This month, Sinclair Broadcast Group has flooded a vast network of local news websites with misleading articles suggesting that President Biden is mentally unfit for office.
This outright travesty manufactured by Sinclair Broadcasting to present false narratives and doctored videos of Joe Biden look like criminal slander. How can Sinclair be sued? Elise Stafanik is filing an ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron of "weaponized law" against Trump. Are we dependent only on Merrick Garland for all legal action to protect Joe Biden? Step up, Democrats with brilliant legal training and act to protect our candidate.
This would never conclude until the election was long over & SCOTUS weighed in on ‘freedom of speech’ etc. A lot of actions by the GOP are performative. That includes Stefanik whose complaint is going nowhere. Fake or deceptive images may be an avenue but still have to show the publisher knew better.
Perhaps in the meanwhile, a more timely action would be to widely promote the fact that Biden is the only candidate who has pledged not to use such deception. (Same as before)
The GOP pretends it wants laws against ‘fake news’. They keep proving they only want to control the news authoritarian style.
I "get it" about Elise Stafanik, eager to be VP nominee. Surely though, criminal slander must not become acceptable and ignored.
I find it interesting that you've been a news junkie since age 10--I began reading newspapers my father would bring home after work when I was 9. He'd buy the best papers to read in the morning on his way to work(never saw those), and usually the Journal American and The World Telegram for his read on the way home. That's how I learned about the Kinsey Report!
Is Sinclair cable or does it use the airwaves? If they use the airwaves, aren’t they subject to the Fairness Doctrine? Can the major networks say something about their names being “hijacked” by Sinclair???
The Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987 by the FCC. It was felt that it inhibited the free speech of broadcasters and that with increased competition it wasn't needed anymore.
It’s important to connect the Sinclair G7 story with what is happening at the Washington Post, where Murdoch alums are turning it into another right wing rumor rag.
Specifically WaPo ran a story claiming Trump spoke in front of a Black Church in Detroit when, as Robert Hubbell reports, the black congregation was a no-show. The building was filled with white attendees, none of whom were church members, and 8 black Trump campaign workers, only one of whom lives in Detroit.
The American press, like the Supreme Court and gerrymandered legislatures on Capitol Hill and 30 states, is under the control of right wing zealots and oligarchs like Charlie Koch, Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo.
For billions of $s, the disinformation industry weaponizes our First Amendment to use against American democracy and its constitution, including the First Amendment. It's not irony, it's criminal, or would be in other democracies that have Hate Speech Laws.
Will Lewis spreads Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Global Cancer on Democracy” to the Washington Post. Another example of billionaire owned media outlets promoting Trump under the guise of journalism.
And this is where WE step in! If you know your local news affiliates are Sinclair controlled, note the local advertisers, and begin public boycotts of their products/services. Whether print or electronic, make sure the boycotts are very vocal, and get as many of your neighbors involved as possible. The only thing these creeps will listen to is their wallets, so let's make it HURT!!
Someone needs to be taking Sinclair to court for slander. I would go for more money than was asked of Rupert Murdoch. This is maligning the President of the United States with malicious intent.
But, the publicity and the emergence of the truth at stake is worth the effort. We need as many ways as possible to reveal the truth of how Joe Biden functions, and the contexts of the extreme Right machinations to make him appear like a fool--especially, eg, when Biden "wandered" off to congratualte the airmen who had just performed rather than scurry to get in line for a photo op!
The Biden campaign has made the difficult decision to begin highlighting 45's felony conviction as part of a major ad buy. After reading numerous articles recently about disinterested voters who were unaware of 45's legal difficulties an information blitz like this was necessary. The main difference between the Biden campaign message and the fabrication masquerading as news promoted by Sinclair is that only one can easily prove their claims. The ability to prove your claims is the key difference in this election. One campaign is built on speculation, fabrication and fear mongering, while the other campaign has thus far built its foundation on rock solid facts. We can only trust that the electorate can see beyond the infotainment and realize truth matters.
And that would include, remarkably, your church family. If you still have one. The church I used to belong to - in fact, was a deacon - is all over Facebook and elsewhere saying that re-electing Biden is like the Titanic backing up to hit the iceberg again. I mean, these are reputed Christians, following the antichrist straight to Hell. And they're blind to it!
