Viral Video Exposes News Stations Across US Pumping Exact Same Scripted Fear into Viewers
The anchors who were involved in the video have said that while they encouraged viewers to reach out with any concerns, they were told by Sinclair Broadcast Group, “corporate will monitor the comments and send replies to your audience on your behalf.”
By Rachel Blevins
TheFreeThoughtProject.com
April 1, 2018
Videos that show the striking similarities between the scripts used by local TV anchors and reporters are nothing new, but a recent compilation has taken the internet by storm as it shows dozens of news stations coming together to warn about the dangers of “fake news” with an eerily identical script.
The video started with news clips from four different stations across the country in which each anchor read from a teleprompter that appeared to say, “Our greatest responsibility is to serve our [insert location here] communities. We are extremely proud of the quality, balanced journalism that [insert station here] produces.”
Then nine stations were featured on the screen and they all said in unison, “But we’re concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media.”</strong>
“More alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake stories… stories that just aren’t true, without checking facts first,” the videos continued, as at least 36 stations filled the screen at one time. “Unfortunately, some members of the media use their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control ‘exactly what people think.’”
Then the video highlighted one important line that was parroted by each station:
“This is extremely dangerous to our democracy.”
The one major thing that each of these local stations has in common is that they are all owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, a media conglomerate that is the largest television station operator in the United States with around 200 stations in more than 100 markets.
The segments were filmed as promotional videos, and multiple local anchors who participated told CNN that in addition to scripts, they also received direct instructions from their corporate bosses.
“Please produce the attached scripts exactly as they are written. This copy has been thoroughly tested and speaks to our Journalistic Responsibility as advocates to seek the truth on behalf of the audience,” the instructional document said, according to the anchors.
The Rest…HERE
