KETK Readies Follow-Up to Controversial Segment

By Andrew Gauthier 

TVSpy

KETK, an NBC affiliate in East Texas, has drawn the ire of anti-defamation groups after running a segment Wednesday morning that asked, “Do you think the acceptance of homosexuality will be the fall of America?”

Now the station is planning to run a special piece on Friday morning to respond to the criticism, which included an online petition calling for NBC to end its affiliation with KETK. According to GLAAD, Dave Tillery, the station’s manager, will appear with Chuck Smith, the deputy director of a local LGBT rights group, to discuss the segment.

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The controversial segment aired during KETK’s late-morning lifestyle show “East Texas Live.” The show’s hosts Bob Brackeen and Callie Wall conversed with KTBB radio host Garth Maier via Skype about the show’s “Topic of the Day.” Trying to motivate viewers to call in, Maier mentioned President Obama‘s willingness to appoint gays and lesbians to his staff and repeated variations of the question, “Do you think the acceptance of homosexuality will be the fall of America?”

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