad says.

KSTP General Manager Rob Hubbard said the station refused to run the ad, which began running last week, because of the claim that the media are intentionally misleading citizens.

He said the station often airs so-called third-party issue ads whether the station agrees with them or not, as long as it can be determined that the ads are accurate and verifiable.

"We think it may or may not be true for other media but we know it's not true about us, which is why we wouldn't take those spots," he said. "We know it's not accurate about how we approach our news and we didn't feel it was appropriate just to take someone's money. We weren't going to let them take a shot at us that wasn't warranted."

It was the second time in two weeks that third-party ads have been scrutinized. Last week, an alliance of labor unions and progressive groups complained about the decision by WCCO Radio (830 AM) to pull an ad critical of Gov. Tim Pawlenty from Pawlenty's weekly radio show. The station aired the ad today after it said it needed time to verify the criticisms. Pawlenty, though, was not on the air. Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung, who hosted the show, said the governor was taking some personal time for a long holiday weekend.

Highly unusual step

It is highly unusual for a station to reject an ad on journalistic grounds, even though a station has an absolute right to refuse to air them, said Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota.

"These are not candidate ads. They have no legal obligation to do them. Like anything else they can choose to reject them. But I'm nonplused," she said.

CBS affiliate WCCO-TV, Channel 4, ran the first "Midwest Heroes" ad after scrutinizing it for accuracy, said WCCO-TV communications director Kiki Rosatti. The station acknowledged on its website that temperatures are likely to rise during a political season, but called the debate part of "the fabric of democracy."

Other Twin Cities television stations did not return calls for comment.

Stuart Roy, a spokesman for Progress for America Voter Fund, said KSTP's decision affected about 5 percent of the total buy for all Minnesota, or around $30,000. The ad was rotated out Wednesday and replaced with a new ad featuring families of soldiers.

"They were very honest that they didn't like the media criticism," Roy said. "We're not much on media bashing. It's never been a very productive way to do business. But it doesn't make a significant dent in our ability to allow these veterans to communicate about the war on terror."

The ads are running only in Minnesota. Roy said his organization became involved after being contacted by an organization called Families United, a group of mostly Minnesota families and friends of service members, many of whom have died in Iraq. Progress for America used its resources to produce and distribute the ads, Roy said.

Politicians weigh in

Even as a new ad has begun running, the DFL party on Thursday called for other stations to follow suit and pull the ad. The Republican Party, in turn, accused the DFLers of "sideshow politics" and said soldiers in the ad deserve to have their voices heard.

DFL Party Chairman Brian Melendez called a news conference to call the ad "un-American, untruthful and a lie."

"Minnesota has a chance to take a stand against this misleading and untruthful propaganda," he said. Referring to controversial ads that ran during the last presidential race, he said, "Minnesota TV stations should pull this ad and send a message that we will not tolerate this kind of 'swift-boating' anymore."

The state Republican Party responded by saying the DFL's "political sideshows" do nothing to protect the country from terror. "Regardless of one's politics, those who have worn the uniform deserve to have their voices heard in the public square," Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey said in a statement.

The new ad features relatives of fallen soldiers. It includes a message delivered by Merrilee Carlson of St. Paul. Her son, Army Sgt. Michael Carlson, 22, was killed in Iraq in January 2005. KSTP has not been approached about selling airtime for that ad, but Hubbard said he would have no issue with the new message.

HUM???? I wonder if they know that the American people have already figured out the truth about what the mainstream news media is doing?

Most of the folks with half a brain have already figured this out long ago. It really boils down to the liberal mainstream newsmedia shooting itself in the foot and trying to treat the wound with a shotgun blast. It's really kind of funny to watch how silly they are making themselves look. They have lost so much credibility that even the liberals are deserting them.  :D  AND, it's too late for many of the stations to rescue their reputations. It's almost like Ted Kennedy doing a defensive driving school for drunk drivers.  ;D