Amy McGrath stands up to the fascist Sinclair corporate media machine

Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which is the largest owner and operator of local, over-the-air television stations in the United States and also owns and operates the Ring of Honor professional wrestling promotion and Tennis Channel, has come under heavy criticism in recent days for forcing their local news anchors to read a far-right screed attacking the news media on air. While pretty much all local news in the United States has a right-wing bias to it to some degree, Sinclair's efforts to inject far-right propaganda into the local newscasts of the stations is a threat to American democracy. Jimmy Kimmel, the host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, publicly criticized Sinclair, which owns many ABC affiliates, over the scripted, Sinclair-ordered screed against the news media. Some political activists are even calling for Sinclair employees to go on strike on May 15, even though Sinclair employees lack union representation.

Sinclair's far-right propaganda machine has even prompted a political candidate to actively boycott a television station, which is an extremely rare occurrence in the United States. Amy McGrath, who is running for the Democratic nomination in the 6th Congressional District of Kentucky, has promised not to advertise on WDKY-TV, the Fox affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky that is owned by Sinclair:

NEW: Democratic candidate Amy McGrath pulls ads from Sinclair-owned TV station.

"Sinclair’s corporate-mandated 'must-read' right-wing script...eerily mimics the propaganda efforts that authoritarian regimes often use to control the media in their own country," she says. pic.twitter.com/0FqRQcREej

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 2, 2018

Since political campaigns are often reliant on television advertising to connect with voters, McGrath's decision to boycott a Sinclair-owned television station is a very courageous decision on her part.