It's stunning, Valerie! They read and quote the Bible on a regular basis, yet can't see the forest for the trees! I used to think I knew these people, but back then, I was the blind one, not seeing the underlying racism being carried, and festering. This disease is DEEP, and I'm not confident I will live long enough to see it eradicated, if we can safely get past this coming November.
Yes. And, the problem comes with life on Earth. For this, we all have to "do the inner work on ourselves."
Just saw the movie about Isabel Wilkerson about her work, "Caste." All should see and reflect upon her far reaching (widely researched) awareness. Racism is only one aspect of this form of divisive and vitriolic judgment.
Thank you for the movie tip, Valerie. Education is never ending for me. It deeply saddens me that we cannot all live together equally, share the amazing bounty provided, and offer a helping hand whenever the opportunity arrives. But, as you stated, "life on Earth". We just can't seem to evolve past being either predator or prey, and I will go to my grave never understanding it.
My family and my husband's family each have members who are fact averse. Mike has long since given up convincing them, but still does his fact checking and debunking with his legal training, for the other family members who are so appreciative of the clearly thought through responses.
Propaganda machine. Sadly the public's fav national news is Fox. Local news from Sinclair is more of the same. Hard fir the public to discern the diff if they watch both.
The Sinclair weak response back to you is telling. "Pushback Lite" calling names and adding blame.
Interesting about their wonder kid writer and the fact he is a Hillsdale College sidekick as well, therefore Project 2025 associated.
Keep going after this story! Thank you Judd and Aaron and staffs.
The timing is particularly timely: Trump’s continued sundowning, incoherent babbling and general decline in mental fitness is showing daily - and a lot of media is finally starting to call this out. Though it's s drop in the bucket compared to the onslaught of b.s. from powerful media companies and social media, too.
Fact checks like this work only if we spead the truth far and wide among friends, family, neighbors, etc. But I also strongly advise that everyone flood the zone with all the genuine evidence of 78-year-old Trump’s actual mental decline, according to well-credentialed psychologists: https://open.substack.com/pub/kindler/p/trumps-steep-mental-decline-should?r=f5mz&utm_medium=ios. Spread our messages, not theirs!
Since their strategy is to make MORE money and not be caretakers of democracy, they probably think "bash Biden" now and when trmp wins, write agonized articles about the "fall of Big Government" and make MORE money by playing both ends against the middle.
A sound strategy if you have no moral compass coupled with enough money to not GAF.
What's truly so disappointing is how we consistently hear about the importance of supporting local newspapers and news sources only to learn that they've been "bought". Organized power and money is what people listen too and unfortunately, Sinclair has a great deal of it. I invite everyone who reads you to share this far and wide on their social media to highlight the violation of ethical journalism that is taking place.
Coordinated disinformation is flooding the zone, prompted and prodded by the RNC.
For years radio has been a venue where Russian disinformation (supplementing station income$) is broadcast as “news” to unwitting listeners. What Sinclair is doing is sinister on much larger scale.
Sinclair‘s response belies their coarse, shallow “craft”, spreading what is no more than crass gossip quickly and across a broad base nurtured by larger and more deeply ingrained right wing media. A very poor substitute for substance. They’re the media equivalent of retail providers “serving” food desert communities. Hard to fight and you’re continuing to bring their practices to light.
This outright travesty manufactured by Sinclair Broadcasting to present false narratives and doctored videos of Joe Biden look like criminal slander. How can Sinclair be sued? Elise Stafanik is filing an ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron of "weaponized law" against Trump. Are we dependent only on Merrick Garland for all legal action to protect Joe Biden? Step up, Democrats with brilliant legal training and act to protect our candidate.
This would never conclude until the election was long over & SCOTUS weighed in on ‘freedom of speech’ etc. A lot of actions by the GOP are performative. That includes Stefanik whose complaint is going nowhere. Fake or deceptive images may be an avenue but still have to show the publisher knew better.
Perhaps in the meanwhile, a more timely action would be to widely promote the fact that Biden is the only candidate who has pledged not to use such deception. (Same as before)
The GOP pretends it wants laws against ‘fake news’. They keep proving they only want to control the news authoritarian style.
I "get it" about Elise Stafanik, eager to be VP nominee. Surely though, criminal slander must not become acceptable and ignored.
I find it interesting that you've been a news junkie since age 10--I began reading newspapers my father would bring home after work when I was 9. He'd buy the best papers to read in the morning on his way to work(never saw those), and usually the Journal American and The World Telegram for his read on the way home. That's how I learned about the Kinsey Report!
