Leaked Sinclair memo blames ‘extremists’ for criticism of company

A leaked memo from an executive at Sinclair Broadcast Group blames “extremists” for the criticism the right-leaning owner of local news stations is facing.

In the document, first obtained by media trade site FTVLive, an executive responds to the controversy involving Sinclair anchors who were forced to read a script attacking “fake news” and biased reporting at competing outlets.

{mosads}”As you know, the practice of on-air personalities following a script is not unique to Sinclair, however, the blowback we received for doing so certainly is,” Christopher Ripley, president and CEO of Sinclair, wrote. “For having to field nasty calls, threats, personal confrontations and trolling on social media, I am truly sorry you had to endure such an experience.”

“As an organization it is important that we do not let extremists on any side of the political fence bully us because they do not like what they hear or see,” he added.

Sinclair faced heavy criticism after a Deadspin video showing dozens of journalists reading the same script in unison across the country went viral. Former CBS anchor Dan Rather called the company “Orwellian.”

At least one journalist, a producer at a Sinclair-owned station in Nebraska, resigned in protest over the script, while another former anchor accused the company of having a “symbiotic relationship” with President Trump.

Sinclair’s executives, however, show no signs of changing their plans despite the criticism.

“Sinclair will continue to pursue new and innovative strategies including our hybrid approach of bringing together the best of the local broadcast model with the best of the network model which will undoubtabl[y] expose us to more criticism because ‘no other local TV broadcasters does it that way,’ ” Ripley wrote.

“However, those that do not answer the call to innovate will be sucked into the black hole that is big tech which is consuming every segment of the media universe,” he warned.