Sinclair Broadcast Group: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

LastWeekTonight
2 Jul 201718:59

Summary

TLDRThe script discusses the impact of Sinclair Broadcast Group's potential acquisition of Tribune Media on local news. Sinclair, known for conservative-leaning content, could reach 2.2 million households with the merger. The script highlights Sinclair's practice of injecting political commentary into local news segments and their 'must-run' segments, which sometimes include misleading or unverified information. It also showcases local stations' resistance to Sinclair's content and raises concerns about the erosion of local news integrity.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ“ข Local news is often more trusted than national news due to its community focus and relatability.
  • ๐Ÿš” A humorous approach can be used by local news to draw attention to serious stories, such as crime reports.
  • ๐Ÿป Local news covers a wide range of topics, from serious incidents like black bears in backyards to human interest stories.
  • ๐Ÿ“บ Sinclair Broadcast Group is a significant, yet lesser-known, media company with a large influence over local TV stations.
  • ๐Ÿ’ธ Sinclair's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media for around $4 billion could significantly increase its reach and influence.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™‚๏ธ Sinclair is known for injecting conservative viewpoints into local news segments, which may not reflect the diversity of local opinions.
  • ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Commentary segments from figures like Mark Hyman and Boris Epstein are must-runs on Sinclair-affiliated stations, indicating a slant towards conservative views.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฐ Sinclair's local news content sometimes includes misleading or unverified information, which can compromise journalistic integrity.
  • ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ The company has been known to influence local news content, even dictating the scripts that local news anchors use.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Sinclair's 'must-run' segments include recurring features that may sometimes present biased or leading questions to viewers.
  • ๐Ÿšจ The 'terrorism alert desk' segment reports on terrorism daily, sometimes including minor or unrelated incidents, which could skew public perception.

Q & A

  • What is the main concern discussed in the script about local news?

    -The main concern is the potential problems arising from corporate consolidation of local news, particularly the influence of Sinclair Broadcast Group which could expand significantly if their acquisition of Tribune Media is approved.

  • How does the script describe the typical content of local news?

    -Local news is described as having to do a lot more with a lot less compared to national news, often covering a mix of serious stories, human interest pieces, and sometimes silly or sensational segments to capture viewers' attention.

  • What is the significance of Sinclair Broadcast Group's potential acquisition of Tribune Media?

    -If approved, Sinclair's acquisition of Tribune Media would make them the largest owner of local TV stations in the U.S., significantly increasing their reach and influence over local news content.

  • What is the script's view on Sinclair's political leanings?

    -The script suggests that Sinclair has a noticeable conservative tilt, producing and distributing commentary segments that align with hard-right opinions, which are then aired on their local stations.

  • How does Sinclair's content differ from other local news stations?

    -Sinclair differs by producing its own commentary segments and sometimes dictating the content of local newscasts, including 'must-run' segments that affiliates are directed to air.

  • What is the 'terrorism alert desk' mentioned in the script?

    -The 'terrorism alert desk' is a daily must-run segment produced by Sinclair that reports on terrorism, regardless of whether there is significant news to report, sometimes including minor or unverified incidents.

  • What is the script's critique of the 'terrorism alert desk' segment?

    -The script criticizes the 'terrorism alert desk' for sometimes reporting on minor or unverified incidents, and for potentially sensationalizing or misrepresenting events as terrorism to create a narrative.

  • How does the script suggest viewers should respond to Sinclair's influence on local news?

    -The script encourages viewers to find out who owns their local stations and to be aware of the content they are watching, suggesting that local news should be about community-focused stories rather than political agendas.

  • What examples does the script provide of Sinclair's influence on local news content?

    -The script provides examples such as Sinclair-produced segments by conservative commentators Mark Hyman and Boris Epstein, as well as 'must-run' segments that are directed to be aired by Sinclair-affiliated stations.

  • What is the script's stance on the importance of local news?

