Eugene Ramirez, the lead anchor of Sinclair's national evening news broadcast, resigned in January over concerns about the accuracy and right-wing bias of the content he was required to present on air, three sources told Popular Information.
Thank you Judd and Rebecca for this revelation about a top Hispanic newscaster from Sinclair's huge operation of deceit and distortion. We can have great admiration for Eugene Ramirez--what he did takes courage, and Sinclair has no courage, just the freedom to offer unfettered slander. This kind of false news is right in line with their inspiration from the biggest liar of all time: Donald Trump.
It would be great if the "three stories produced by Sinclair's Rapid Response Team (RRT) on a nightly basis" could be revealed ahead of time by major newspapers and ABC, CBS, and NBC rather than Sinclair's ability to give their lies and distortions the polish of news we want to be able to depend upon. Popular Information, please continue to expose and detail what Sinclair (and Heritage) are up to in their sleazy criminality.
Sinclair is way over the line in its fascist agit/prop masking as journalism. Sinclair is poisoning our political culture in millions of American homes.
Judd, you changed FB when you went after them a few years ago. At least, you informed people of how devious FB was. I hope you are in the midst of a deep dive into Sinclair. I hope with your investigative skills and determination, you get under the skin of this organization and you find that they are a puppet of the Russians. I am no conspiracy theorist but I believe that AON, Sinclair and other new right wing media was the back door the Russians walked through in their decades long relentless disinformation campaign to confuse and divide America. We are so easily confused and now, so painfully divided.
John Oliver did a piece on Sinclair a year or two ago. Thank for reaffirming their bias to right-wing lies and distortions. These small town stations are seen to be more “trustworthy” for locals, which is terrifying. This is probably the most overlooked propaganda machine in the US. We need more reporters with integrity who work at Sinclair to speak out and step down.
I wish both progressive media and impartial investigative journalism could both have platforms as formidable. A fantasy I know but we desperately need truthful , factual , and comprehensive NEWS. In my fantasy the three play out against each other in a fair fight. 🤷♂️
Fear and negativity have an greater ability to grab people than facts and a lower level of hyperbole. That’s a disadvantage to truthful, factual news born out by social media studies.
— … negative language in online content has been linked to user engagement, that is, sharing activities. As such, negativity embedded in online content explains the speed and virality of online diffusion dynamics ... Further, online stories from social media perceived as negative garner more reactions … Negativity in news increases physiological activations and negative news is more likely to be remembered by users. Some previous works have also investigated negativity effects for specific topics such as political communication and economics… —
This explains why good news makes a smaller impact & fades from memory more easily.
We are much more emotional than logical creatures. It takes a conscious effort or training to avoid falling for attempts to exploit this tendency which is believed to begin when we are infants. A survival skill run amok?
I suspect the wording in the headings and language used by the network is consistent with right wing rhetoric the audience recognizes from certain other sources. Therefore the audience considers it confirmation of those sources - not merely repetition.
This chart shows the immense difference between the positive & negative words.
The rest of the article and data is available by clicking on “article” link above the chart.
As a proud alumnus of UW-Madison (B.S. & JD), I am shocked, appalled and embarrassed at the behavior of so-called "journalist" Jackson Walker. The unfortunate influence of "news" organizations such as Sinclair, Fox etc. on our culture and politics is so unfortunate and illustrates the intellectual vulnerability of way too many Americans.
I didn't go to any of the colleges mentioned in the article, but, like you, I am embarrassed that one of them went to school in New York (where I live). Also, I am shocked that these young people could graduate from journo school and go off and do this? Where is their moral compass? Where is their professor's admonitions to tell the truth?
Where have all the men and women of journalism gone that protected their integrity at all costs? We have learned with ease that many on the right will do most anything to mislead and misdirect our thoughts and beliefs.
Thank you for sharing because I learned about more evil this morning. We cannot fight what we’re unaware of.
You are commenting on the page of one of those journalists...and there are many more on Substack. Wish there was a way for them to have greater presences in MSM. Meanwhile, keep subscribing I guess.
When I lived in Columbus, Ohio, I had to stop watching the local ABC affiliate because they were owned by Sinclair (still are) and their editorial rants were so offensive that I couldn’t stand it. Moving to DC was a relief - there was no Sinclair affiliate. Then Albritton sold the local ABC affiliate to Sinclair. Once again, all ABC programming is off limits (for me, at least).
I know Sinclair’s stations aren’t all ABC affiliates; do the national networks understand that Sinclair drives away viewers? Do their national advertisers? Why do they continue to allow Sinclair to broadcast their content?
The networks are complicit in dissemination of Sinclair’s propaganda. It should not surprise them that more and more people are “cutting the cord.”
