Earlier this year, The Baltimore Sun — the largest daily newspaper in Maryland — was purchased by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the right-wing media empire that’s been taking over local media outlets for the last decade.
In case you don’t know, The Baltimore Sun is one of the highest-quality newspapers in the country. In 2020, they won the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting.
Despite this fact, Sinclair’s ownership of The Sun is off to a disturbing start:
As local newsrooms close or get gobbled up by the right-wing Sinclair, more and more communities are being left without reliable local news coverage, leaving “news deserts” where communities are susceptible to right-wing disinformation.
Just last year, Sinclair made news by ceasing most or all local news broadcasts at 10 of its stations in different cities and states across the country.
As multiple news teams were laid off, they were replaced by Sinclair’s national weekday program, The National Desk — which has a lengthy history of platforming right-wing misinformation.
Unsurprisingly, The National Desk is no substitute for real local news. The program devotes the overwhelming majority of its programming to national news stories and has aired and repeated right-wing misinformation and conspiracy theories on everything from the January 6th insurrection to immigration and much more.
But that’s not all. Sinclair has even used the program to propagate antisemitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories.
Needless to say, none of this is good for our democracy.
With one of the most consequential elections in our lifetime approaching, the need for accessible, factual news to cut through right-wing BS has never been more critical.
And it’s become increasingly clear that the mainstream media aren’t up for the task.
That’s why COURIER was founded to be the antidote to right-wing misinformation. Our mission of providing local, factual news restores trust in journalism, a key institution of any healthy democracy.
But if we’re going to remain at the forefront of exposing dangerous propaganda from right-wing media empires like the Sinclair Broadcast Group, it’s essential that our newsrooms have the resources they need to continue providing their communities with high-quality journalism.
So, can you pitch in $10 today to support COURIER’s honest journalism?
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Thank you,
COURIER
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