Traverse City Record-Eagle

2010 Traverse City Film Festival

July 29, 2010

Charter blames CNN for interruptions

BY BILL O'BRIEN bobrien@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Charter Communications blamed CNN for local television commercials that interrupted a live interview with Michael Moore from the Traverse City Film Festival.

Moore's appearance Tuesday night on CNN's "Larry King Live" was interrupted with commercials during Moore's live remote interview with King in front of the State Theatre on East Front Street downtown. A Charter spokesman said the commercials were prompted by a "cue tone" included in a satellite feed from CNN to cable and satellite providers that automatically started the spots.

Tim Ransberger, director of government relations for Charter, said company records indicated that three "cue tones" were received as part of CNN's feed shortly after 9 p.m. that launched the commercials over the live interview.

"We're very sorry it happened," Ransberger said. "It's certainly not what we'd like to happen."

Charter apparently wasn't alone, as some satellite television viewers and customers of other cable companies also reported the problem. The unscheduled commercials weren't aired, at least locally, in CNN's midnight replay of "Larry King Live."

Ransberger said Charter fielded several complaints and questions about whether it intentionally edited Moore's interview. He emphatically said that wasn't the case and that it was simply a technical glitch.

"It's not even possible ... that's all automated," Ransberger said. "There's no technician with a political point (of) view that says, 'I'm going to censor Michael Moore right now.'"

The Moore interview with King — without the interruptions — can be viewed at www.record-eagle.com/filmfest.

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