David Smith is executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group. (Photo: Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)
Apr 03, 2018
As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."
\u201cSinclair\u2019s chairman calls the print media \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d He means \u201cdrivel.\u201d https://t.co/dK5rcpL3hB via @intelligencer\u201d— Mark Jacob (@Mark Jacob) 1522758577
\u201cIf he doesn't know the difference between "dribble" and "drivel," then what he's saying is almost certainly drivel #Sinclair https://t.co/kve5NNxSqB\u201d— Dan Mihalopoulos (@Dan Mihalopoulos) 1522773260
In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."
"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."
\u201cConfirming for everyone that David Smith of Sinclair 100% said "meaningless dribble":\u201d— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivia Nuzzi) 1522728537
Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)
\u201cThe chief of Sinclair \u2014\u00a0which instructed dozens of its TV anchors to read the same anti-media script last month \u2014\u00a0says the entire print media is \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d https://t.co/JIxh8JZIfx\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1522728669
\u201cSinclair boss David Smith not doing much to allay people's concerns about his media empire https://t.co/Ajx8ZN8PMy\u201d— David Uberti (@David Uberti) 1522759692
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As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."
\u201cSinclair\u2019s chairman calls the print media \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d He means \u201cdrivel.\u201d https://t.co/dK5rcpL3hB via @intelligencer\u201d— Mark Jacob (@Mark Jacob) 1522758577
\u201cIf he doesn't know the difference between "dribble" and "drivel," then what he's saying is almost certainly drivel #Sinclair https://t.co/kve5NNxSqB\u201d— Dan Mihalopoulos (@Dan Mihalopoulos) 1522773260
In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."
"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."
\u201cConfirming for everyone that David Smith of Sinclair 100% said "meaningless dribble":\u201d— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivia Nuzzi) 1522728537
Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)
\u201cThe chief of Sinclair \u2014\u00a0which instructed dozens of its TV anchors to read the same anti-media script last month \u2014\u00a0says the entire print media is \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d https://t.co/JIxh8JZIfx\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1522728669
\u201cSinclair boss David Smith not doing much to allay people's concerns about his media empire https://t.co/Ajx8ZN8PMy\u201d— David Uberti (@David Uberti) 1522759692
As right-wing television behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group faces an onslaught of criticism for forcing local news anchors to read a script denounced as "Trumpian propaganda," New York magazine reports that the company's executive chairman declined an interview request with a series of emails in which he claimed "print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble" that "serves no real purpose."
\u201cSinclair\u2019s chairman calls the print media \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d He means \u201cdrivel.\u201d https://t.co/dK5rcpL3hB via @intelligencer\u201d— Mark Jacob (@Mark Jacob) 1522758577
\u201cIf he doesn't know the difference between "dribble" and "drivel," then what he's saying is almost certainly drivel #Sinclair https://t.co/kve5NNxSqB\u201d— Dan Mihalopoulos (@Dan Mihalopoulos) 1522773260
In what is being described by some as "email's finest moment in years," Sinclair's David Smith reportedly wrote to the magazine in November, "We don't talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose."
"I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today's world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return," Smith added. "The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya."
\u201cConfirming for everyone that David Smith of Sinclair 100% said "meaningless dribble":\u201d— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivia Nuzzi) 1522728537
Many criticis quickly noted that the report on Smith's comments comes as Sinclair--often criticized for its conservative "must-run" commentaries and promotion of corporate media consolidation--is making national headlines for a viral video that showed anchors from several of its stations delivering a scripted statement "in a distinctly Trumpian fashion." (In response to the recent controversy, Trump has repeatedly defended the company on Twitter.)
\u201cThe chief of Sinclair \u2014\u00a0which instructed dozens of its TV anchors to read the same anti-media script last month \u2014\u00a0says the entire print media is \u201cmeaningless dribble.\u201d https://t.co/JIxh8JZIfx\u201d— Dan Diamond (@Dan Diamond) 1522728669
\u201cSinclair boss David Smith not doing much to allay people's concerns about his media empire https://t.co/Ajx8ZN8PMy\u201d— David Uberti (@David Uberti) 1522759692
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