    -The script acknowledges the importance of local news for filling gaps missed by national news and for being a trusted source of information for communities, but it also expresses concern over the potential loss of local integrity and diversity in news coverage due to corporate consolidation.

  • How does the script characterize the role of local news anchors in Sinclair stations?

    -The script characterizes local news anchors at Sinclair stations as sometimes being used to deliver content that may not reflect their own views or local news values, as they are required to present Sinclair-produced segments and scripts.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ“บ Local News' Importance and Sinclair's Influence

The paragraph highlights the significance of local news, which is often overshadowed by national news despite its informative nature. It points out that local news is trusted more than national news due to its closeness to the community. The main focus then shifts to Sinclair Broadcast Group, a media company that owns numerous local TV stations and is set to expand further with the acquisition of Tribune Media. The acquisition would make Sinclair the largest single group of television stations in the nation. The paragraph also touches on the conservative slant in Sinclair's content, exemplified by commentators like Mark Hyman, and raises concerns about the potential impact of such consolidation on local news content and viewership.

05:02

๐Ÿ” Sinclair's Content and Commentary

This paragraph delves deeper into Sinclair's media practices, emphasizing the conservative voices it promotes, such as Boris Epstein, a former Trump adviser known for making controversial claims. It discusses how Sinclair's content sometimes leans right, not just in commentary but also in ad breaks and local newscasts. Sinclair is shown to dictate content to local stations, including 'must-run' segments that are directed to be aired, regardless of their veracity or relevance. The paragraph also criticizes Sinclair for potentially misleading content, such as a story about Barack Obama and voter fraud that was debunked by PolitiFact.

10:03

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ The Impact of Sinclair's 'Must-Run' Segments

The paragraph discusses Sinclair's practice of mandating 'must-run' segments across its local stations, which include commentary, news stories, and recurring features like the 'terrorism alert desk.' These segments are criticized for their potential to mislead or sensationalize, such as reporting on minor or unrelated incidents as if they were significant terrorist threats. The paragraph also mentions how Sinclair's content can overshadow local news stories, affecting both the journalists working for Sinclair stations and the viewers who may not realize the content's origin.

15:04

๐Ÿšซ Pushback Against Sinclair and the Future of Local News

This paragraph addresses the resistance from some Sinclair stations against the parent company's mandates, with examples of subtle acts of rebellion like airing 'must-run' segments at low-viewership times. It raises concerns about the future of local news if Sinclair's acquisition of Tribune Media goes through, suggesting that more quality journalism could be compromised by Sinclair's style of content. The paragraph concludes with a hypothetical scenario for Tribune stations about what they might expect under Sinclair ownership, emphasizing the importance of local news being free from political agendas and scaremongering.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กLocal News

Local news refers to news coverage that focuses on events, stories, and issues at the regional or community level. In the script, local news is highlighted as a crucial source of information that often covers stories missed by national news outlets. The video emphasizes the importance of local news in providing context and depth to community-specific issues, such as the example of the black bear in Tina Morrison's backyard.

๐Ÿ’กCorporate Consolidation

Corporate consolidation in the context of the video refers to the merging of media companies, which can lead to fewer owners controlling a larger share of the media landscape. The script discusses the potential problems arising from Sinclair Broadcast Group's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media, which would create the largest group of television stations in the U.S. This raises concerns about the diversity of viewpoints and the potential for biased news coverage.

๐Ÿ’กSinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair Broadcast Group is identified in the script as a major player in the local TV station market, known for its conservative-leaning content. The video points out Sinclair's influence through its production and distribution of commentary segments to its affiliate stations, which may lead to a uniformity of opinion and a departure from the traditional role of local news as a provider of unbiased information.

๐Ÿ’กBias

Bias in the context of the video refers to the favoritism or prejudice towards one side or viewpoint in the presentation of news. The script criticizes Sinclair for its conservative bias, exemplified by commentators like Mark Hyman and Boris Epstein, whose segments are often required to be aired by Sinclair-affiliated stations. This bias can influence public perception and potentially undermine the trustworthiness of local news.

