After some stalling, it was eventually broadcast by the PBS programme "World" in most of the US on 12 May 1980, with only 16 out of 200 PBS stations choosing not do so. In one example, South Carolina Educational Television canceled the broadcast of the film across its network, a decision influenced by fact that the then-U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, John C. West, had formerly been the state's Governor. Among the other PBS stations chose not to air the film were KUHT in Houston, Texas, KLCS in Los Angeles, California, & Alabama Public Television Network