Sinclair's recipe for TV news: Crime, homelessness, illegal drugs
Sinclairs recipe for TV news: Crime, homelessness, illegal drugs
The local news powerhouse, whose chairman recently bought the Baltimore Sun, focuses on fear in broadcasts that often align with Donald Trumps view of cities
By Sarah Ellison
February 16, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. EST
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Every year, local television news stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting conduct short surveys among viewers to help guide the years coverage. A key question in each poll, according to David Smith, the companys executive chairman: What are you most afraid of?
The answers are evident in Sinclairs programming. Crime, homelessness, illegal drug use, failing schools and other societal ills have long been core elements of local TV news coverage. But on Sinclairs growing nationwide roster of stations, the editorial focus reflects Smiths conservative views and plays on its audiences fears that Americas cities are falling apart, according to media observers, Smith associates, and current and former staffers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal company matters.
Smith, an enthusiastic supporter of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump who has built Sinclair into one of the largest television station operators in the country, purchased the Baltimore Sun last month. In a private meeting with the Suns journalists, he urged them to emulate coverage at the local Sinclair station, Fox45, which in 2021 produced a documentary titled simply Baltimore Is Dying.
Sinclairs local network of 185 stations across the country makes it an influential player in shaping the views of millions of Americans, especially at a time when local newspapers are rapidly being gutted or closed altogether. As Sinclair increasingly fills the void, it offers its viewers a perspective that aligns with Trumps oft-stated opinion that Americas cities, especially those run by Democratic politicians, are dangerous and dysfunctional.
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Laura Wagner and Elahe Izadi contributed to this report.
By Sarah Ellison
Sarah Ellison is a staff writer based in New York for The Washington Post. Previously, she wrote for Vanity Fair, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, where she started as a news assistant in Paris. Twitter https://twitter.com/sarahellison
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,480 posts)Need to be shattered into many pieces via antitrust laws. What I think needs to be done is put strict limits on how many tv,radio and newspapers a company can own.
I would make it so you could own 1 newspaper ,1 tv station,1 radio station and 1 social media platform in total and that is it.
None of this buying up everything,just like homes you cant buy them all.
Corporate owners and owners in general need serious limits put on how much they can own with no way to wiggle around that limit and this type of legislation needs to happen asap. The legislation needs serious teeth .
Limit how much media a person or corporation can own or operate ,or people won't know what is happening in reality.
Hopefully when Biden wins and if we have the house and senate these laws can be passed and ruthlessly reinforced.
JudyM
(29,250 posts)Thanks for posting it!
Dulcinea
(6,638 posts)Sex and fear. Ask any advertiser.
Aristus
(66,380 posts)Stay up there in Squalor Holler with your meth and your pointless blood feuds.