Local news anchors across the country are reading from the exact same script on Joe Biden.
Local television news broadcasters are airing suspiciously similar attacks on Joe Biden’s mental acuity and how it will affect the coming election—and it appears to be part of a coordinated effort.
The Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or operates 185 local television stations across the country, and dozens of their stations aired a segment from national correspondent Matthew Galka citing a Wall Street Journal article that makes dubious attacks on Biden’s age and mental awareness. The stations that aired the segment introduced it using startlingly similar, if not identical language, the Popular Information and Public Notice newsletters reported.
It’s not the first time Sinclair, owned by right-wing businessman David D. Smith, has appeared to be running a conservative propaganda campaign. Infamously in 2018, dozens of the company’s TV stations were caught airing an identical editorial about the dangers of biased and false news. This time around, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal, as well as Murdoch’s cable news stations Fox News and Fox Business, have gotten in on the act.
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Worth noting that was also Sinclair. Over the years I’ve seen numerous right wing MAGA wackos try to use that as a demonstration of the mainstream media being corrupt unlike www.freedomeagleflag.ru or whatever. They don’t like when you point out it was Sinclair, a right wing junk outlet.
They figure it’s been long enough for the general public to forget. Unfortunately, they’re mostly correct.
One of John Oliver‘s best segments of all time.
From “Executive Office for Immigration Review”, April 1, 2018.
Man, that was fucking TRIPPY when it came out. It was like “holy christ this is the matrix dude D:”.
In this day and age? I’m not surprised, but I am, once again, disappointed.
They’re gonna pull out all the stops. This is their chance to end democracy and install themselves as rulers. Dont let it happen.
Why do these people think they are going to be the rulers of the next revolution, and not the first against the wall? The first act after a take over is power consolation and elimination of competition.
Because in a twisted way, that’s beneficial to the survivors.
Sure, but this is what right-wing outlets do. Fox news started the “talking points” in the late 1990s. If we didn’t know this propaganda milling was the case by now, we’re super-fucked
This is different. Sinclair owns local news channels. They are trying to mainstream right wing talking points in historically more neutral mediums. It’s a step beyond Fox’s tactics.
Also, there’s a feel of independence when it comes to local news.
They’re not historically more neutral, in the sense of editorial freedom, unless you’re going back to the 60s or something. It’s just that their common scripts were from ABC, CBS, or NBC, which were conservative enough but frustratingly linked to reality.
Sinclair isn’t different as much as they are radically right-wing. They may as well have a scowling Boris Epshteyn’s face on the screen for two minutes with scary music in the background. Anyone watching local news in 2024 is signing up for gruesomeness at some level.
It’s just that their common scripts were from ABC, CBS, or NBC
That’s not true. The actual local news programming was entirely independent from the affiliated broadcast network. National news programming from the national news networks were carried, including more editorial/long form formats (60 minutes, Dateline, Nightline), but that was still independent from what the local stations were covering in their own newsrooms.
The problem is that Sinclair bought out a bunch of local stations that were not previously right wing outlets and are making them read right wing scripts. It makes it seem like actual news to viewers who still associate the station with accurate reporting of the news.
Correct. This just confirms that Lachlan Murdoch is no different than Rupert.
He’s second generation wealthy trash generating trash for wealth.
True, though at some point we need the public to be just the slightest bit media-literate.
Sure, but this is what right-wing outlets do.
It’s what all TV news does…
CNNs new owners were very upfront about wanting to become just like Faux, and that was like 2-3 years ago.
“I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing,” he said. Then he suggested a model: “Fox News, in my opinion, has followed an interesting trajectory of trying to have ‘news’ news, I mean some actual journalism, embedded in a program schedule of all opinions.”
But even before that, they had a huge pro wealthy/corporate bias.
So yes, conservative media is a lot worse than “moderate” media, but they’re all owned by literal billionaires who pal around with each other and only care about money.
They’re more on each others side than anyone else. So when calling them out, don’t discriminate.
They’re all doing the same thing
I worked for a Sinclair station back in the early 00s. “Evil” is the only word I can use to describe them as an employer
What did they get up to?
Fired half the staff the week of Christmas. Started airing blatant far-right propaganda. Forced scripts that news personalities were mandated to read verbatim or be fired.
☹️
If you vote Trump because you legitimately believe Biden is too old, then you have to explain why it’s OK to have a President in their 2nd term who is the same age Biden is now.
Biden - 11/20/1942
Trump - 6/14/1946Biden turned 81 last year. Trump turns 78 in 3 days.
January, 2025 - 82 and 78.
2026 - 83 and 79.
2027 - 84 and 80.
2028 - 85 and 81.They don’t “legitimately believe” anything.
Don’t forget a FELON President in their 2nd term who is the same age as Biden now.
They’re just scared of Biden dying and having a black woman as president. That’s the real horror for these people.
I LOVE seeing people squirm when I call them out for dog whistling about Kamala
Great point!
Yeah he’s basically the same fucking age. Who is stupid enough to believe that Biden is too old but trump isn’t.
Oh right… Republicans.
For anyone wanting to sit on the sidelines, this is what is going to happen. trump WILL open camps, and these people will refuse to cover it.
Abstain at your own peril.
Is this extremely dangerous to our democracy?
I’ll prefer a physically old president over a mentally immature one. What about you?
I prefer a physically old president over a mentally immature and also physically old one.
The Telecommunications Act of 1997 was a huge mistake.
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Anyone smarter than me know how to pull the video link from that article? I’d love to share it with some folks but don’t think they’d read the article and scroll down for the video.
It’s on Twitter.
Thanks!
Lmao y’all acting like this is new. Monied interests controlling the US media (specifically newspapers but TV too since the 50s) is as old as the US itself
It’s never been this easy to see the clear, concise evidence presented on a silver platter.
And they also brought up trump’s age because he is just as fucking old right?
