tl;dr — The Deadspin video of hordes of news anchors reciting the same script all over the nation is fucking terrifying.
Sinclair owns almost 200 TV stations across the country, an amount that is more than any other media company. The company is in the process of purchasing Tribune Media for $3.9 billion. That acquisition would give Sinclair control of 14 FOX, 12 CW, six CBS, three ABC, two NBC, three MyNetworkTV affiliates and two independent stations.
Trump, on Twitter: “So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased. Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.”
If you need an illustration of how this looks, check out the video Deadspin put together of anchors across the country reciting the script in unison:
https://www.theroot.com/is-your-local-news-station-a-propaganda-machine-1824273057
Honestly I’ve stopped watching local news because they’ve all just become trite “feel good” stories or “Here’s a story that just happens to have something to do with the movie our channel just broadcast.”
< ![CDATA[Honestly I've stopped watching local news because they've all just become trite "feel good" stories or "Here's a story that just happens to have something to do with the movie our channel just broadcast."]]>
I don’t disagree with anything they’re saying. What they’re saying is by itself proof that what they say is true. The funny part is that because they don’t name any names, they might well be talking about themselves and Sinclair.
< ![CDATA[I don't disagree with anything they're saying. What they're saying is by itself proof that what they say is true. The funny part is that because they don't name any names, they might well be talking about themselves and Sinclair.]]>
Martijn Vos Sure, though I’d argue that language like “biased and false news” is a Trumpian dog whistle, as is “Truth is neither left nor right”.
< ![CDATA[Martijn Vos Sure, though I'd argue that language like "biased and false news" is a Trumpian dog whistle, as is "Truth is neither left nor right".]]>
A friend of mine laid out a sequence of about 10 government decisions since Trump came to power which enabled this. This isn’t an accident – it’s cooperation between the executive branch, Ajit Pai’s FCC, and Sinclair.
< ![CDATA[A friend of mine laid out a sequence of about 10 government decisions since Trump came to power which enabled this. This isn't an accident - it's cooperation between the executive branch, Ajit Pai's FCC, and Sinclair.]]>
Mark Delsing Sure, but that doesn’t make it any less true about themselves. I find it somewhat hilarious how the Trumpists accuse everybody of exactly the things they themselves are doing.
< ![CDATA[Mark Delsing Sure, but that doesn't make it any less true about themselves. I find it somewhat hilarious how the Trumpists accuse everybody of exactly the things they themselves are doing.]]>
Martijn Vos Irony, as a whole, is definitely lost on them, that’s for sure.
< ![CDATA[Martijn Vos Irony, as a whole, is definitely lost on them, that's for sure.]]>
Also, this take is entertaining:
youtube.com – Sinclair Broadcast Group: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
< ![CDATA[Also, this take is entertaining: youtube.com – Sinclair Broadcast Group: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)]]>
Robert Bohl
youtube.com – John Oliver – Sinclair’s Propaganda
< ![CDATA[Robert Bohl youtube.com – John Oliver – Sinclair’s Propaganda]]>
Mark Delsing It’s also useful as a signal. Anything they accuse others of, is probably something they’re currently doing themselves. That seems to be how they work.
< ![CDATA[Mark Delsing It's also useful as a signal. Anything they accuse others of, is probably something they're currently doing themselves. That seems to be how they work.]]>