Amy Schumer has joined the list of celebrities and politicians who refuse to play with the Sinclair Broadcast Group.
The comedian and actor has canceled an upcoming interview with ABC affiliate WJLA, which is owned by Sinclair (SBGI), the media company that has come under fire for a controversial policy that requires its anchors to read statements criticizing “fake news.”
According to Buzzfeed, Schumer was due to speak to the station to promote her new movie I Feel Pretty, but canceled due to an unwillingness to work with a Sinclair-owned station.
A number of other individuals, particularly politicians, have taken a similar approach to Schumer’s, boycotting any television station associated with the company.
A candidate for governor in Maryland has pledged not to run any ads on Sinclair-owned stations, calling on her opponents to do the same. Congressional candidates in Maryland and Kentucky have similarly withdrawn ads from Sinclair-owned stations, and a city councilman in Cincinnati made a similar promise, saying he will boycott the local news station and won’t ‘prop up’ their revenue by watching the channel.
On Wednesday, Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.) wrote to Sinclair CEO David Smith, asking him to shed light on the company’s “must run” stories. Meanwhile, Trump has come to the defense of the company, tweeting on Tuesday, “The Fake News Networks, those that knowingly have a sick and biased AGENDA, are worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast. The “Fakers” at CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS have done so much dishonest reporting that they should only be allowed to get awards for fiction!”
The Fake News Networks, those that knowingly have a sick and biased AGENDA, are worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast. The “Fakers” at CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS have done so much dishonest reporting that they should only be allowed to get awards for fiction!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2018