Cincinnati councilman boycotting local station owned by Sinclair

A Cincinnati city councilman said he will boycott his local news station owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group following the nationwide decision to have their anchors recite a warning about “fake stories.”

P.G. Sittenfeld said on Sunday that he would not longer watch the “creepy, cult-ish and way too propagandistic” WKRC Local 12 station in Cincinnati.

“As I’ve said before, I love many of the individual people at Channel 12 – but the direction of their ownership, @WeAreSinclair, is deeply troubling and will prevent my propping up their revenue stream by a viewer.”

Creepy, cult-ish, and way too propagandistic for my taste. As I’ve said before, I love many of the individual people at Channel 12 – but the direction of their ownership, @WeAreSinclair, is deeply troubling, and will prevent my propping up their revenue stream by being a viewer. https://t.co/GIyyYvKDLo

— P.G. Sittenfeld (@PGSittenfeld) April 1, 2018

{mosads} Sittenfeld said it’s “really freakin’ easy” to change the channel and be an empowered news consumer.

“Your eyeballs = big profits,” Sittenfeld said. “Be selective in where you aim your gaze. Profit-dependent enterprises will response accordingly. #BoycottSinclair.”

And here’s the thing: It’s really freakin’ easy to #ChangeTheChannel! We are empowered as consumers & viewers. Your eyeballs = big profits. Be selective in where you aim your gaze. Profit-dependent enterprises will respond accordingly. #BoycottSinclair https://t.co/yvGax7ylkR

— P.G. Sittenfeld (@PGSittenfeld) April 1, 2018

Sittenfeld said Sinclair’s “propaganda effort” gave other media groups an opportunity to “assert what they are about and what they are NOT about.”

Corporate media in general is far from perfect, but I think this overt @WeAreSinclair propaganda effort gives other media enterprises a real opportunity to assert what they are about and what they are NOT about – and pick up market share as a result. We consumers aren’t dumb! https://t.co/477EgEnpfL

— P.G. Sittenfeld (@PGSittenfeld) April 1, 2018

The proposed boycott comes after Sinclair Broadcasting Group had local anchors warn of alleged bias and slam national outlets for pushing “fake stories.”

Anchors say in the script that they are “concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country.” 

President Trump defended Sinclair in a tweet on Monday, after a compilation of the adverts shared by Deadspin drew condemnation across social media.

“So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased,” he tweeted. “Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.”

So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased. Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2018

Late-night talk show hosts also ripped the Sinclair mandate.

Jimmy Kimmel called it “extremely dangerous” and John Oliver said the video showing Sinclair anchors read the message in unison made them appear like “members of a brainwashed cult.”