Journalism school deans warn Sinclair over media bias promos

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY JOHN BOWDEN - 04/07/18 01:58 PM EDT

The deans of more than a dozen journalism schools across the country have signed a letter to the president of Sinclair Broadcasting Group condemning the company for forcing local news anchors to read from a script condemning "fake news" and biased reporting by national news outlets.

Deans from 13 college journalism schools including the University of Maryland, a top feeder school for Sinclair employees, signed a letter in protest of a recent "promo" aired nationally that criticized sensationalized and biased reporting from Sinclair's competitors.

"In making the leap to disparage news media generally — without specifics — Sinclair has diminished trust in the news media overall," the letter obtained by the Poynter Institute reads.

"Ironically, Sinclair’s use of news personnel to deliver commentary — not identified as such — may further erode what has traditionally been one of the strongest allegiances in the news landscape, the trust that viewers put in their local television stations," it continues.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/media/382102-journalism-school-deans-warn-sinclair-over-media-bias-promos

[PatrickforO]

1. When the fairness doctrine was ended in 1987 by then-president Ronald Reagan,

it opened the door for corporate money to corrupt journalism. It is good that these deans are standing up against Sinclair, but what we really need to do is reinstitute a 21st century Fairness Doctrine that includes strong language upholding net neutrality.

If we do bring back the Fairness Doctrine, then Americans will begin operating with the same set of facts. Better informed citizens that hold their elected officials accountable for their actions will strengthen our republic and make it possible for us (for the first time, really) to have a government that is REALLY 'of, by and for' us, the people.

[cstanleytech]

6. Problem is it would likely be challenged and SCOTUS given its current leanings would likely

throw it out due to 1st amendment issues.
No, the best way we can approach this would be to probably breakup the large media corporations like Sinclair as this has proven they have to much power and wield to much influence.

[PatrickforO]

10. I'm with you on breaking up Sinclair.

But I'm not with you on scrapping any effort to get back a Fairness Doctrine and/or reinstitute net neutrality. Sure, the SCOTUS may overturn, but that doesn't mean we don't keep fighting.

[cstanleytech]

11. I never said it should be scrapped I said I doubt SCOTUS would not throw any attempt to implement

it out especially given its current leaning.
Also net neutrality is an entirely different issue and not related to the fairness doctrine thus not relevant to the current topic.

[Mr.Bill]

2. Like Sinclair

gives a fuck about journalism.

[erronis]

5. And that's it. Another way to undermine whatever real freedoms we have had,

just like in other authoritarian regimes.

The first phase is controlling the flow of money. Allow conglomerates to buy up resources; choke the spectrum with Citizen United-sponsored FakeNews(tm). Drown out any voices of reason with bots and trolls.

Pretty soon we'll see some funding cuts and worse against NPR (already eroded by capitalism) and loss of broadcast licences (already started by the NewSpeak FCC).

Once they can clamp down on any legitimate mass (meaning available to the masses) media, they'll start tightly controlling what can be said on the "public" airwaves.

Once the noose has been tightened enough, non-compliant broadcasters, commentators, personnel will start to spend time in re-education camps. If they have any time left.

[pangaia]

8. You are exactly right.

Our DEMS reps ALL need to jump on this every hour of every day....
LOUD and LOUDER....

[Yavin4]

3. Good on these profs. !

Media has to police itself in order to be taken seriously. They have to call out each other when something like this happens.

[BobTheSubgenius]

4. Completely awful far-right propagandists.

There oughta be a law...

[Fritz Walter]

7. "We all know that crap is king" -- Don Henley's Dirty Laundry song and video

Decades ago -- after I (miraculously) earned a Bachelor's degree in Journalism at a well esteemed university in the Midwest -- some colleagues shared with me a "Christmas video," which featured this Don Henly song scored to local news stations videos. Sadly, I was unable to transfer that video from VHS to digital format, but the message endures.

What Don Henley described decades ago has metamorphed to a corporate oligopoly (kleptopoly?) of the information channels from which most Americans receive their "news." This is a travesty of what I was taught and what most Americans have come to expect.

We're doomed, unless Sinclair's business model is wholeheartedly rejected.
Nationally.
And the sooner, the better.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Sinclair execs probably see this as high praise.

They're probably framing the letters for display on their wall of fame.