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Establishing a Media Oligarchy: Sinclair Group Owns Three Broadcast Stations Out of Four in Syracuse, NY

Sinclair Group Establishing a National Conservative Platform

Most Americans receive their local news through television. And many of these stations are owned by groups or individual corporations that are interested in media properties for profit. It’s an investment.  Earlier this year the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eased rules that limited the number of local stations companies can own. This opened the flood gates to consolidations and mergers in the media industry. No company has taken advantage of this rule change more than Sinclair Group, expanding their grip on the ownership of local television stations nationwide.

To further illustrate this point, Sinclair Group has been buying up stations, creating a network of local broadcast stations that can now reach 72% of the population of the U.S.

This establishes Sinclair Group as a major provider of news on the local level, 233 TV stations across the country, (after all currently proposed sales are approved); they’re in 108 U.S. markets. And since its broadcast television on the local level, therefore the signal is free.

Syracuse has received national attention from free-speech advocates. As 3 out of 4 television newsrooms in Syracuse are owned and operated by Sinclair Group. It allows one conduit to control news programming and coverage on the national level using local broadcast television.

Derek Turner, research director of Free Press, a media advocacy group said, “The local broadcast television news is still how most Americans get information about what’s going on both nationally and in their local communities.” He continues, “The concentration of that medium in the hands of a few companies, such as Sinclair (Broadcast Group), would erode the diversity of opinions and the diversity of antagonistic sources of opinions that Americans need in order to have effective democracy.”

According to multiple published reports, Sinclair frequently sends “must-run” segments to its stations across the country. One example: an opinion piece by Sinclair that repeated President Trump’s condemnation of the national news media and what the president calls the “fake news” they produce.

Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson

In Syracuse and across the country we are treated to a program promoted as news called “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson” this show is complete with pro-Trump and pro-conservative opinions, spun to resemble a newscast.

Stories and programs billed as “news” are actually right-leaning information feeds from forces that are primarily supportive of Donald Trump. They appear on Sinclair Group owned stations, which in Syracuse include channels NBC TV3, CBSTV 5 and CW6.

In addition, broadcast sub channels owned by Sinclair include; Comet, Grit, WSTM-2 and a host of obscure stations airing locally. However, only 3 stations are affected by Sinclair’s news distribution operation.

Click on image to enlarge. Just a few of the stations owned by Sinclair in Syracuse. There are sub-channels that are not listed.

When you survey the television news environment in Syracuse, NY; the only remaining independent local broadcast news station is WSYR Channel 9.

There’s no evidence that this system of ownership has affected the integrity of local news by channels, NBC3, CBS5 and CW6 here. But it should be a cause of concern; we’re part of a national drive to consolidate local news into the hands of a few.

As Sinclair proudly boasts on their website, “We work locally every day to alert empower and protect our viewers.” This is a clarion call to viewers, alert, empower and protect? This is the arrival of conservative views, delivered in the form of news.

What appears to be happening across America is the creation of an oligarchy in the broadcast television industry, as defined, “this is a small group of people who together govern a nation or control an organization, often for their own purposes.”

When all is said and done, Sinclair Group will own 233 local TV stations across the country, they’re in 108 U.S. markets, covering a large portion of the country.

This oligarchy is not about the consolidation, control and distribution of a soap product, big oil or washing machines; this media oligarchy represents the production, creation, ownership and distribution of local news. And we should all be frightened.

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