๐Ÿ’กMust-Run Segments

Must-run segments are pieces of content that local stations are required to air as dictated by their parent company. The script uses this term to illustrate Sinclair's control over its affiliates' content, where local news anchors are sometimes compelled to present pre-packaged stories or commentary that may not align with their own journalistic integrity or the interests of their local viewers.

๐Ÿ’กPolitical Correctness

Political correctness is mentioned in the script as a term that has been criticized or deemed controversial by some conservative voices, including Sinclair commentators. It refers to the use of language, policies, or measures that are intended not to offend or marginalize certain groups of people. The video uses this term to highlight the polarizing nature of some commentary segments and the potential for local news to be used as a vehicle for political agendas.

๐Ÿ’กTerrorism Alert Desk

The Terrorism Alert Desk is a daily segment produced by Sinclair that is required to be aired by its affiliates. The script critiques this segment for sometimes reporting on minor or unrelated incidents under the guise of terrorism, which can contribute to fearmongering and a skewed public perception of threats. This segment is used as an example of Sinclair's influence on local news content.

๐Ÿ’กMedia Influence

Media influence refers to the power that media outlets have in shaping public opinion and perceptions. The video discusses Sinclair's significant influence through its ownership of numerous local TV stations and the potential impact of its conservative-leaning content on viewers. This influence is a central concern of the video, as it raises questions about the role of local news and the potential erosion of journalistic standards.

๐Ÿ’กTrust in Local News

Trust in local news is highlighted in the script as a key factor that makes local news valuable to communities. The video references a Pew Study indicating that local news is trusted more than national news. However, the potential for corporate consolidation and biased content threatens this trust, as viewers may begin to question the authenticity and objectivity of the news they consume.

๐Ÿ’กFake News

Fake news is a term used to describe false or misleading information presented as news. While not explicitly mentioned in the script, the concept is alluded to in the critique of Sinclair's content, particularly in segments that may distort facts or present unverified claims as news. The video implies that the propagation of such content can undermine the integrity of local news and public trust.

Highlights

Local news is often more trusted than national news due to its focus on community-specific stories.

Sinclair Broadcast Group is the largest owner of local TV stations in the U.S. and could expand significantly with the acquisition of Tribune Media.

Sinclair's content tends to have a noticeable conservative tilt, with commentators like Mark Hyman and Boris Epstein expressing hard-right views.

Sinclair produces and distributes its own commentary segments to its local affiliates, which is unusual for a TV station owner.

The acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair would create the largest single group of television stations in the nation.

Sinclair's local news broadcasts sometimes include 'must-run' segments that dictate content, blurring the line between local and corporate messaging.

Critics argue that Sinclair's approach to local news can undermine trust in media by injecting political bias into trusted community news sources.

Sinclair has been known to air segments that some consider fearmongering, such as the 'terrorism alert desk' that reports on terrorism every day.

Some Sinclair affiliates have rebelled against the parent company by airing 'must-run' segments at times of low viewership.

The potential increase in Sinclair's reach raises concerns about the homogenization of local news and the potential for increased political bias.

Local news is crucial for filling gaps left by national news, covering stories that are specific to local communities.

The transcript highlights the importance of viewers being aware of who owns their local news stations to understand potential biases.

Sinclair's influence on local news has raised questions about media consolidation and its impact on journalistic integrity.

The transcript satirically points out the absurdity of some of Sinclair's content, such as the 'terrorism alert desk' covering minor or unrelated incidents.

Viewers are encouraged to critically evaluate local news content and consider the source and potential biases behind the reporting.

The transcript includes a mock segment from a Sinclair affiliate warning viewers about the potential takeover by Sinclair, urging them to be aware.