It picks up more than the tactic loses. Social media studies have shown fear & negativity draw more engagement & are more likely to be remembered. Here is an example:
Very true. Communication has a large psychological component. We see some of it in marketing on TV or radio. Changes in volume, some sort of repeated sound, repeated words & phone numbers. What is familiar becomes accepted as safe or true. I’d guess that is behind using the ‘trusted local news’ brand while pushing storylines from unidentified sources that use right wing buzz words. It might not land the same way if the audiences knew the source. They recognize the language which is validation instead of merely repetition.
Thank you for exposing and verifying perceptions regarding Sinclair’s decision to gaslight its public. I am hearing people talk to each other about the feeling they have when watching “the news”…how they are feeling manipulated by the program, rather than informed. It’s a creepy feeling.
I always include Sinclair Bros in my list of right wing owned media…294 tv stations. Almost all of what used to be MSM is now owned by ultra right. These are propaganda stations, Fascist supporters. This is why FELON trump has been normalized so much. Lies, propaganda!
Watched Laura Coats interview Congresswoman Nancy Mace last night on CNN. I suspect CNN admonished Coats not to challenge Mace’s nonsense. You may want to get after CNN as well.
CNN jumped on the DJT bandwagon early. Then in 2017 one of their big shots, Tony Maddox, claimed on a panel discussing fake news (in Ireland) that DJT was good for business and …
“I think being called out for fake news by Trump isn’t necessarily the end of the world, in fact the evidence would suggest, as far as media organizations are concerned, it’s not something to worry about,” he added.
Thank you Judd and Rebecca for this revelation about a top Hispanic newscaster from Sinclair's huge operation of deceit and distortion. We can have great admiration for Eugene Ramirez--what he did takes courage, and Sinclair has no courage, just the freedom to offer unfettered slander. This kind of false news is right in line with their inspiration from the biggest liar of all time: Donald Trump.
It would be great if the "three stories produced by Sinclair's Rapid Response Team (RRT) on a nightly basis" could be revealed ahead of time by major newspapers and ABC, CBS, and NBC rather than Sinclair's ability to give their lies and distortions the polish of news we want to be able to depend upon. Popular Information, please continue to expose and detail what Sinclair (and Heritage) are up to in their sleazy criminality.
All those networks are lazy and complicit in this—I have had it with all corporate media outlets!
Well stated indeed. Thank you Valerie.
Excellent ideas!
Sinclair is way over the line in its fascist agit/prop masking as journalism. Sinclair is poisoning our political culture in millions of American homes.
All in the name of "freedom!"
Yes, and under the guise of being “sensitive” to their audience. As though feeding audiences junk and calling it news is the job of journalism.
Judd, you changed FB when you went after them a few years ago. At least, you informed people of how devious FB was. I hope you are in the midst of a deep dive into Sinclair. I hope with your investigative skills and determination, you get under the skin of this organization and you find that they are a puppet of the Russians. I am no conspiracy theorist but I believe that AON, Sinclair and other new right wing media was the back door the Russians walked through in their decades long relentless disinformation campaign to confuse and divide America. We are so easily confused and now, so painfully divided.
Keep digging.
Limbaugh, and then Murdoch…check their bank accounts for rubles!
John Oliver did a piece on Sinclair a year or two ago. Thank for reaffirming their bias to right-wing lies and distortions. These small town stations are seen to be more “trustworthy” for locals, which is terrifying. This is probably the most overlooked propaganda machine in the US. We need more reporters with integrity who work at Sinclair to speak out and step down.
I wish both progressive media and impartial investigative journalism could both have platforms as formidable. A fantasy I know but we desperately need truthful , factual , and comprehensive NEWS. In my fantasy the three play out against each other in a fair fight. 🤷♂️
Fear and negativity have an greater ability to grab people than facts and a lower level of hyperbole. That’s a disadvantage to truthful, factual news born out by social media studies.
— … negative language in online content has been linked to user engagement, that is, sharing activities. As such, negativity embedded in online content explains the speed and virality of online diffusion dynamics ... Further, online stories from social media perceived as negative garner more reactions … Negativity in news increases physiological activations and negative news is more likely to be remembered by users. Some previous works have also investigated negativity effects for specific topics such as political communication and economics… —
This explains why good news makes a smaller impact & fades from memory more easily.
We are much more emotional than logical creatures. It takes a conscious effort or training to avoid falling for attempts to exploit this tendency which is believed to begin when we are infants. A survival skill run amok?
I suspect the wording in the headings and language used by the network is consistent with right wing rhetoric the audience recognizes from certain other sources. Therefore the audience considers it confirmation of those sources - not merely repetition.
This chart shows the immense difference between the positive & negative words.
The rest of the article and data is available by clicking on “article” link above the chart.
— https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01538-4/figures/2
I'm so sick of all of this. Thank you Judd for highlighting just how rigged the media has become.
kudzu vines grow on existing plants forming a light blocking cover that kills the plants.
