Event

Sinclair's station purchases and local news

Local television stations bought by Sinclair in 2017, studied by Martin and McCrain.

4 links, 0 backed by primary records

Connections 4

Sinclair Broadcast Group bought the stations studied Scholarship & press 1
Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2023 laid off the newsroom of WGFL in Gainesville and replaced local reporting with a national program Scholarship & press 2
Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2018 nearly 200 stations' anchors read one script; its news chief answered that it was a warning about fake news Scholarship & press 3 4

Timeline 1 date

Proof 4 sources

Yes, Sinclair Broadcast Group does cut local news, increase national news and tilt its stations rightward, The Washington Post, reposted by the Benton Institute, 2018. Scholarship & press
Stations bought by Sinclair reduce coverage of local politics, increase national coverage and move the ideological tone of coverage in a conservative direction relative to other stations operating in the same market.
The State of Local News: The 2026 Report, Medill Local News Initiative, Northwestern University, 2026. Scholarship & press
The competing newscast on Sinclair-owned WGFL ceased in 2023 after Sinclair laid off the entire newsroom and replaced local reporting with its national news program, The National Desk.
Sinclair Broadcast Group Forces Nearly 200 Station Anchors To Read Same Script, NPR, All Things Considered, 2018. Scholarship & press
The largest broadcaster in the country is forcing its anchors to read a promotional script that warns viewers about "fake news" on other stations and media.
Video reveals power of Sinclair, as local news anchors recite script in unison, NPR, The Two-Way, 2018. Scholarship & press
Livingston said that the news anchor script is "a warning about fake news circulating on social media."

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