In an hourlong program that was to be broadcast yesterday, the History Channel will engage in an unusual mea culpa, presenting an evaluation of one of its own programs that concludes that it and the channel were irresponsible.
Last night's program was produced in response to vociferous complaints about a documentary, The Guilty Men, that accused former US president Lyndon Johnson of being complicit in the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. It was broadcast in November, during the week of the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's death, and a squall of protest arose shortly afterward, led by the broadcaster Bill Moyers; Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association; and others who worked for Johnson during his presidency. They were supported by Lady Bird Johnson, the president's widow.
The History Channel subsequently asked three prominent historians -- Robert Dallek, Stanley Kutler and Thomas Sugrue -- to make an independent evaluation of the documentary. In a statement the station acknowledged that the historians had determined the accusation against Johnson was insupportable and that the documentary should not have been broadcast.
Barr McClellan, the author of a book that makes similar accusations against Johnson and who was a central interview subject in The Guilty Men, said he was disappointed that none of the three historians got in touch with him.
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