Local Cincinnati Sinclair station continues to drain long term talent over forced messaging.

[CincyDem]

Dierking will be the sixth high-profile journalist to leave the station voluntarily since WKRC-TV aired Braun and Dierking reading a statement from owners Sinclair Broadcast Group complaining about media companies pushing "their own personal bias and agenda" in March last year, for which Braun got death threats. Gone are Braun and veteran reporters Deb Dixon, Joe Webb, Jeff Hirsh and Larry Davis.

Jon Lawhead, general manager for WKRC-TV and Sinclair stations in Dayton, Toledo and Lexington, did not respond to emails asking about the station's search for a new primary anchor team. After Braun's announcement, Lawhead said the station "will begin an immediate search – both internal and external – to find our next main evening anchor."

[link:https://www.wvxu.org/post/cammy-dierking-leaving-wkrc-dec-leaving-station-without-2-main-anchors#stream/0|


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Dierking (and before her, Braun, Dixon, and Hirsh) were long long long haul Cincinnati TV fixtures and most would say they were a big part of the stations long time #1 position. Cincinnati is a provincial city and WKRC-TV was kind of the "home town" station. Going to be interesting to see how this changes that #1 standing.

Dierking and her former co-anchor show up at 1:10 in this great clip highlighting the standardized corporate message...delivered in a way to imply it was a local message.

[guillaumeb]

1. And the public will suffer because of this.

Less informed voters are more likely to make bad decisions.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. Sinclair exploits trust

Sinclair depends upon the trust local audiences have in local broadcasters. If all would refuse to participate, Sinclair will lose viewers, advertisers, and money. Sinclair Broadcasting would be left with those viewers who are already in the cult of disinformation.

[guillaumeb]

3. I feel that a large percentage of voters

feel that "the news" is reality.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. and a large percentage get their news only from tv

Television news is limited to whatever fits between commercials, is flashy or sensational enough to attract eyeballs, and does not offend network owners and large advertisers. Once upon a time, tv news was considered a loss leader. Now it must produce a profit.

[guillaumeb]

5. And the media at large is also subjected to this.

Profit comes first. So stories that require work and resources make way for accidents, traffic, weather, sports, and sex.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. ah, but there are exceptions

There are still journalists!

One glowing example is Julie K. Brown's work on Epstein. See also, Mother Jones, Vox, Democracy Now, WaPo, etc.