To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

×
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
With Company Under Fire for Right-Wing Drivel, Sinclair Chairman Reportedly Denounced Print Media as 'Left Wing... Dribble'

David Smith is executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group. (Photo: Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

With Company Under Fire for Right-Wing Drivel, Sinclair Chairman Reportedly Denounced Print Media as 'Left Wing... Dribble'

"Sinclair boss David Smith not doing much to allay people's concerns about his media empire," remarked one critic

As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."

In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."

"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."

Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
fccmediasinclair broadcastingtrumpism

As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."

In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."

"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."

Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)

As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."

In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."

"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."

Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)

fccmediasinclair broadcastingtrumpism
Join the Conversation