Conservative local TV news behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group isn’t just pushing right-wing commentary in its national “must-run” segments. It’s also depriving its viewers in at least one city of any actual local news reporting at all, instead filling news airtime with an unhinged commentary show from local far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Jamie Allman.
Julie Alderman and Pam Vogel at MMFA:
Conservative local TV news behemoth Sinclair Broadcast Group isn’t just pushing right-wing commentary in its national “must-run” segments. It’s also depriving its viewers in at least one city of any actual local news reporting at all, instead filling news airtime with an unhinged commentary show from local far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Jamie Allman.
Sinclair has recently garnered widespread criticism for its plans to drastically expand its hold on local news in major cities and battleground states, and for its unusual practice of mandating that its stations across the country air regular right-wing commentary segments. But Sinclair's decision to replace typical newscasts at its St. Louis, MO, station with a Fox News-like commentary program laden with conspiracy theories reveals a more concerted decision to push right-wing talking points on unsuspecting local news audiences whenever possible. It also reveals the media giant’s complete disregard for the responsibility it has to provide its viewers with information in the public interest.
Beginning in 2015, the Sinclair-owned KDNL, an ABC-affiliated station branded as ABC 30, switched from broadcasting typical local news reports to instead offering its viewers three airings per day of The Allman Report. Billed as a “non-traditional newscast,” the 30-minute program airs during weekday time slots typically reserved for a local newscast: 6:30 a.m. leading into Good Morning America, 5 p.m leading into ABC World News Tonight, and 10 p.m. (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that as part of Sinclair's proposed expansion, the company "disclosed its plans to expand morning and evening newscasts in St. Louis at 4:30 a.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., in a regulatory filing Thursday but didn’t say on what station.")
The Allman Report is hosted by Jamie Allman, a local conservative radio host. Allman’s TV show closely mimics the playbook for a classic Fox News evening commentary program. It touts a “debate-driven” and guest-heavy format and focuses on bread-and-butter conservative topics. Allman often delivers monologues that mirror former Fox host and current monster Bill O’Reilly’s “Talking Points Memo” or any of the unhinged commentaries Sean Hannity unleashes upon his audience nightly.
KDNL leadership admitted that the show would have a “conservative” bent when announcing its debut. But Allman’s extreme far-right rhetoric and fringe conspiracy theories go far beyond conservative spin. For years before Sinclair opted to give him a city-wide platform, Allman pushed numerous far-right conspiracy theories on his KTFK talk radio show, Allman in the Morning, which he continues to host regularly. He also employs patently offensive rhetoric targeted specifically at women, people of color, and immigrants on air and in social media. And yet, Sinclair has only magnified and legitimized his voice, as well as those of the extreme guests he favors.
As Sinclair continues to argue that its move toward further media consolidation will deliver higher quality news to its local audiences, it’s nevertheless feeding factually devoid trash to the people of St. Louis.
Contents:
Allman is a pro-Trump sycophant
Allman pushes far-right conspiracy theories and classic right-wing myths
Allman regularly tweets racist and anti-immigrant commentary and race-baits on air
Allman often uses misogynistic language
Allman frequently unleashes unhinged attacks on people he disagrees with
Allman uses his programs to amplify other extreme voices