UPDATE: Sinclair lashes out, calls Popular Information's reporting "outrageous and offensive"
Popular Information is a three-person newsletter, but we can rattle the cages of some of the most powerful institutions in the country. Powerful corporations like Sinclair aren't used to being held accountable. But we will not be intimidated by their tactics. You can support our work — and help us do more of it — by upgrading to a paid subscription. On Tuesday, Popular Information reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group injected deceptive attacks on Biden's age into dozens of local news broadcasts. Sinclair owns or operates 186 local news affiliates and is run by David Smith, a right-wing media mogul. In collaboration with Public Notice, the report documented how dozens of local news stations owned by Sinclair promoted a deeply flawed Wall Street Journal story questioning Biden's mental acuity. The premise of the Wall Street Journal story was that Biden "shows signs of slipping" in private meetings. But the only person quoted on the record to support that thesis was former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), a partisan interested in damaging Biden politically. Worse, McCarthy had previously praised Biden's competence during meetings. Independent media critics panned the piece, saying it had "glaring problems." Popular Information's report included a six-minute video compilation featuring dozens of local Sinclair anchors reading from an identical script. Again and again, the anchors say that the Wall Street Journal is "out with new reporting calling into question the mental fitness of President Joe Biden," adding that the issue "could be an election decider." The exposé quickly went viral online, racking up nearly 1 million views on social media sites. It then reached millions more on cable news. On Wednesday morning, MSNBC's Morning Joe devoted a lengthy segment to the story. "It's really not local reporting. It's spoon-fed from a right-wing… group that's spreading disinformation," host Joe Scarborough said. The story was also picked up by several national media outlets. And on Wednesday night, I appeared on MSNBC's Alex Wagner tonight to discuss Sinclair's conduct. Sinclair was not happy. In a statement, a member of Sinclair's Corporate Communications team said that Popular Information's reporting was "outrageous and offensive." But Sinclair's statement ignored the central point of Popular Information's reporting, which was that Sinclair was amplifying the Wall Street Journal's flawed story. Instead, much of the email focused on defending the practice of requiring dozens of purportedly independent news affiliates to read an identical script. Sinclair said that practice "ensures local station anchors can accurately introduce the footage" and "conserves resources, allowing local producers in each affiliate market more time for newsgathering." Sinclair also said that "using a preproduced script for a package that has been provided by another media outlet is a common practice." Of course, in this case, the package was not produced by "another media outlet." It was produced by Sinclair, the corporate parent of the affiliates. Sinclair is notorious for requiring affiliates to run its national political content, which has a decidedly right-wing slant. Asked if affiliates could choose not to run the segment questioning Biden's mental fitness, Sinclair did not respond. |
Older messages
The most important crime statistics of the 2024 campaign
Thursday, June 13, 2024
One of the central arguments advanced by Donald Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election is that violent crime in the United States is out of control. In a speech earlier this year at
Sinclair injects deceptive attacks on Biden's age into dozens of local broadcasts
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
This is a special joint edition of Popular Information and Aaron Rupar's Public Notice. You can subscribe to Public Notice here. Two outlets controlled by right-wing media tycoons are working in
The brazen GOP plan to launder cash to the nation's most radical gubernatorial candidate
Monday, June 10, 2024
One of the country's most hotly contested gubernatorial contests is taking place in North Carolina, where Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (R) — known for his extremist views on LGBTQ rights, abortion,
A win for the white grievance industry
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Black women make up about 8% of the population in the United States. But, according to a report by Project Diane, firms founded by Black women received 0.0006% of total funding from venture capitalists
The facts about Biden's new immigration policy
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced executive actions that would impose sweeping changes to how the nation treats asylum seekers. Anyone who attempts to cross the border outside of a designated
You Might Also Like
Microsoft will let Windows users uninstall new ‘Recall’ AI feature
Saturday, September 28, 2024
More OceanGate revelations | Software pioneer Charles Simonyi on the quest for galactic discoveries ADVERTISEMENT GeekWire SPONSOR MESSAGE: Get your ticket for AWS re:Invent, happening Dec. 2–6 in Las
Crypto’s Biggest Banker’s Latest Push | Bitcoin Breaks Out
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Election betting could go mainstream in the US, as Kalshi triumphs over the CFTC. ADVERTISEMENT Forbes START INVESTING • Newsletters • MyForbes Nina Bambysheva Staff Writer, Forbes Money & Markets
If readers don’t pay for journalism, it will die
Saturday, September 28, 2024
The Intercept needs to raise $400000 by September 30. This month, we're facing down a big fundraising goal: To meet our budget, The Intercept needs to raise $400000 by September 30. Now, with less
People Go Crazy for My Orthopedic-ish Mary Janes
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Plus: Tim Heidecker's favorite things. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. People
Will Rogers' lessons for political smarts – and healthy skepticism
Saturday, September 28, 2024
+ who would benefit from 'Lithium Valley' in California?
The very best slippers
Saturday, September 28, 2024
A fall essential View in browser The Recommendation Cold toes, warm slippers A pair of gray Glerups Wool Slippers. Photo: Connie Park We've been testing (and puttering around, lounging, and getting
Weekend Briefing No. 555
Saturday, September 28, 2024
5 Formulas for a Good Life -- Raising Entitled Kids -- Love Isn't All You Need ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: Good Regulators Come For Bad Medicine
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Antimonopolists are coming for meddling drug middlemen and lousy landlords, the tide turns on overdoses, and carbon goes under the sea. YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: Good Regulators Come For Bad Medicine By Lucy
☕ Helpers and hinderers
Saturday, September 28, 2024
The immediate future of work. September 28, 2024 Tech Brew presented by Amazon Web Services It's Saturday. Yes, Saturday! Outside of the traditional nine-to-five, M–F routine. But perhaps you'
Helene's Deadly Impact, U.S. Exits Iraq, and a Seal's 50th Birthday
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm Thursday evening, killing at least 40 people across four states and leaving 3 million without power in Florida, Georgia, and the