Sinclair-another miner at the breakfast table*

Jay Rosen is working very hard to demonize Sinclair Broadcasting for daring to investigate the impact of Kerry's 1971 testimony on the POWs held in North Vietnam.

Rosen's larger argument rests on a couple of suspect pillars: 1) The POW story is propaganda, not news, and 2) Sinclair's decision to pursue the story is neither good journalism nor smart business and, therefore, must be seen as a species of conservative activism.

I don't understand how the MSM can call the POW testimony propaganda. Most of them are recounting their first hand experience in captivity. Rosen may think it is irrelevant to the presidential race, but millions disagree. In any case, a difference in news judgment is not the same thing as the difference between news and propaganda.

Similarly, there is a case to be made for the soundness of Sinclair's business decision. The story is controversial, but that means Sinclair will reap tons of free publicity for their program and attract viewers. Usually media mavens call that buzz and think it is a good thing.

The rise of Fox News illustrates that a more conservative tone can draw viewers in the current media environment. It makes perfectly good marketing sense for Sinclair apply this strategy to local news. Given the bland, liberal sameness of local TV news, Sinclair has a chance to draw viewers who are bored, alienated, and outraged by their current viewing choices.

*About that title, see here.