Sinclair broadcasting buys stations forming a truth blocking cover that kills the truth.
Thank you, you are doing yeoman's work for this country in a very troubled time.
As a proud alumnus of UW-Madison (B.S. & JD), I am shocked, appalled and embarrassed at the behavior of so-called "journalist" Jackson Walker. The unfortunate influence of "news" organizations such as Sinclair, Fox etc. on our culture and politics is so unfortunate and illustrates the intellectual vulnerability of way too many Americans.
I didn't go to any of the colleges mentioned in the article, but, like you, I am embarrassed that one of them went to school in New York (where I live). Also, I am shocked that these young people could graduate from journo school and go off and do this? Where is their moral compass? Where is their professor's admonitions to tell the truth?
Where have all the men and women of journalism gone that protected their integrity at all costs? We have learned with ease that many on the right will do most anything to mislead and misdirect our thoughts and beliefs.
Thank you for sharing because I learned about more evil this morning. We cannot fight what we’re unaware of.
Blessings.
You are commenting on the page of one of those journalists...and there are many more on Substack. Wish there was a way for them to have greater presences in MSM. Meanwhile, keep subscribing I guess.
Yes I’m using a great journalists thread as a platform to let others know how we feel!!
A lot of them are here—and we should try and support them monetarily if we have the means!
Scared of losing their dubious jobs?
Good point. Lots of unemployed journalists in the world right now.
When I lived in Columbus, Ohio, I had to stop watching the local ABC affiliate because they were owned by Sinclair (still are) and their editorial rants were so offensive that I couldn’t stand it. Moving to DC was a relief - there was no Sinclair affiliate. Then Albritton sold the local ABC affiliate to Sinclair. Once again, all ABC programming is off limits (for me, at least).
I know Sinclair’s stations aren’t all ABC affiliates; do the national networks understand that Sinclair drives away viewers? Do their national advertisers? Why do they continue to allow Sinclair to broadcast their content?
The networks are complicit in dissemination of Sinclair’s propaganda. It should not surprise them that more and more people are “cutting the cord.”
It picks up more than the tactic loses. Social media studies have shown fear & negativity draw more engagement & are more likely to be remembered. Here is an example:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01538-4/figures/2
Annoying to see Sinclair using it’s powers to negatively impact people. I’m sure they have access to good brain research. Ewww
Very true. Communication has a large psychological component. We see some of it in marketing on TV or radio. Changes in volume, some sort of repeated sound, repeated words & phone numbers. What is familiar becomes accepted as safe or true. I’d guess that is behind using the ‘trusted local news’ brand while pushing storylines from unidentified sources that use right wing buzz words. It might not land the same way if the audiences knew the source. They recognize the language which is validation instead of merely repetition.
Thank you for exposing and verifying perceptions regarding Sinclair’s decision to gaslight its public. I am hearing people talk to each other about the feeling they have when watching “the news”…how they are feeling manipulated by the program, rather than informed. It’s a creepy feeling.
The main reasons I watch TV are for entertainment or general education only. When I want facts, especially in political news, I go elsewhere. Like PI!
PS: The youtube video on how to get water out of your car door was not informative.
Yeah, I hear you. There are other people that might not have the same access. The good thing is that they noticing and are raising questions.
Elect Team Kamala…#VoteBlue! Thanks Joe for making America 1st. Time to unite to defeat MAGA's felons, depraved narcissists & wanna be Project 2025 authoritarians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KccF9FCvXbU https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/21/us/politics/bidens-exit-democratic-donations.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9E0.XN0Y.kb3BeDn4cNzi&smid=url-share
I always include Sinclair Bros in my list of right wing owned media…294 tv stations. Almost all of what used to be MSM is now owned by ultra right. These are propaganda stations, Fascist supporters. This is why FELON trump has been normalized so much. Lies, propaganda!
Hmmmm...
An interesting inside story about a major news source. What are the odds other media will pick it up?
Thanks again PI!
Methinks PI will be cited in the MSM, again!
I hope you're right! As a friend says: "Hope brings a turtle."
Watched Laura Coats interview Congresswoman Nancy Mace last night on CNN. I suspect CNN admonished Coats not to challenge Mace’s nonsense. You may want to get after CNN as well.
CNN has been under right wing ownership for a few years now, totally compromised.
CNN jumped on the DJT bandwagon early. Then in 2017 one of their big shots, Tony Maddox, claimed on a panel discussing fake news (in Ireland) that DJT was good for business and …
“I think being called out for fake news by Trump isn’t necessarily the end of the world, in fact the evidence would suggest, as far as media organizations are concerned, it’s not something to worry about,” he added.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/cnn-international-chief-says-trump-is-good-business-1031985/