Spiked scandal

ABC-T has abruptly cancelled a highly advertised report about alleged sexual excesses by members of the US Congress, spending on expensive furniture for its committee chairmen and other abuses and waste in the Congress. The report, for its popular 20/20 programme, was based on a book by Ronald Kessler, a former Washington Post reporter. The book is to be published soon. Kessler charged that the programme was cancelled as ABC was concerned that, if the show was aired, members of Congress would retaliate by being less willing to appear on ABC news programmes and more hostile to issues important to ABC or its parent, the Walt Disney Company.