BALTIMORE — Sinclair Broadcast fired its Washington bureau chief, saying he revealed company business when he discussed its coming program on a documentary critical of John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities.

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. said in a statement it fired reporter Jon Leiberman and that "we are disappointed that Jon's political views caused him to violate company policy and speak to the press about company business.''

In his initial remarks, published Monday by The Baltimore Sun, Leiberman called the Sinclair show "biased political propaganda, with clear intentions to sway this election.''

Leiberman said he was fired Monday by Joseph DeFeo, Sinclair's vice-president for news, and escorted out of the company's headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md.

"I was told I violated company policy by divulging information from a staff meeting'' to the Sun, Leiberman said late Monday.

The staff meeting took place Sunday at Sinclair's headquarters, Leiberman said. He said staffers were told that the news division would handle the hour-long show, based on the documentary Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal.

The 42-minute documentary features former prisoners of war accusing Kerry, a decorated veteran who took up the anti-war cause on returning from Vietnam, of prolonging the war and worsening their plight. Sinclair said last week it hadn't been decided how much of the documentary would appear in the completed show.

The Democratic National Committee has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission contending that airing the film should be considered an illegal in-kind contribution to the Bush campaign.

Leiberman, 29, said he told DeFeo he would not participate in preparing the program about the film and that he objected to it being labelled news rather than commentary.

"We have no further comment on the actions of a disgruntled employee or an ongoing personnel matter,'' the Sinclair statement said. "Viewers can grade Leiberman's opinion versus the reality when the finished product is aired.''