Who Controls Local News Has More Control Than Anyone Else, Says RIC's Israel on Sinclair Controversy
Who Controls Local News Has More Control Than Anyone Else, Says RIC's Israel on Sinclair Controversy
"When you have the ownership trying to expand their ownership -- if one goes back to [1934] and the FCC, they tried to balance the public interest with controlling the air," said Israel. "Sinclair with their latest effort to take over Tribune will have 72% reach in the U.S. -- it's an incredible amount of influence, and it's perfectly legal."
Israel said he believes there will be repercussions following the release of the video compilation this week.
"I think there'll be backlash, whether that's now or the 2018 election," said Israel. "He who controls local news has more control than anyone else -- and if that happens to be a conservative viewpoint...it isn't exactly, to quote another network 'fair and balanced'," said Israel.
Sinclair Controversy Reaches the White House
As GoLocal reported earlier this week, media experts across the country are voicing horror about WJAR’s parent company — Sinclair Broadcasting — having its news anchors and reporters across the country voiceover a corporate message that sounds much like language often used by President Donald Trump.
In Providence, this carefully crafted message was read in the Rhode Island market by WJAR’s Frank Coletta and Alison Bologna. SEE VIDEO ABOVE
Sinclair, who owns 200 local stations across the country has close tied to the to Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
As reported in December of 2016, “Politico is reporting that Sinclair Broadcasting made a deal with the Trump campaign for better access. This is not the first time that WJAR's parent company has been tied to pushing a conservative agenda.
'Kushner said the agreement with Sinclair, which owns television stations across the country in many swing states and often packages news for their affiliates to run, gave them more access to Trump and the campaign, according to six people who heard his remarks,” reported Politico, of remarks made by Trump's son-in-law, who is married to Trump's daughter, Ivanka."
The disclosure of Sinclair’s mandate scripting was first unveiled by CNN and the above video was created by Deadspin.
Trump's Morning Tweet Defends Sinclair
So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased. Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2018