Sinclair Broadcasting pulls show pushing conspiracy theory against Dr. Fauci after public outrage

[kpete]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Sinclair Broadcast Group said Saturday it is pulling from the air an edition of its “America This Week” program that discusses a conspiracy theory involving Dr. Anthony Fauci and the coronavirus.

Sinclair spokesman Michael Padovano said Sinclair hopes to add context and other viewpoints and still air the controversial segment on the next week’s edition of “America This Week.”

Meanwhile, Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, talked in detail in a new podcast about the “serious threats” and hate mail directed his way.

“America This Week” is hosted by Eric Bolling, a former Fox News Channel personality, and sent to stations Sinclair owns in 81 markets. The show it initially distributed for this weekend’s show featured an interview with Judy Mikovits, maker of the widely discredited “Plandemic” video, and her lawyer, Larry Klayman.


https://apnews.com/d49a45e68eebaf5f021b685142530819?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP

[progressive nobody]

1. Wow! Trump lost Sinclair support he is really in big trouble.

[Wednesdays]

8. tRump hasn't lost Sinclair

Sinclair cancelled ONE story from ONE show.

[progressive nobody]

10. Nut the cancelled a hit piece about Fauci.

[Andy823]

2. trump is not going to like this

You can pretty much bet that trump had a hand in getting this video out.

[Iliyah]

3. I hope they heard from lawyers as well . . .

I'm all for 1th amendments right but shit, this RW documentary sounded off the charts of lies on top of lies. Dr. Fauci and family are already getting death threats, but this shit would sincerely bring out the total wackos.

Damn.

I truly extremely dislike the RWers, this fucked up government and the republican party.

They are SICK.

[Qutzupalotl]

4. So next week, then, once the furor dies down.

Keep up the pressure. Don't let them air this crap.

[yellowcanine]

5. Their lawyers must have pulled the plug. They clearly were in legal jeopardy by airing such slander

against Fauci. That shitfaced Klayman is behind this.

[Gothmog]

6. Public pressure matters. Don't let up.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[smirkymonkey]

9. +1000

[beachbumbob]

7. I suspect the fear of a lawsuit had something to do with it

[Gothmog]

11. Sinclair drops segment featuring conspiracy theory about Fauci

Link to tweet

The Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) said Monday it will not move forward with airing a segment featuring a conspiracy theory that suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, was responsible for the creation of the coronavirus.

Over the weekend, Sinclair announced it would postpone and "rework" the segment featuring discredited "Plandemic" researcher Judy Mikovits which was set to air during the program "America This Week" hosted by Eric Bolling.

But on Monday, the company pulled the plug altogether.

"Upon further review, we have decided not to air the interview with Dr. Mikovits," a spokesperson for Sinclair told CNN Business in a statement. "Although the segment did include an expert to dispute Dr. Mikovits, given the nature of the theories she presented we believe it is not appropriate to air the interview."

[gratuitous]

13. I guess the "airing all viewpoints" dodge didn't work this time

I won't go so far as to postulate that Sinclair has a conscience, but I'll bet somebody in Legal convinced them that the financial cost of airing Judy Mikovits' peculiar brand of crazy wasn't worth it.

[crickets]

12. Good.

Lies are costing people their lives. Broadcasting conspiracy garbage like this when there is already too much disinformation in the air is beyond irresponsible.