The problem with this Sinclair bunch is they run canned “reports” during their newscasts that appear as if they are just another news story and that the “reporter” has been out “gathering the facts” of the story. When instead it’s just a two or three minute opinion…or an attempt to sway the public’s opinion (can you say Fox News?) without identifying it as such.

Remember, these Sinclair stations are the ones weho ordered 62 of their stations, with the potential to reach 24% of the U.S., to show the so-called documentary “Stolen Honor” in an obvious attempt to smear John Kerry right before the ‘04 election. They backed off on that plan under intense pressure, (and the fact their company stock dropped 15% in the first 10 days after they said they were running the smear-cumentary) and instead showed only parts of it on a special “POW” story they produced last minute.

They were also the group that ordered it’s seven ABC affiliates to not air the Nightline show where Ted Koppel just read names of fallen soldiers. But they feel it’s okay to air four minute “commercials” that are produced by special interests, and then disguised as investigative stories.

“Talk Show” is the operative phrase. You can buy other people’s opinions; you can’t buy facts. Or so the theory goes.