Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather tore into Sinclair Broadcasting Group over its move to require anchors at its local television stations to read an on-air promotional message warning against “fake stories” in other media outlets.
“News anchors looking into camera and reading a script handed down by a corporate overlord, words meant to obscure the truth not elucidate it, isn’t journalism,” Rather tweeted.
“It’s propaganda. It’s Orwellian. A slippery slope to how despots wrest power, silence dissent, and oppress the masses.”
{mosads}The comments come as Sinclair faces backlash over the promo, which says “national media outlets are publishing these same fake stories without checking facts first.”
A Sinclair Broadcasting executive this week defended the company, saying the promo shows the company’s “commitment to our communities.” The executive said the promo was “focused on fact-based reporting” and were a “well-researched journalistic initiative.”
President Trump has also taken to Twitter to defend Sinclair.
“The Fake News Networks, those that knowingly have a sick and biased AGENDA, are worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast. The ‘Fakers’ at CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS have done so much dishonest reporting that they should only be allowed to get awards for fiction!” he said on Tuesday.
On Monday, Trump tweeted: “So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased. Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.”