Transcripts

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local news it's mostly known for

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informative and hard-hitting segments

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like this one police say one of the mass

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suspects armed with a handgun got out of

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his car walked up to the victim's window

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pointed the gun right at her face and

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told her he wanted her purse her money

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and her cell phone holy

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you have got to hand it to him that

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is a great way to make people pay

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attention to a story they may not be

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interested in and with that in mind our

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main story tonight concerns the

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potential problems in corporate

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consolidation of local news don't you

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dare change the

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channel now National cable news gets a

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lot of attention with their big budgets

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and their fancy Graphics packages

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meanwhile local news often has to do a

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lot more with a lot less the black bear

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was roaming through Tina Morrison's

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backyard Tina was too stunned to get a

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picture but this is what the bear

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probably looked like except real this

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Recreation identifies how Witnesses say

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the bear escaped into the

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woods you know what whoever is hiding

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behind that tiny bear cut out deserves a

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pullit sir oh sure sure he could have

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stood up straight and just walked the

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bear across the garden it would have

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been exactly as convincing but he didn't

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do that he hunched down because he cares

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that man is a

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journalist and look it's easy to make

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fun it's easy for me to make fun but

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local news fills an important role

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finding stories that the national news

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is missing this show uses local news all

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the time our civil forfiter piece used

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outstanding reporting from Tennessee's

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News Channel 5 uh and our piece on

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problems with 911 used great work from

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Atlanta's 11 alive in fact a Pew Study

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last year found that local news is

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trusted more than national news people

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absolutely love it so yes when you watch

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local news you may see some something

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silly but you also may see something

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great and there's actually a third

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option because in some parts of the

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country you might see this I've got a

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message for certain students listen up

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closely snowflake yes I'm talking to you

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you the social justice Warrior who whes

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for trigger warnings and safe spaces not

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grown up enough to deal with the facts

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then hunkered down in your room and

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Snapchat the day away with other social

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justice Warriors College isn't a

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babysitting service it's time to grow up

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snowflake now that man is Mark Hyman

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with one in what I presume is a series

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featuring titles like wake up libtard

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cucked much you little beta baby and

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knock knock sheeple it's me truth with

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Mark Hyman Heyman is a commentator and

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former executive at Sinclair broadcast

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group and Sinclair may be the most

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influential Media company that you've

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never heard of not only are they the

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largest owner of local TV stations in

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the country they could soon get even

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bigger Sinclair will pay about $4

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billion for Tribune media and its 42

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local stations the combined companies

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will create the largest single group of

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television stations in the nation wow it

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is a little disconcerting to learn that

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something you've only just heard of is

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throwing around $4 billion it's like

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finding out that Exxon Mobile just got

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bought and it was by the little twerp

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who plays the new Spider-Man what how

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how's that possible how does spider

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twerp have the resources to do that I

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only just found out he existed

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now this acquisition still needs

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regulatory approval but it is widely

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assumed that that will happen at which

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point Sinclair's reach could expand

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dramatically we did some math and we

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found out that when you combine the most

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watched nightly newscasts on Sinclair

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and Tribune stations in some of their

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largest markets you get an average total

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viewership of 2.2 million households and

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that is a lot it's more than any current

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prime time show on Fox News including

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five idiots have the most intolerable

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dinner party ever and that guy from

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college everyone hated has a talk show

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now the Tucker Carlson and the Fox News

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parallels don't stop there because

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Sinclair's content tilts noticeably

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conservative remember that snowflake guy

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Sinclair produces those segments and

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sends them to their Affiliates and that

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in itself is already unusual as best we

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can tell no other major owner of TV

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stations distribute its own commentary

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segments to run joing local news and

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Hyman's opinions Hugh hard right we are

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threatened by a nasty cancer epidemic

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it's a danger to our nation it is

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political correctness and

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multiculturalism words that were once

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acceptable in polite conversation are no

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longer handicapped and are now

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off limits there is one step that's

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proven to dramatically reduce domestic

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violence marriage I am now a proud

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Washington Redskins fan and the opinion

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that only black people can legitimately

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have an afro someone should tell that to

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American folk singer Art

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Garfunkle what what are you talking

