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Readers React: Why Sinclair’s scripted, pro-Trump propaganda should worry anyone who cares about democracy

The headquarters of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of local television stations in the United States, in Hunt Valley, Md.
The headquarters of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of local television stations in the United States, in Hunt Valley, Md.
(Win McNamee / Getty Images)
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To the editor: Too often the masses and their information are quietly targeted and controlled by a strongman who has control of the source of their news. We’ve seen this occur in countries like Russia, Germany and China.

We are now witnessing the beginning of something like this in the United States. (“Backlash grows over Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ‘must-run’ conservative content on local TV stations,” April 5)

We have a president who favors one news outlet owner, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, and condemns any organization that does not support his damaging policies. President Trump has tweeted, “Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more fake NBC, which is a total joke.”

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Trump does not own Sinclair, but its owner supports the president and seeks to make his employees mouthpieces for him and the administration even though many are journalists who do not share their beliefs.

The divisiveness created by the disinformation being spewed by Sinclair and Fox News will only lead to a greater ideological schism between Trump supporters and those who understand quality journalism and the need for it in a democracy.

Larry Naritomi, Monterey Park

..

To the editor: With Sinclair forcing local news anchors to read propaganda directly from scripts, and these hosts powerless to resist, I think I may have a solution: Why not make these mandated readings a subject of ridicule?

Imagine the news anchor reciting the propaganda just as written, but while doing jumping jacks. Or adopting a Donald Duck impersonation. Or wearing a Trump wig. Or singing the words. Or reciting the words robotically. Or adopting facial tics.

Each station could try to outdo the others in making the viewers laugh, making Sinclair’s Big Brother push so obvious that its mandate becomes a national punchline.

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Steve Lee, La Habra

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

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