{"id":17527,"date":"2018-04-03T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2018-04-03T11:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=17527"},"modified":"2018-04-03T10:31:50","modified_gmt":"2018-04-03T15:31:50","slug":"chicagos-peril-wgn-tries-keep-lid-sinclair-resistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2018\/04\/03\/chicagos-peril-wgn-tries-keep-lid-sinclair-resistance\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Chicago\u2019s Very Own\u2019 in peril: WGN tries to keep a lid on Sinclair resistance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/a> WGN News<\/p><\/div>\n

Jeff Hoover, a longtime producer and on-air contributor for WGN-Channel 9\u2019s<\/a> top-rated morning news show, was the first employee to speak out Monday about the impending takeover of the Tribune Media station by Sinclair Broadcast Group.<\/p>\n

He also was the last.<\/p>\n

In response to a video montage<\/a>\u00a0that went viral last weekend showing anchors at Sinclair stations delivering identical messages parroting President Donald Trump\u2019s anti-media talking points, Hoover tweeted:<\/a> \u201cRe: Sinclair - There is NO WAY any of our on-air anchors and reporters will read their scripted messages on our show. Chicago's Very Own, not owned.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jeff Hoover<\/p><\/div>\n

The normally free-spirited Hoover later said he could not talk about what he had written and declined further comment. Other sources confirmed that Hoover had been admonished by his bosses for the unauthorized tweet.<\/p>\n

On the eve of WGN\u2019s 70th anniversary celebration, <\/a>I reached out to more than a dozen news anchors, reporters and other on-air personnel at the station to ask what they thought of Sinclair. Not one would comment on the record. Most of them directed me to their bosses or a company public relations representative.<\/p>\n

That didn\u2019t do much good either. Through a spokeswoman, Paul Rennie, president and general manager of WGN, declined to comment. So did Gary Weitman, senior vice president of corporate relations at Tribune Media.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Sinclair Broadcast Group<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIn one way or another, we\u2019ve all been told to keep quiet and stay out of it,\u201d one insider said. \u201cThey keep saying \u2018nothing will change\u2019 when Sinclair comes in, but it is quite scary to think that they could try and force this crap [on us],\u201d said another.<\/p>\n

Referring to the video of Sinclair\u2019s media-bashing campaign, a third source said it \u201cvalidated everyone\u2019s fears about the company. It\u2019s a very bad joke \u2014 a real embarrassment and the furthest thing from credible journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back last spring when the $3.9 billion deal with Sinclair was first announced, the irreverent cast of \u201cWGN Morning News\u201d mined it for laughs. Anchorman Larry Potash called Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley live on the air and left a voice mail message asking: \u201cWhat can we expect? Is the holiday party going to be a bit better this year?\u201d The next day, weatherman Paul Konrad concluded a bit about the new owners with the deadpan: \u201cI\u2019m sure that it\u2019s going to be better here for us in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one\u2019s joking about it anymore.<\/p>\n

With \u201cChicago\u2019s Very Own\u201d producing more than 70 hours of local news each week, the prospect of Sinclair calling the shots has people who care about ethics and integrity in the newsroom feeling anxious and worried.<\/p>\n

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Tom Skilling<\/p><\/div>\n

Chief meteorologist Tom Skilling, undoubtedly WGN\u2019s biggest star (and reportedly the highest-paid local weatherman in America), has expressed concerns that Sinclair might pressure him to soft-pedal his belief in the science of climate change. If so, what would he do? Skilling was among those who did not respond to a request for comment Monday.<\/p>\n

WGN political analyst Paul Lisnek could find himself on a collision course with the staunchly conservative agenda espoused by Sinclair. Is he concerned about maintaining his independence? Lisnek declined to comment, referring me to a Tribune Media corporate representative.<\/p>\n

And what about Steve Cochran, morning personality on news\/talk WGN AM 720, <\/a>who\u2019s been a relentless and outspoken critic of President Trump? Sinclair\u2019s close ties to the White House were reaffirmed Monday when Trump tweeted <\/a>that Sinclair was \u201cfar superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.\u201d Cochran also declined to comment.<\/p>\n

When Mark Suppelsa retired at age 55 as WGN\u2019s principal anchorman in December, he insisted that the specter of Sinclair taking over never entered his mind. Pure coincidence, he told me.<\/a><\/p>\n

Maybe so, but Suppelsa\u2019s exit strategy seems to be looking smarter all the time.<\/p>\n