Is Sinclair cable or does it use the airwaves? If they use the airwaves, aren’t they subject to the Fairness Doctrine? Can the major networks say something about their names being “hijacked” by Sinclair???
The Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987 by the FCC. It was felt that it inhibited the free speech of broadcasters and that with increased competition it wasn't needed anymore.
Thank you. I’m sad to hear this now that it is so badly needed. I guess the best option is to complain to local sponsors.
That's worked well before with shows on Fox.
One of my Senators is on the subcommittee that oversees the FCC. I'm working on a letter to him about holding a hearing on updating the FCC's deliberate distortion rule on broadcast news (https://www.fcc.gov/broadcast-news-distortion) or considering fine on lying, as suggested by Al Franken (https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/how-to-fix-politics-in-america/misinformation/an-FCC-fine-for-lying/). Nothing will get done quickly, but we must start doing SOMETHING to combat disinformation.
Wonderful action!
It’s important to connect the Sinclair G7 story with what is happening at the Washington Post, where Murdoch alums are turning it into another right wing rumor rag.
Specifically WaPo ran a story claiming Trump spoke in front of a Black Church in Detroit when, as Robert Hubbell reports, the black congregation was a no-show. The building was filled with white attendees, none of whom were church members, and 8 black Trump campaign workers, only one of whom lives in Detroit.
The American press, like the Supreme Court and gerrymandered legislatures on Capitol Hill and 30 states, is under the control of right wing zealots and oligarchs like Charlie Koch, Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo.
Similar to the stories last year when Trump was reportedly speaking to a UAW group when all in attendance were not UAW members.
Thank you for that info. I will see if I can still comment on that article
Soviet style propaganda machine in full force...
For billions of $s, the disinformation industry weaponizes our First Amendment to use against American democracy and its constitution, including the First Amendment. It's not irony, it's criminal, or would be in other democracies that have Hate Speech Laws.
What's behind Sinclair Broadcast Groups's attack on Biden. Follow the money with this relationship map. https://thedemlabs.org/2024/06/11/billionaire-owned-media-promotes-trump-for-tax-cuts/
Will Lewis spreads Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Global Cancer on Democracy” to the Washington Post. Another example of billionaire owned media outlets promoting Trump under the guise of journalism.
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/06/16/will-lewis-spreads-rupert-murdochs-global-cancer-on-democracy-to-the-washington-post/
And this is where WE step in! If you know your local news affiliates are Sinclair controlled, note the local advertisers, and begin public boycotts of their products/services. Whether print or electronic, make sure the boycotts are very vocal, and get as many of your neighbors involved as possible. The only thing these creeps will listen to is their wallets, so let's make it HURT!!
Someone needs to be taking Sinclair to court for slander. I would go for more money than was asked of Rupert Murdoch. This is maligning the President of the United States with malicious intent.
In theory, but it would be at least 18 months before anything would happen in court.
But, the publicity and the emergence of the truth at stake is worth the effort. We need as many ways as possible to reveal the truth of how Joe Biden functions, and the contexts of the extreme Right machinations to make him appear like a fool--especially, eg, when Biden "wandered" off to congratualte the airmen who had just performed rather than scurry to get in line for a photo op!
True, but take the longer term view of maintaining a healthy democracy.
Sinclair also just bought the Baltimore Sun.
What I did is subscribed to the Baltimore Banner. I know that's really not enough but it was something I could do.
The Biden campaign has made the difficult decision to begin highlighting 45's felony conviction as part of a major ad buy. After reading numerous articles recently about disinterested voters who were unaware of 45's legal difficulties an information blitz like this was necessary. The main difference between the Biden campaign message and the fabrication masquerading as news promoted by Sinclair is that only one can easily prove their claims. The ability to prove your claims is the key difference in this election. One campaign is built on speculation, fabrication and fear mongering, while the other campaign has thus far built its foundation on rock solid facts. We can only trust that the electorate can see beyond the infotainment and realize truth matters.
I have the same issue writ small in my family. But the fact-averse remain so as a consequence of their own choices.
And that would include, remarkably, your church family. If you still have one. The church I used to belong to - in fact, was a deacon - is all over Facebook and elsewhere saying that re-electing Biden is like the Titanic backing up to hit the iceberg again. I mean, these are reputed Christians, following the antichrist straight to Hell. And they're blind to it!
