CNN Sues for Right to Give Vietnam Beam

Turner Broadcasting System is suing the Bush Administration to be allowed to provide its Cable News Network to Vietnam, a Turner official said Thursday.

Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting wants to provide a satellite receiving station to the Vietnamese at no charge and give them the right to take the CNN signal for 50 Vietnamese dong a year, worth less than a penny, said Bertram Carp, a Turner vice president in Washington.

U.S. law prohibits most trade with Vietnam. Turner said in its lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington that CNN would qualify under a 1988 amendment to trade law that exempts information materials from trade sanctions.

Turner believes that under the amendment, “we’re entitled to this,” Carp said.

The suit names as defendants Treasury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady, Commerce Secretary Robert A. Mosbacher and Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Carp said.

The Administration interprets the law to mean that physical materials such as books or videocassettes may be exchanged with Vietnam, but not “immaterial” commodities, including television broadcasts.

Vietnam now provides videocassettes for CNN’s “World Report” program, Carp said.