Sharpton targets Charter

The Rev. Al Sharpton and his group, the National Action Network, are expected to protest in front of Charter Communications Inc.'s St. Louis office Tuesday.

The NAN is upset because Charter, like satellite-TV company EchoStar Communications Corp., has refused to carry gospel channel Word Network, on which
Sharpton and Sheffield occasionally appear.

'American satellite-TV and cable broadcasters such as Charter Communications
are rife with institutional racism,' Sheffield said in a prepared statement.

Charter spokesman Andy Morgan said the company has met with Sharpton and Word
twice.

The news that the NAN was going to be protesting against Charter came as a
surprise. 'The door is open and we're willing to talk,' Morgan said. 'We just
haven't heard from them until now.'