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about as I believe Paul Simon once said

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there's no need to involve art gar fle

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in any of this and and the thing is

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Hyman is not Sinclair's only

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conservative voice just recently they

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they hired a man named Boris Epstein a

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former Trump adviser who you may

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remember from multiple TV appearances

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last year where he made wild claims like

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this one Barack Obama may have won in

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2008 North Carolina due to Illegal

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voting go ahead Jake sorry where where

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are you getting that from Barack Obama

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won in North Carolina because of voter

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fraud 5% of voting in North Carolina may

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have been by people who are non citizens

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who should not have been voting and

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swung North Carolina to Mr Obama now

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obviously that is nothing even

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resembling a fact the claim he's making

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received a pants on fire from PolitiFact

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and even if it were true which again it

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isn't Obama still would have beat McCain

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by 162 electoral votes which raises the

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question do Trump surgan even know why

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they are lying or are they driven by

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some vague Instinct like when a cat sits

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inside a box why are you doing that I

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have no idea there's just something

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inside me that tells me I

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should and yet and yet Epstein is now

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Sinclair's Chief political analyst and

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has a regular segment called bottom line

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with Boris let me show you a recent one

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concerning a retracted story on CNN the

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bottom line is this CNN along with other

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cable news networks is struggling to

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stick to the facts and to be impartial

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in covering politics in general and this

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President specifically oh come on that

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could not be more pot calling the kettle

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black if he said the bottom line is CNN

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is a rejected extra from The Sopranos in

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a JC Penny's tie whose voice sounds like

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Sylvester Stallone with a mouthful of

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bees but but Sinclair doesn't just lean

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right with its commentators even its ad

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breaks sometimes put a thumb on the

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scale in 2010 Sinclair's Pittsburgh

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affiliate pulled a 30-second Democratic

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ad off the air after they received a

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complaint and found that some claims in

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the ad were unsubstantiated and look

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that's a good thing it is good that they

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were willing to take a stand to ensure

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nothing inaccurate made its way on air

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although just a few months later that

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exact same station and multiple other

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Sinclair Outlets add a 25-minute attack

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ad on Democrats featuring assertions

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like this during his presid presidential

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election he wound up with a record

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shattering $750 million in his campaign

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to this day he refuses to report from

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whence it came one reason might be that

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some of it originated from the terrorist

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group Hamas oh my god look look if you

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are going to make up scary donors to the

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Obama campaign why stop with Hamas just

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keep going he won't say where the money

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came from one reason may be that it

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originated with this gang of coyotes

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that has made billions selling human

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babies to other hungrier

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coyotes and look if the opinions were

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confined just to the commentary or to

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the ad breaks that would be one thing

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but Sinclair can sometimes dictate the

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content of your local newscast as well

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and in contrast to Fox News a clearly

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conservative Outlet where you basically

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know what you're getting with Sinclair

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they are injecting Foxworthy content

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into the mouths of your local news

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anchors the two people who you know and

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who you trust and who's Onre chemistry

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can usually best be described as two

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people and the thing is you you may not

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realize it's happening because Sinclair

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and its digital news subsidiary Circa

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not only produce and send packages to

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their stations they even write scripts

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that local anchors can use to introduce

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the pieces for example just this Tuesday

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night anchors at Sinclair stations all

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over the country introduce a story about

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Michael Flynn like this did the FBI have

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a personal Vendetta in Pursuit uing the

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Russia investigation of President

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Trump's former National Security adviser

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Michael Flynn did the FBI have a

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personal Vendetta in pursuing the Russia

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investigation of President Trump's

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former National Security adviser Michael

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Flynn did the FBI have a personal

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Vendetta in pursuing the Russia

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investigation of President Trump's

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former National Security adviser Michael

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Flynn did the FBI have a personal

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Vendetta in pursuing the investigation

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it could very well be true uh yeah but

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you could say it could very well be true

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about anything are all Peanut M&M's just

