Chattanooga NBC affiliate WRCB has let its viewers know it won’t be covering protests by Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the group tweeted out its intentions to protest at the funerals of the five service members killed in Thursday’s shooting attack.
“WRCB will not be manipulated into coverage by a group that tries to take of advantage of situations like this,” wrote news director Derrall Stalvey on the station’s facebook page. “We will not help them spread their message of hate.”
EDITORIAL NOTE: We have heard reports about the Kansas group that may send members to Chattanooga to protest the slain service members. WRCB will not be manipulated into coverage by a group that tries to take of advantage of situations like this. We will not help them spread their message of hate. We make coverage decisions each day on what to cover and not cover. We will not be covering their protests unless it evolves into other issues that might make it newsworthy. If we do choose to cover any issues of public concern, we will do so without showing the picketers, signage, or their messages of hate. Our coverage has, and will continue to, focus on the fallen servicemen as well as the others who were affected. (Derrall Stalvey/WRCB News Director)