sinclair-gate

Of course the scandal that is Sinclair Broadcast Group, including the nauseating refusal of broadcasting authorities to overrule Sinclair, is just one more incident -- though a particularly egregious one -- in a long list of offenses against democracy.

Thanks to my Dad for this link to columnist Molly Ivins' Oct. 14 warning, entitled Beware of creeping fascism: "Sinclair Group is the perfect example of what's wrong with the concentration of ownership in media: Just a few companies now own almost all the major information outlets. Sinclair is the largest owner of local TV stations in the nation. It controls 62 stations in 39 markets and reaches at least 25 percent of Americans every day, all day. "

Which is exactly why I keep telling people to read Salon, who reported today on the anger of one of Sinclair's employees at what's going on: "Jon Leiberman, the Washington bureau chief for Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group's news division, angrily denounced his employer last night for plans to air an hourlong program that is to include incendiary allegations against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry for his anti-war activism three decades ago. 'It's biased political propaganda, with clear intentions to sway this election,' said Leiberman."