John Oliver Slams “Brainwashed Cult” Sinclair for Creepy Local-News Promos

Update (9:40 A.M.): The president tweeted his support for Sinclair Broadcasting Group Monday morning, writing, "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."

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John Oliver has just one day per week to handle the firehose of news pouring out of the Trump White House. But even so, he took time on Sunday night to follow up on the conservative-run Sinclair Broadcasting Group, a TV empire that Oliver likens to “a brainwashed cult.”

Over the weekend, the telecommunications company became the subject of ire once more thanks to a pre-written script that’s made its way into Sinclair broadcasts. Across the country, Sinclair has been prompting its anchors to record a promo that includes this leading claim: “The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media. More alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake stories—stories that just aren’t true—without checking facts first. Unfortunately, some members of the media use their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control exactly what people think. This is extremely dangerous to a democracy.”

As Oliver put it Sunday night, “Nothing says ‘we value independent media’ like dozens of reporters forced to repeat the same message over and over again like a brainwashed cult.”

CNN first reported on the scripted message in early March, noting that despite many anchors’ dismay, the “anchor-delivered journalistic responsibility message” would begin to run on Sinclair stations later in the month. Sinclair has been a subject of concern for many since last year, when Oliver initially covered the conservative company. The company’s political bent and ties to the Trump White House--former Trump aide Boris Epshteyn serves as its chief political analyst—have been a subject of particular concern as the company seeks to acquire Tribune Media. Previous company-wide “must-run” segments have included pieces on the “Deep State” as well as commentary from Epshteyn. Sinclair has also been accused of using its connections within the Trump administration to skirt media consolidation regulations.

The pre-written statement anchors have read this month is “creepy enough,” Oliver said Sunday night, “but when you see just how many local stations were forced to read it, and you watch them together, as many have been doing online in the last couple of days, you begin to realize the true effect of Sinclair’s reach and power.” Evidently, it’s not just creeping Oliver out either; several celebrities have expressed their concerns about the company. Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Sarah Silverman, Kumail Nanjiani,, and more have all tweeted their dismay, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Alyssa Milano, Patton Oswalt, and others have taken things further with the hashtag #BoycottSinclair.

22 Movies and TV Shows That Will Save Us in 2018

HBO is once again hoping you’ll ignore the big Game of Thrones-shaped hole in its schedule and turn your attention back to the sci-fi mind game that is Westworld. The Emmy-nominated series, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton, is ready to confound you once again in its second season. Until its spring 2018 premiere, take a trip back in time and revisit nine burning questions we still have about the finale.
Yara Shahidi takes the lead in this youthful Black-ish spin-off set to air on Freeform starting Jan. 3, 2018. In this series, Zoey is finally off to college, stumbling through cringeworthy rites of passage like embarrassing herself at a frat party and hiding secrets from her parents.
Every superhero you love is coming out with a new movie in 2018. In no particular order, get ready for a bounty that includes: Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, The New Mutants, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Venom, and Aquaman.
’Tis the season to watch a bunch of perfect human specimens fight for tiny gold medallions. This year’s Winter Olympics will kick off on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The Winter Olympics

’Tis the season to watch a bunch of perfect human specimens fight for tiny gold medallions. This year’s Winter Olympics will kick off on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
By Julian Finney/Getty Images.
If the title alone doesn’t catch your eye, the artists behind it surely will. Spike Lee is directing this thriller, produced by nascent horror maestro Jordan Peele, about a black detective who infiltrates the KKK in the 1970s. John David Washington (son of Denzel) plays the lead, while the rest of the cast includes Adam Driver and rising star Laura Harrier. Black Klansman does not yet have a release date.
This superhero movie, which hits theaters on June 15, 2018, gets its own slide—because fans have been waiting for this sequel for 13 years. At long last, the Parr family is back fighting crime, with a little help from close friend Frozone (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson). It’s time to find your supersuit—and remember, no capes!
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My, my, how can you resist this? The sequel to the 2008 blockbuster musical is finally on its way, and it’s already guaranteed to be your favorite guilty pleasure of 2018. The story is a prequel to the original, revolving around Meryl Streep’s character when she was a young woman (perhaps even . . . a young dancing queen). Not only is its core cast back in action, but the truly iconic Cher has decided to bless the sequel with her presence. Catch it in theaters on July 20, 2018.
Break out your flannel and sarcasm, because Roseanne is back. The classic 90s sitcom is getting the nostalgia reboot treatment on March 27, more than 20 years after it first ended.
The all-female Ocean’s 11 reboot is easily one of the most anticipated films of the year, not least because of its excellent cast (Rihanna! Sandra Bullock! Cate Blanchett!). The glitzy heist movie revolves around the Met Gala, promising a coterie of celeb cameos, and is slated to hit theaters on June 8, 2018. Satiate yourself until then by re-watching the perfect trailer.
We may be in the midst of a true-crime revival, but few productions promise to be as opulent as this Ryan Murphy mini-series. The horrifying true story about the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace will be retold with a stellar cast that includes Édgar Ramírez as Versace himself, Penélope Cruz as his sister Donatella, and Ricky Martin as Versace’s partner, Antonio D’Amico.
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The classic Madeleine L’Engle tale is finally coming to the big screen on March 9, 2018, thanks to Disney and director Ava DuVernay. The sci-fi story about a girl tesseracting her way through time to find her missing father will star newcomer Storm Reid alongside stars like Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Pine.
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