# WTF? Sinclair Group! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655 "2018-04-02T18:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/1 "2018-04-02T18:32:05Z")
IMO, this is skating on thin ice to make their network affiliates read prepared statements. Is this tramping on the 1st amendment? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/2 "2018-04-02T18:34:21Z")
Depends on whether Sinclair is a public or private entity. I believe that, with the exception of those in California, private entities can usually be (almost) as politically coercive as they want. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/3 "2018-04-02T18:34:35Z")
Is the Sinclair Group a government entity? No? Then, no, it’s not tramping on the 1st Amendment. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/4 "2018-04-02T19:07:38Z")
They’re not a government entity - YET. However, they’re trying to take over markets, and we could have a monopoly before we realize it. Find out if you have a Sinclair station in your area, and don’t want their news, and boycott their advertisers if you can. This is serious. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/5 "2018-04-02T19:07:54Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > IMO, this is skating on thin ice to make their network affiliates read prepared statements. Is this tramping on the 1st amendment? Is Sinclair Group tramping on the First Amendment by requiring that the television stations they own broadcast the content they want? In short, no. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/6 "2018-04-02T19:11:47Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > IMO, this is skating on thin ice to make their network affiliates read prepared statements. Is this tramping on the 1st amendment? You don’t understand the 1st Amendment on its most basic level. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/7 "2018-04-02T19:48:25Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > They’re not a government entity - YET. However, they’re trying to take over markets, and we could have a monopoly before we realize it. > > Find out if you have a Sinclair station in your area, and don’t want their news, and boycott their advertisers if you can. This is serious. Yeah, we don’t watch KATU here in Portland because of it. Also, KOMO in Seattle is another Sinclair bot. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/8 "2018-04-02T19:53:53Z")
[Recent previous thread about The Sinclair Group.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=850526&highlight=Sinclair) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/9 "2018-04-02T20:11:24Z")
So is this Sinclair stuff cable like Fox? How can I find out if there are any of these propaganda pushers in my neck of the airwaves? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/10 "2018-04-02T20:15:59Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > So is this Sinclair stuff cable like Fox? How can I find out if there are any of these propaganda pushers in my neck of the airwaves? There is a link in the previous thread. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/11 "2018-04-02T21:30:03Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > You don’t understand the 1st Amendment on its most basic level. We don’t have state sponsered news agencies, so what is freedom of the press supposed to mean? Why shouldn’t someone who disagrees with Sinclair be able to make a statement on air. It may not tramp on the 1st amendment, per se, but it sure is close to the knuckle. In my market 2 out 4 news channels are making the statement. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/12 "2018-04-02T21:50:53Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > So is this Sinclair stuff cable like Fox? How can I find out if there are any of these propaganda pushers in my neck of the airwaves? Here’s their website, although it’s set up in such a way that’s it’s very difficult to get any useful information from it, which was probably the idea. :mad: > **[Sinclair, Inc](https://sbgi.net/)** > > Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is a diversified media company and leading provider of local news and sports. You’re probably better off Googling your local TV stations. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/13 "2018-04-02T22:29:00Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > We don’t have state sponsered news agencies, so what is freedom of the press supposed to mean? Why shouldn’t someone who disagrees with Sinclair be able to make a statement on air. It may not tramp on the 1st amendment, per se, but it sure is close to the knuckle. In my market 2 out 4 news channels are making the statement. The parent company is telling them what to do. The government is not telling them what to do. It’s not anywhere close to a 1st amendment issue. Any middle schooler should understand this. I don’t like Sinclair either. The newscasters can go to a different employer or go out on their own and they can say whatever they want. What evidence do you have that they disagree anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/14 "2018-04-02T22:49:22Z")
I realize the government is not telling them what to say. I am saying they are a conservative leaning group and are trying to fool us by putting these PSAs in the form of a news story. There’s is no way I can prove who agrees or disagrees. I just think its wrong that Sinclair has so much control over a news-like story that so many people will see and think is a unbiased opinion. It just smells bad to me. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/15 "2018-04-02T22:50:36Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The parent company is telling them what to do. The government is not telling them what to do. It’s not anywhere close to a 1st amendment issue. Any middle schooler should understand this. > > I don’t like Sinclair either. The newscasters can go to a different employer or go out on their own and they can say whatever they want. What evidence do you have that they disagree anyway? [There are heavy penalties for speaking independently and for trying to switch to another station.](http://www.oregonlive.com/tv/2018/04/john_oliver_donald_trump_weigh.html#incart_most-read_) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/16 "2018-04-02T23:00:01Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > IMO, this is skating on thin ice to make their network affiliates read prepared statements. Is this tramping on the 1st amendment? No tramping. It is Trumping on the 1st amendment. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/17 "2018-04-02T23:15:49Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I realize the government is not telling them what to say. I am saying they are a conservative leaning group and are trying to fool us by putting these PSAs in the form of a news story. > There’s is no way I can prove who agrees or disagrees. I just think its wrong that Sinclair has so much control over a news-like story that so many people will see and think is a unbiased opinion. It just smells bad to me. I’m on board with that. All I can as saying is that you were way off base on the 1st amendment thing. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/18 "2018-04-02T23:22:36Z")
Okay, I may have overstated in my OP that this was a 1st.amendment issue. I still dont like it. Our largest station in Arkansas has a ‘comment on the news’ section on their web site. I sent a comment and changed the channel only to hear the exact message on the other channel. This is wholesale bunk. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/19 "2018-04-02T23:35:17Z")
So I’m surprised that nobody has posted a link to this video. It is a 90 second collage of a message that Sinclair required its local news anchors to read on the air. [Sinclair’s script for stations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWLjYJ4BzvI) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655/20 "2018-04-02T23:50:13Z")
Perhaps no one linked to that video because it’s irrelevant to the question of whether what Sinclair does “tramps on the first amendment”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-sinclair-group/811655.md?page=2)