I feel you. I gave up on my "church family" a long time ago.
Glad you are sharing this example of inappropriate "Church (vs. State)" interference and defiance of our Constitution.
It's stunning, Valerie! They read and quote the Bible on a regular basis, yet can't see the forest for the trees! I used to think I knew these people, but back then, I was the blind one, not seeing the underlying racism being carried, and festering. This disease is DEEP, and I'm not confident I will live long enough to see it eradicated, if we can safely get past this coming November.
Yes. And, the problem comes with life on Earth. For this, we all have to "do the inner work on ourselves."
Just saw the movie about Isabel Wilkerson about her work, "Caste." All should see and reflect upon her far reaching (widely researched) awareness. Racism is only one aspect of this form of divisive and vitriolic judgment.
Thank you for the movie tip, Valerie. Education is never ending for me. It deeply saddens me that we cannot all live together equally, share the amazing bounty provided, and offer a helping hand whenever the opportunity arrives. But, as you stated, "life on Earth". We just can't seem to evolve past being either predator or prey, and I will go to my grave never understanding it.
My family and my husband's family each have members who are fact averse. Mike has long since given up convincing them, but still does his fact checking and debunking with his legal training, for the other family members who are so appreciative of the clearly thought through responses.
Exactly. And I try not to take it as personally as I once did. They'll refuse to hear the truth from anyone!
Biden is the only presidential candidate who has pledged not to use ‘fake news’.
Propaganda machine. Sadly the public's fav national news is Fox. Local news from Sinclair is more of the same. Hard fir the public to discern the diff if they watch both.
The Sinclair weak response back to you is telling. "Pushback Lite" calling names and adding blame.
Interesting about their wonder kid writer and the fact he is a Hillsdale College sidekick as well, therefore Project 2025 associated.
Keep going after this story! Thank you Judd and Aaron and staffs.
The timing is particularly timely: Trump’s continued sundowning, incoherent babbling and general decline in mental fitness is showing daily - and a lot of media is finally starting to call this out. Though it's s drop in the bucket compared to the onslaught of b.s. from powerful media companies and social media, too.
What actions can we take to challenge their misinformation?
Publicly boycott their advertisers products. After all, money is the only thing they pay any attention to.
Fact checks like this work only if we spead the truth far and wide among friends, family, neighbors, etc. But I also strongly advise that everyone flood the zone with all the genuine evidence of 78-year-old Trump’s actual mental decline, according to well-credentialed psychologists: https://open.substack.com/pub/kindler/p/trumps-steep-mental-decline-should?r=f5mz&utm_medium=ios. Spread our messages, not theirs!
And info like “What did Biden do today?” Maybe asking, Why wasn’t this widely reported?
Yes, daily with mention of what he did so that the difference from day to day is clear. (Not just one big lump of "Infrastructure.")
Yes, and. Share the lists of Biden's accomplishments for all of us.
Thank you for this link.
Get ‘em, Judd! Follow the money and follow who is providing the bullshit!!!
Proud of you, Judd!
These "stories" are appearing as a direct response to the numerous factual stories about Trump's obvious progressing dementia. "Look here!" coverage.
Since their strategy is to make MORE money and not be caretakers of democracy, they probably think "bash Biden" now and when trmp wins, write agonized articles about the "fall of Big Government" and make MORE money by playing both ends against the middle.
A sound strategy if you have no moral compass coupled with enough money to not GAF.
What's truly so disappointing is how we consistently hear about the importance of supporting local newspapers and news sources only to learn that they've been "bought". Organized power and money is what people listen too and unfortunately, Sinclair has a great deal of it. I invite everyone who reads you to share this far and wide on their social media to highlight the violation of ethical journalism that is taking place.
Coordinated disinformation is flooding the zone, prompted and prodded by the RNC.
For years radio has been a venue where Russian disinformation (supplementing station income$) is broadcast as “news” to unwitting listeners. What Sinclair is doing is sinister on much larger scale.
Sinclair‘s response belies their coarse, shallow “craft”, spreading what is no more than crass gossip quickly and across a broad base nurtured by larger and more deeply ingrained right wing media. A very poor substitute for substance. They’re the media equivalent of retail providers “serving” food desert communities. Hard to fight and you’re continuing to bring their practices to light.
Thank you again!
“Crass gossip”. That may be a phrase that will get people’s attention more than “lies” etc.