TAMPA — Gay rights advocates showed up with red shirts and matching flags in protest of an hourlong anti-gay-rights segment aired by WFLA-Ch. 8 the night of St. Petersburg's Gay Pride parade.
The crowd of about 70 demonstrators cheered at honking rush hour drivers on W Kennedy Boulevard. They chanted, "Shame, shame, Channel 8. Make your money and spread your hate."
They wanted an apology.
The American Family Association, a conservative Christian organization that opposes gay rights, paid WFLA to air a segment called, "Speechless: Silencing the Christians."
Activists arrived at two protests in red in response to a WFLA executive quoted in the Tampa Tribune saying the program did not "raise a red flag."
In a prepared statement e-mailed from WFLA, John Schueler, president of Florida Communications Group, the company that oversees Media General's area outlets, including the Tribune and WFLA-Ch. 8 said: "Our overriding mission is to provide platforms for the broadest points of view and be responsible to the community we serve. We understand that doing so can cause strong disagreement. We screened this program and ran a disclaimer before and after it ran noting that this does not reflect the views of WFLA."
R. Zeke Fread, an organizer with Pride Tampa Bay, said he watched 10 minutes of the June 27 program and couldn't stand any more, calling it an infomercial.
"It was like a 180 slap in your face," said GaYbor District Coalition president Carrie West.
Signs around West read: "News Channel H8, integrity at what price? $35,000."
Another sign put the NBC peacock over a swastika.
Ileana Morales can be reached at imorales@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3403.
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