The Good, the Bad, and the Not-So-Terrible: A Comprehensive Analysis of Sinclair’s Effect on Local Television News Quality

Abstract

Critics accuse the Sinclair television ownership group of slashing resources and producing biased news. However, few scholars have examined Sinclair’s news quality. Using an investment-based approach to quality, this study provides the first systematic human-coded examination of Sinclair’s local video news quality. Data from 2,300 stories in 40 U.S. markets indicated lower overall quality at Sinclair-owned stations compared to competitors. However, Sinclair outperformed competitors on some quality metrics, and evidence of political bias was minimal. Findings provide insights into how corporate ownership affects local TV, the most trusted source of news in the United States.