Our next door neighbor here at Broadcast Park, CBS2, is a Sinclair Broadcast Group station. In the past couple of weeks, Sinclair has recorded various anchors reading the same script for playback as promos. Here is the script, as transcribed by progressive group, ThinkProgress, posted by Deadspin.com and edited for clarity by me.
"Hi, I’m(A) ____________, and I’m (B) _________________…
(B) Our greatest responsibility is to serve our (regional) communities. We are extremely proud of the quality, balanced journalism that (STATION) News produces.
(A) But we’re concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media.
(B) More alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake stories… stories that just aren’t true, without checking facts first.
(A) Unfortunately, some members of the media use their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control ‘exactly what people think’…This is extremely dangerous to a democracy.
(B) At (STATION) it’s our responsibility to pursue and report the truth. We understand Truth is neither politically ‘left nor right.’ Our commitment to factual reporting is the foundation of our credibility, now more than ever.
(A) But we are human and sometimes our reporting might fall short. If you believe our coverage is unfair please reach out to us by going to (STATION WEBSITE) and clicking on CONTENT CONCERNS. We value your comments. We will respond back to you.
(B) We work very hard to seek the truth and strive to be fair, balanced and factual… We consider it our honor, our privilege to responsibly deliver the news every day.
(A) Thank you for watching and we appreciate your feedback."
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Some local, regional and national level politicos and pundits are running around with their hair on fire, and the only reason they are doing so is because the script doesn't start out, "This is an apple." Do you want to know why fewer people trust the media nowadays? It's because of media outlets and individual media members who act as if they are non-partisan but are, in fact partisan.
From CNNs Don Lemon to local columnists in the Register and Gazette, nearly every single leftist talking point gets positive recognition. For example, The Gazette's Editorial from April 5, 2018 reads:
"'Some media outlets publish these same fake stories, stories that just aren't true, without checking facts first,' some of the anchors can be heard saying in video clips compiled by the sports media blog Deadspin.
The Sinclair anchors are right about the existence of fake news, but their new monologues didn't give any specific examples, breaking an elementary journalistic practice."
It's a promo. It's 30 seconds long. It's intended to draw people to their newscasts, not to be a hard news story. They don't owe an explanation to anyone about the promo because it speaks for itself.
An additional issue surrounding this is that it's being said that Sinclair anchors are being forced to read this promo. I once quit a well paying job because of what I was being asked to do in order to fulfill my assignments. Grown ups do that. I suggest that if they feel put upon, they should do the same.
Finally, after listening to and watching CNN and MSNBC push gun control for the past month (since the Parkland shooting)...and reading nearly every single local and regional columnist...this universal push for "something, anything" to forward gun control, don't try to act unbiased. Actions speak louder than words.
To blend a couple of cliches, these "newspeople" need to get off their soapboxes and take a good, long look in the mirror. They are the bias. They are making and promoting the fake news. Many of them mimic what the national late night show hosts do in the "Clown nose on. Clown nose Off" routine, whereby they traipse the line between news and opinion/comedy and reality. They're not funny...local or national. I can;t remember the last time I actually enjoyed a late night program. Their opinions, while they have the right to them, are rarely well thought out, nor are they clearly articulated.
The only sin Sinclair committed was in not towing the progressive line. Now, back to your regularly scheduled news, the latest bombshell about Donald Trump and another piece about how everyone want President Obama back.