SinclairWatch – Report Summary

Despite lacking a household name, Sinclair Broadcasting Group is the largest owner of local TV stations in the country — they own more than 62 stations in 39 different TV markets. Their programming reaches more than 1/4 of all U.S. households, making them an extremely powerful gatekeeper of information. Yet it appears that Sinclair has repeatedly abused that power.

Sinclair has become infamous for:

Conflicts of Interest – Whether in the form of programming decisions (such as the censorship of Nightline) or financial contributions, Sinclair has consistently supported exclusively Republican politicians who have pushed to loosen media ownership rules so that giants like Sinclair can grow even bigger.

The practice of “Central-casting” – Sinclair pipes pre-recorded weather, news, and right-wing editorial commentary to local affiliates from a central studio in Maryland, creating the false appearance of ‘local’ news, killing off real localism, and eliminating local jobs.

Its quest for more local stations – The company continues to seek control of more stations in local communities than is allowed under FCC rules (despite being fined in 2001), and maintains a legally and ethically questionable relationship with an apparent ‘front’ company that serves only to buy stations in cities where Sinclair cannot.

Find out more: read the full report, Sinclair and the Public Airwaves: A History of Abuse from SinclairWatch, a project of Free Press.