PoliticsU.S. NewsArts and Entertainmentmegyn kelly

NBC Connecticut Refuses To Air Megyn Kelly's Interview With Alex Jones

Jones has suggested the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown was a hoax.
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior reporter, HuffPost

NBC Connecticut will not air Megyn Kelly’s interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, a spokeswoman for the station confirmed to HuffPost.

The station’s decision to skip broadcasting this week’s episode of “Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly” follows intense public pressure from families of children killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

Jones, the host of far-right radio show “Infowars,” has suggested the massacre was a false flag orchestrated by gun control advocates and that the grieving parents are actors. He has since conceded that he now believes the shooting, in which 20 children and six adults were slaughtered by a gunman who then killed himself, did occur.

NBC Connecticut WVIT general manager and president Susan Tully told staff in an internal memo that wounds caused by the mass shooting are “understandably still so raw,” The Hartford Courant reported Saturday.

“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 in an internal memo obtained by the Courant.

The station said the interview will be available Monday at NBCNews.com for those who wanted to watch it.

Critics have railed against NBC and Kelly for giving Jones a platform. Last week, Sandy Hook Promise, an anti-gun violence group founded by the victims’ parents, asked Kelly to step down as the host of their upcoming gala.

Kelly has defended the interview, claiming it’s her job to “shine a light” on Jones, who has boasted about advising President Donald Trump and recently received White House press credentials.

The interview is scheduled to air on most NBC stations Sunday at 7 p.m. EST. 

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Pivotal Moments In The U.S. Gun Control Debate
1981: The Attempted Assassination Of President Ronald Reagan(01 of09)
Open Image Modal
on March 30, 1981, President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr. outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Reagan's press secretary, Jim Brady, was shot in the head. (credit:Ron Edmonds, AP)
1993: The Brady Handgun Violence Act (02 of09)
Open Image Modal
The Brady Handgun Violence Act of 1993, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, mandated that federally licensed dealers complete comprehensive background checks on individuals before selling them a gun. The legislation was named for James Brady, who was shot during an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
1994: The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act(03 of09)
Open Image Modal
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, instituted a ban on 19 kinds of assault weapons, including Uzis and AK-47s. The crime bill also banned the possession of magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition. (An exemption was made for weapons and magazines manufactured prior to the ban.)
2004: Law Banning Magazines Holding More Than Ten Rounds Of Ammunition Expires(04 of09)
Open Image Modal
In 2004, ten years after it first became law, Congress allowed a provision banning possession of magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition to expire through a sunset provision. Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke told HuffPost that the expiration of this provision meant that Rep. Gabby Giffords's alleged shooter was able to fire off 20-plus shots without reloading (under the former law he would have had only ten). (credit:Hans Neleman via Getty Images)
2007: The U.S. Court of Appeals For The District Of Columbia Rules In Favor Of Dick Heller(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
In 2007 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled to allow Dick Heller, a licensed District police officer, to keep a handgun in his home in Washington, D.C. Following that ruling, the defendants petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.
2008: Supreme Court Strikes Down D.C. Handgun Ban As Unconstitutional(06 of09)
Open Image Modal
In June of 2008, the United States Supreme Court upheld the verdict of a lower court ruling the D.C. handgun ban unconstitutional in the landmark case District of Columbia v. Heller.
Gabrielle Giffords And Trayvon Martin Shootings(07 of09)
Open Image Modal
Gun control advocates had high hopes that reform efforts would have increased momentum in the wake of two tragic events that rocked the nation.In January of 2011, Jared Loughner opened fire at an event held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), killing six and injuring 13, including the congresswoman. Resulting attempts to push gun control legislation proved fruitless, with neither proposal even succeeding in gaining a single GOP co-sponsor.More than a year after that shooting, Florida teenager Trayvon Martin was gunned down by George Zimmerman in an event that some believed would bring increased scrutiny on the nation's Stand Your Ground laws. While there has been increasing discussion over the nature of those statutes, lawmakers were quick to concede that they had little faith the event would effectively spur gun control legislation, thanks largely to the National Rifle Association's vast lobbying power.Read more here: (credit:AP)
Colorado Movie Theater Shooting(08 of09)
Open Image Modal
In July of 2012, a heavily armed gunman opened fire on theatergoers attending a midnight premiere of the final film of the latest Batman trilogy, killing 12 and wounding scores more.The suspect, James Eagan Holmes, allegedly carried out the act with a number of handguns, as well as an AR-15 assault rifle with a 100-round drum magazine.Some lawmakers used the incident, which took place in a state with some of the laxest gun control laws, to bring forth legislation designed to place increased regulations on access to such weapons, but many observers, citing previous experience, were hesitant to say that they would be able to overcome the power of the National Rifle Association and Washington gun lobby. (credit:AP)
Sikh Temple Shooting(09 of09)
Open Image Modal
On August 5, 2012, white supremacist Wade Michael Page opened fire on a Sikhs gathered at a temple in Oak Creek, Wis., killing six and wounding four more before turning the gun on himself. (credit:AP)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip