A
press release from
Broadcasting and Cable Magazine reports on the problems of bias encountered by Sinclair's ex-DC bureau chief.
In an op-ed article appearing on the editorial page of the industry weekly, he says that the flap over the documentary, "Stolen Honor," is just the latest example of how "the traditional way of fairly and objectively covering news" has disintegrated at Sinclair. "...Once the Sinclair news department started coming across as Republican, it became impossible for me to do my job properly. No Democrats would talk to me."
Additional coverage in the magazine:
Meanwhile, in a page one story on the Sinclair firestorm, B&C describes a culture of bias at the 62-station television group, noting that CEO David Smith "has subtly tailored news coverage on his stations to his conservative views."
..[Smith] told the magazine: "Politics is nothing new in the news business, in spite of what people might say to the contrary. It's a fact of life. It's reality. I have no objections to politics in news as long as it's disclosed. It's when news attempts to present itself as fair and balanced and in fact isn't."
...But Smith's defiance may cost him big bucks... For example, ...an auto dealer in Maine yanked his dealership's ads from a Sinclair station in Portland because the one-sided approach "seemed an abuse of the public airwaves." [Emphasis added]