Who Shot JFK: The History Channel as Possible Accomplice

I’ll give the History Channel this much: it hasn’t sold out as far delivering their stock-in-trade, namely history. They have great documentaries, as well as standard fare on pyramids, UFOs, ghosts, Nostradamus, and the Bermuda Triangle. While Discovery and TLC still have their moments, they’ve prostituted themselves by scaling back info in favor of reality programming. It’s not all bad, but why not have TLC Reality—a separate channel? But pardon me. I digress.

Here’s the rub: five years ago, the History Channel did a five-part series called “The Men Who Killed Kennedy,” directed by Nigel Turner. It was so popular that five new episodes were added the following year. The show’s thesis was that the CIA and the mob "tag-teamed it" in order to bring an end to Camelot. Eyewitnesses claimed to have clearly seen gunfire coming from the infamous grassy knoll.

In the past two years, the History Channel only airs “The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy,” a doc that allegedly debunks all conspiracy theories (held by a whopping 75% of the population, btw). So much for Nigel Turner’s insightful and professional investigative reporting, hosted by the avuncular and respected Roger Mudd, formerly of NBC.

It makes you wonder: why the philosophical shift in programming by a channel that positively loves to re-air its shows ad nauseum, both old and new? Was the original series on the assassination buried like certain information the Warren Commission sealed for seventy-five years, reasons unknown? Turner’s series is even buried in the History Channel’s “search” feature. If the series is there, it must be on page 112, because a search on the actual title just doesn’t pop. It sounds to NewsDive like the original series made someone very uncomfortable. Paranoia, you say? Anyone who doesn’t believe there’s a “government within the government” should watch PBS’s Frontline series on Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and George W. Very illuminating for the inquiring mind.

Today’s Slick Fish Award goes to the History Channel. (Picture: Public Domain)