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snake eggs painted different colors do

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foxes walk on their hind legs when no

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one is looking is there really only one

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olon twin who's moving back and forth at

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superhuman speed to trick the human eye

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into seeing two of them all of those

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things could very well be true and aside

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from that one about the olon twins none

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of them

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are now now the story they were teasing

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was that Michael Flynn had apparently

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spoken up on behalf of a former FBI

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agent in a gender disc discrimination

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suit against the agency but it is a huge

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stretch to get from there to an

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agency-wide conspiracy to bring him down

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the the problem is there is real power

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in hearing your trusted local

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newscasters using FBI and personal

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Vendetta in a sentence if those same

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newscasters somehow use the words Daniel

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Stern and explosive ejaculation in the

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same sentence you could never watch Home

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Alone the same way again and Sinclair's

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content can often not be optional they

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regularly send out what are called must

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runs segments that station managers are

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directed to work into their broadcasts

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both Boris Epstein and Mark Hyman

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segments are must runs and so are some

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new segments in fact let me give you a

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taste of a must-run story uh that ran

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just a month before last year's election

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how can Americans especially blacks and

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Latinos in America support Hillary

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Clinton it's a surprising message coming

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from a black Pastor but Evangelical

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Bishop Aubry shines is spreading a

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message of why he believes Hillary

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Clinton's Democratic party isn't good

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for black Americans party that gave this

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country slavery the KKK Jim crola whoa

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whoa whoa hold on hold on just just hold

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on a second there because first

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Democrats gave this country slavery it's

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a little more complicated than that sure

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someone gave me this haircut but I'm

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accountable for being comfortable with

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it liking it and keeping it around for a

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morally repugnant amount of time look

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and you you can maybe maybe see why that

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could be news in Florida Tampa pasta

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makes crazy video but that piece ran in

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Columbus El Paso Omaha Syracuse Seattle

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Green Bay Tulsa and stations all over

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the country and to be fair Sinclair

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didn't let all that pastor's assertions

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go go by completely unchecked uh they

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did have the brief appearance of balance

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by bringing in this political scientist

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to fact check the video video but he was

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given far less screen time than the

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pastor and the voiceover undercut him at

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every turn bulock says that shines

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Cherry Picked his history but if you

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have the whole context of history and

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where these uh the things are mentioned

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where they actually miss pieces then you

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would not be pers be persuaded at all so

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about that history when it comes to the

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KKK historians generally agree it was

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created in post Civil War reconstruction

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by democrats and later Southern

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Democrats were behind the Jim Crow laws

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yes that was the party of the South and

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as I mentioned over time those parties

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have actually shifted in terms of what

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their membership bases I absolutely love

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his frustration as he tries to explain

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that now is not 100 years ago you almost

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expected to say I'll prove it neither of

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us are wearing bowler hats and that

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woman over there has a job all of which

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supports my theory that as I've

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mentioned now is not 100 years ago a and

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here's the thing the must runs are not

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just individual pieces they are also

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recurring features like poll questions

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which can range from benign to pretty

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leading what did you think of today's

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Comey testimony do you think it was all

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about substance or theater do you think

play13:13

enough is being done to battle street

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gangs in the US do you trust information

play13:18

from unnamed sources in the Washington

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Post stories why are cable news channels

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airing so much coverage of the Trump

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Russia story so here are the options

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it's bias against the president

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for higher ratings or it's a really

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important story okay there is a clear

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slant to those questions and answers I

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can't wait for the inevitable poll how

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would you describe the way Donald Trump

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looks in athletic wear a Adonis likee B

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Herculean C striking for a man of his

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age or D not my thing but I'd still hit

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it but perhaps the most troubling thing

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of all is that Sinclair has a daily must

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run segment called the terrorism alert

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desk that is right they report on

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terrorism every single day whether there

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is something major to report on or not

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which means that sometimes the updates

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contain things like this the company in

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charge of security for the Wimbledon

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tennis tournament says the ring leader

