Editorial: NBC's 'el foldo' on 'Atomic Train' film

NBC's parent company is General Electric, which has a nuclear energy division. NBC contends its sudden decision last week to make changes had nothing to do with its relationship to G.E., whose president also sits on the executive board of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nuclear power industry's lobbying arm. NBC told the New York Times that scientists assured them nuclear waste isn't transported by rail. But the network ignores the fact that Congress wants to ship nuclear waste to Nevada -- by rail.

Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., aptly referred to NBC's decision as "el foldo." The network's action is all the more ironic since NBC and other networks routinely defend their right to air gratuitous sex or violence, yet on an issue like this NBC is willing to change a movie's content based on the concerns of a powerful interest group.

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