Local news anchors across the country are reading from the exact same script on Joe Biden.

Local television news broadcasters are airing suspiciouslyĀ similar attacksĀ on Joe Bidenā€™s mental acuity and how it will affect the coming electionā€”and it appears to be part of a coordinated effort.

The Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or operates 185 local television stations across the country, and dozens of their stations aired a segment from national correspondent Matthew Galka citing aĀ Wall Street JournalĀ articleĀ that makes dubious attacks on Bidenā€™s age and mental awareness. The stations that aired the segment introduced it using startlingly similar, if not identical language, the Popular Information and Public Notice newslettersĀ reported.

Itā€™s not the first time Sinclair, owned by right-wing businessman David D. Smith, has appeared to be running a conservative propaganda campaign. Infamously in 2018, dozens of the companyā€™s TV stations were caught airing anĀ identical editorialĀ about the dangers of biased and false news. This time around, theĀ Rupert Murdoch-ownedĀ Wall Street Journal, as well as Murdochā€™s cable news stations Fox News and Fox Business, have gotten in on the act.

    • Evilcoleslaw@lemmy.world
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      22 days ago

      Worth noting that was also Sinclair. Over the years Iā€™ve seen numerous right wing MAGA wackos try to use that as a demonstration of the mainstream media being corrupt unlike www.freedomeagleflag.ru or whatever. They donā€™t like when you point out it was Sinclair, a right wing junk outlet.

      • ummthatguy@lemmy.world
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        22 days ago

        They figure itā€™s been long enough for the general public to forget. Unfortunately, theyā€™re mostly correct.

    • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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      22 days ago

      One of John Oliverā€˜s best segments of all time.

      From ā€œExecutive Office for Immigration Reviewā€, April 1, 2018.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      22 days ago

      Man, that was fucking TRIPPY when it came out. It was like ā€œholy christ this is the matrix dude D:ā€.

      In this day and age? Iā€™m not surprised, but I am, once again, disappointed.