The Progressive Midwesterner

Despite a very large gubernatorial candidate field seeking the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin (including ten candidates who were invited to speak at the Wisconsin Democratic convention a few days ago, eight of which received at least 8% of the vote in the non-binding convention straw poll ), the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA), a trade group representing the right-wing corporate media in Wisconsin, only intends to invite a total of four candidates to a scheduled Democratic gubernatorial debate: The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association says no more than 4 candidates will be invited to its debates on July 21 for Republican Senate candidates and July 27 for Democratic governor candidates. Criteria includes being in top 4 of latest @MULawPoll pic.twitter.com/ilwGLcSAoH — Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) June 4, 2018 It's important to note that, unless Marquette University does another pre-election opinion poll before the scheduled July 27 debate, the Marquette poll that was r...

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 prom...