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of the London Bridge attack did apply

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for a job now he was not interviewed and

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no interview was scheduled he just

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filled out an online application an Isis

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flag was found hanging in a neighborhood

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in New hampsh

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it was taken down and police are looking

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into who put it there from the terrorism

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alert desk in Washington I'm Lindsay

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mastes another alerts my grandma heard a

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loud noise a man with a beard asked me

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when the next bus is coming and Iran

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still exists from the terrorism alert

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desk in Washington I am just about done

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with this and look look there is no

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doubt that the terror alert desk has

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also featured some truly terrifying

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stories Isis has carried out a gruesome

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public execution in Iraq they sliced

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nine teens in half with a chainsaw now

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that caught our attention because it

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feels like the sort of thing we'd have

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seen reported elsewhere so we tried to

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track down that story and it originated

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with an anonymously sourced report on

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something called Iraqi news we weren't

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able to find any outlet that had

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independently verified it and even when

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it was picked up by British tabloids and

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Breitbart they were careful to distance

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themselves with language like it has

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been claimed and reportedly and I did

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not know it was possible to dip beneath

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the journalistic standards of

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Breitbart that's like being too bad a

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chef to work at a carnival food cart

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look your fried ham is unimaginative and

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Bland and we cannot have that we're

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Uncle Sticky's discount ham

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wagon but but they reported it like it

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was a fact and what was perhaps even

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weirder about that chainsaw segment was

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the story that closed it out and Mayors

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in 22 French towns are ignoring a high

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court ruling that says Banning burkinis

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is illegal more than 30 towns initially

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outlawed the swim swimwear worn mostly

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by Muslim women from the terrorism alert

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desk I'm Michelle Marsh what the

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that is not about terrorism it's just

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about Muslims by that definition

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terrorism is anything a Muslim does

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tonight Mersa Ali on the cover of GQ

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Kareem Abdul Jabar sneezed in an airport

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and happy birthday to far aaria this has

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been your terrorism alert

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desk now now to their credit in the face

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of all of this some Sinclair stations

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are fighting back against their parent

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company for instance their station in

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Seattle KO has engaged in clever acts of

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rebellion like airing must runs at times

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of low viewership in fact their only

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airing of the story about the New

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Hampshire Isis flag was at 4:54 a.m. so

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it was basically only seen by people in

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hospital waiting room customers at

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24hour 71s and Craig just go to bed

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Craig get your together and go to

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bed but the truth is if you work at a

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Sinclair station there is only so much

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that you can do and and should this

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Tribune acquisition go through there are

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going to be even more good journalists

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having to see their hard work placed

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alongside terrores nonsense just as

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there'll be even more unsuspecting

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audience members who'll be getting a

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heaping do of Sinclair's content

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possibly without realizing it so you

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should find out who owns your local

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stations and bear that in mind as you

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watch and for any Tribune station that

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could soon be taken over we've produced

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a little video so you can alert your

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viewers don't think of it as a must run

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think of it more as a probably should

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run take a look hello I'm Steve shripper

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from The Sopranos and I'm probably not

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the last guy with an accent wearing a

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cheap tie standing in front of a green

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screen that you're going to see on this

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channel and I'll tell you why this

play18:03

station could soon be owned by Sinclair

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broadcast group so you might see this

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guy with this logo or

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this desk and if you do just

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know that wasn't produced by this

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station because the people at this

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station know that local news should

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never be about cheap scaremongering or

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advancing a political agenda it should

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only be about weather Sports my team

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investigations and human interest

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stories featuring cute animals like this

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pop belly

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pig look at this little guy he's called

play18:39

pork chop anyway I'm Steve sherifa

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telling you if this becomes a s class

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station good luck with that

play18:51

[Applause]

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Related Tags
Local NewsMedia ConsolidationConservative BiasSinclair BroadcastTribune AcquisitionNews TrustPolitical AgendaJournalism EthicsMedia InfluenceContent Control