Connecticut”™s NBC affiliate, WVIT, broke with the network last night by refusing to run Megyn Kelly”™s interview with Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist who claimed the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre was a staged event designed to promote tougher gun control laws.
WVIT substituted yesterday”™s broadcast of “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” with a rerun of the syndicated home repair show “George to the Rescue.” The station was the only NBC affiliate that would not give airtime to the program, which devoted a 15-minute segment of its one-hour running time to Jones. The program also included a brief interview by Newtown parent Neil Heslin, whose son was killed during the massacre, and a commentary by Tom Brokaw, the former anchor of NBC News, who refuted Jones”™ claims by stating that viewers “should not have to hear the cruel claim that it”™s a lie.”
In an internal memo that was obtained and published by the Hartford Courant, NBC Connecticut WVIT”™s President and General Manager Susan Tully said the decision to boycott the presentation was based on conversations with the families of the shooting victims. “Over the last few days, we have listened intently to Sandy Hook parents (and) considered the deep emotions from the wounds of that day that have yet to heal,” Tully wrote.
