5.2M views · Mar 31, 2018 · 1:39 · 1 HN recommender · 14 mentions · discussed 2018–2021
A short compilation of dozens of local news anchors at Sinclair-owned stations reading the same scripted promo about biased and fake news. It went viral in 2018 as an example of centralized media messaging.
Why Hacker News points people here: Cited as an example of media consolidation and coordinated messaging, mostly in threads about distrust of news, though it is also posted as a plain source.
“I found it pretty eye opening”HN comment, 2021
“I found it pretty eye opening”
Dozens of newscasters reading the exact same script
Make sure you begin your class by playing this clip? I found it pretty eye opening: this video Description: dozens/hundreds of newscasters reading the exact same script.
“This is the original”
Original video of anchors reading same script
FYI, the article seems to be linking to a reupload of the original video for some reason. This is the original: this video
“here are some highlights from my journey to 0% trust in the media”
Shows examples of media manipulation behind the commenter's distrust of news
If you’re interested here are some highlights from my journey to 0% trust in the media: this video link link link I’d be curious to hear yours.
“the news media has been all but completely conquered”
Cited as evidence of media being conquered by few corporations
This is a result of vaccination. France[1], Taiwan[2] among others are already stopping the distribution of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. mRNA vaccines actually inject "code" into a cell, much like reverse engineering software. Unfortunately, small surface hacks can lead to detrimental disaster in overall systems without a full understanding of what that hack affects within said overall system. We rushed to fight COVID19, and it makes sense. That said, we shouldn't have panicked leaders who aren't able to take a scientific approach. Now, the news media has been all but completely conquered [3]. The internet is being censored on the guise of misinformation. Freedoms are being lost. It's a tremendous leap that the system of government has made within the past couple years. This is not the result of evil actors, but simply, the system itself has so many forces acting upon it which has led it to become evil itself. Finally, and moreover, as the article implies, the mRNA vaccination experiment is failing, and humanity itself is now at risk. People talk about 'robot machines' taking over people as in the Matrix movie, but its much more likely 'complex systems of legislation' will rule and dominate people. Welcome to the Matrix. [1] link [2] link [3] this video
“there is a massive power struggle and a lack of information on our side”
Cited as evidence of power struggle and information asymmetry
I don't think that Facebook and Twitter are a bad thing at all. I think there is confusion as there is a massive power struggle and a lack of information on our side ( this video ). Also, I don't know what you mean by "average Joes." I don't think any person is less competent than another, and I would rather help to give access to information to the people, frankly, if I thought someone did have less information. I'm a little confused by your position on people, and afraid of your position on freedom of information and equality.
“Exhibit A”
I'm not sure I would paint traditional media companies, like say local news stations, as paragons of integrity, autonomy, and having a strong conscience. Exhibit A: this video
“The news media is of course pure bias and content/distribution/agenda masquerading as fact-based objectivity”
I find it sad this is being downvoted. I think this rings true. Perhaps too true? HN has its bents and focuses, but it's at least more conversationally balanced than reddit (perhaps link partially explains some of the reasons why). The news media is of course pure bias and content/distribution/agenda masquerading as fact-based objectivity (eg, this video ). Where else can I look for... the kind of apolitical, discussion-focused information sharing that eg used to happen on blogs circa 2007, but in discussion community form, and within a community framework that is bias-resistant?
“Facebook would need to be pushing a narrative to it's most popular users to promote on their channels, the same way that Sinclair group does”
Not quite. I think for it to be a more apt comparison, Facebook would need to be pushing a narrative to it's most popular users to promote on their channels, the same way that Sinclair group does: this video I don't think there's evidence of that right now with Facebook.
“See this for a chilling example”
It's worse than that. A significant portion of of American "local" news is actually just parroting Sinclair Broadcast Group which is a national group trying to push right wing opinion. See this for a chilling example this video
“The media is a oligarchy yet it's still "independent”
> I wouldn’t, but that’s because of something deeper than anything we experience in America or Australia. I'm sick of this holier than thou attitude that people have here. There's this patronizing attitude that if only the brain washed Chinese knew what was really happening they would rise up! Yet you know about the Nayirah testimony, MKUltra, Snowden, Cambridge Analytica, migrant camps... why aren't you out protesting, storming congress, why isn't Bush in prison, why isn't Trump impeached? It's not a "small minority"; it's the majority. Most Americans don't care enough to find out and if they did they wouldn't care enough to do anything. I'd argue that the propaganda is much deeper and subtle in the West. The media is a oligarchy yet it's still "independent" this video You believe are the good guys despite history despite everything.
“In the U.S. 90% of the news media is held by 5 conglomerates. You get creepy stuff like this.”
Another way to put this..how much does the news media influence people? In the U.S. 90% of the news media is held by 5 conglomerates. You get creepy stuff like this. this video Makes you wonder how reliable the news media is in the U.S. I can't even imagine how bad it is in countries where oligarchs control things.
“I'm not convinced US media is all that different.”
Looks a whole lot like Sinclair's script for stations: this video I'm not convinced US media is all that different.
“Cause right now this is your local news station”
> I'm starting to think that the outcome of our political systems in the West produces suboptimal compromises engineered by politicians who are quite frankly ignorant, incompetent, corrupt, and really just not good specimens of the species. It's like the system is designed to be mediocre. the problem is that one of the political parties has it as an ideological point that government doesn't and can't work, and sets out to sabotage everything to prove that they're right. Like how florida deliberately makes it impossible to get your unemployment. link There is, unfortunately, not a good fix for this, as similar parties exist worldwide. But banning Murdoch media and de-consolidating media control in general (returning local stations to local management, etc) would be a good start. Cause right now this is your local news station: this video
“Shocked that the media is inaccurate? You should see Sinclair broadcasting.”
Exposes Sinclair stations reading identical scripts, as example of media inaccuracy
Shocked that the media is inaccurate? You should see Sinclair broadcasting. One of the 4 or so corporations that own the media. this video
