Girls play in front of Independence Hall on January 20, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ; Credit: Mark Makela/Getty Images

In what is believed to be a first-of-its-kinds law in the U.S., Utah’s governor has signed a law that allows parents to let their children play alone in a park or walk home alone from school without fear of being prosecuted for neglect.

The so-called “free-range parenting” bill removes activities from the Utah’s definition of child neglect that, according to the bill, children can reasonably do without supervision, so long as the child’s “basic needs are met and [they] are of sufficient age and maturity to avoid harm or unreasonable risk of harm.” So, under the new law child services can no longer remove children from their parents if, for example, they are found walking or biking to or from school alone, playing alone outside, or traveling alone to recreational or commercial facilities.

The “free-range parenting” movement centers around the idea that kids should be allowed to do certain things on their own without suffocating oversight from mom and dad. It was coined by former New York Daily News columnist Lenore Skenazy, who wrote a story for the New York Sun in 2008 about how she, at her 9-year-old son’s request, left him alone in a New York City department store with a MetroCard, $20, some quarters for a payphone call (just in case) and the task of finding his own way home. He returned safely, and with a new sense of independence. Skenazy’s story, of course, went viral. Some lauded Skenazy for trusting her son’s intelligence and decision-making skills enough to let him navigate his own way home. Others accused her of of poor parenting and wondered how any mother could simply leave her child to find his own way home.

The issue resurfaced nationally three years ago when a couple from Maryland were charged with child neglect for allowing their 6 and 10-year-old, walk home alone from a park. They were eventually cleared and their children returned to their custody, but it raised questions about how much leeway parents should be given to decide what activities are safe for their kids to do alone.

What’s your take on this legislation? Do you think more states should pass a law like it? What, if any, potential unintended consequences do you see? What do you think about the idea of “free-range parenting?” Do you consider yourself a “free-range parent?” Why or why not?

Guest:

Lenore Skenazy, founder of the “free-range kids” movement and president of nonprofit Let Grow, which advocates for “free-range” parenting

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein on March 9, 1960 in London to promote their new show 'Flower Drum Show'. ; Credit: Keystone/Getty Images

Almost 75 years ago, composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II opened their first Broadway co-production, Oklahoma!

The two had written dozens of musicals on their own before the 1943 production, but went on to win critical acclaim and a special Pulitzer Prize arts award after joining forces, followed by creating a string of golden age musicals including Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music.

In a new book by longtime journalist and writer Todd S. Purdum, Purdum details their inspiring partnership through a rare trove of letters, diaries, interviews and more.

Host Larry Mantle speaks to Purdum about the book and how the Rodgers-Hammerstein names will forever be remembered for building “Something Wonderful.”

Guest:

Todd S. Purdum, author of the book, “Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution” (Henry Holt and Company, 2018); senior writer at POLITICO and contributing writer editor at Vanity Fair

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek speaks on December 11, 2013 in New York City.; Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

With little fanfare, Spotify is expected to go public today, Tuesday, on the New York Stock Exchange through the unusual move of a direct listing.

Spotify’s streaming music service has nearly 71 million paying customers, almost twice as much as its nearest competitor, Apple Music. Still, it’s unclear how going public will affect the company.

This latest news gives us a chance to step back and look at how Spotify has affected the music industry on a larger scale.

A few decades ago, some thought that MP3 encoding and then subsequent methods of pirating songs, for example though Napster, sounded the death knell for the music industry. But streaming has changed the game, though there are still questions about whether services like Spotify benefit artists, labels and consumers.

If you are a musician or work in the music industry, we want to hear from you. How has Spotify changed the landscape?

Guest:

Steve Knopper, music journalist and contributing editor for Rolling Stone; author of “Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age” (2009, Simon & Schuster), which was updated in 2017 with a chapter on Spotify; he tweets @knopps

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A sign for the Sinclair Broadcast building is seen in a buisness district October 12, 2004 in Hunt Valley, Maryland. ; Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

In March, Sinclair Broadcast Group TV stations started airing promos in which local anchors expressed concern about “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country.”

The scripted, word-for-word promos were met with discontent by some of the anchors who were required to read them and created a social media whirlwind after websites like Deadspin and ThinkProgress mashed the promos together into one, eerie “journalistic responsibility message.”

How America's largest local TV owner turned its news anchors into soldiers in Trump's war on the media: https://t.co/iLVtKRQycLpic.twitter.com/dMdSGellH3

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) March 31, 2018

Critics have long argued Sinclair Broadcast Group uses its local stations to advance a right-leaning agenda. Since 2015, it has required its stations to air Sinclair-produced “must-run” packages that highlight a conservative perspective. One recent must-run segment explored the concept of a “deep state” of public authorities trying to undermine President Trump.

Sinclair is already the largest owner of television stations in the United States, owning or operating 193 stations across the country – and if the FCC approves its $3.9 billion bid to buy Tribune Media, that number would grow by 40 and give Sinclair stations in major markets like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Larry sits down with two media ethics experts to discuss the promos and their role in the larger media landscape.

Guests:

Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota

Jeffrey McCall, professor of communication at DePauw University in Indiana and former  journalist; he is the author of “Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007); he tweets @Prof_McCall

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Chief Justice John Roberts (2nd R) and Justice Neil Gorsuch (C) walk down the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, June 15, 2017.; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

The ongoing legal battle following a controversial police shooting of a woman has finally come to a close, with the majority of The Supreme Court ruling in favor of the officer due to a lack of precedent for the case.

Without any briefing or oral arguments, the justices overturned a previous ruling in the case of Kisela v. Hughes. The initial incident which sparked the lawsuit took place in 2010, when police corporal Andrew Kisela shot and wounded Amy Hughes, who had been holding a knife at the time of the shooting.

Hughes and her roommate stated that she had held the knife in a non-threatening manner at her side, and that Kisela’s decision to shoot qualified as excessive force. Though the previous appeals court ruled in Hughes’ favor, The Supreme Court stated Monday that because there was no constitutional precedent for which Kisela could reference at the time of the incident, he has qualified immunity from any legal persecution.

Guest:

Clark Neily, vice president for criminal justice at Cato Institute

Kent Scheidegger, legal director and general counsel at the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, a Sacramento organization dedicated to criminal justice policy issues

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses members of the California Peace Officers Association on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: NOAH BERGER/AFP/Getty Images

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California in Sacramento on Monday to block a state law that limits transfers of federal lands.

The suit alleges that California’s law violates the constitution because it interferes with Congress’ rights to control the sale of federal property and that it should be blocked.

California Legislature adopted the law at the urging of environmentalists concerned that the federal government may sell off federal land for real estate development, mining or drilling.

Guest:

Eric Biber, professor of law at UC Berkeley; he is the director of the school’s environmental and energy law programs

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California State Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) speaks during a news conference to announce new legislation to address recent deadly police shootings on April 3, 2018 in Sacramento, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In an effort to decrease law enforcement’s fatal use of force and to create more transparency in shooting investigations, California lawmakers are introducing two pieces of legislation: The Police Accountability and Community Protection Act and Senate Bill 1421.

The Police Accountability Act, introduced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), would establish that officers can only use deadly force if necessary to prevent imminent injury or death, given that there was no other alternative available, including verbal warning on nonlethal de-escalation. It would also establish that an officer-involved fatality is not justifiable if the officer’s behavior made the subsequent use of force necessary.

SB 1421, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), would give the public access to police records that pertain to serious use-of-force investigations, such as police shootings, and complaints against officers for professional dishonesty, such as sexual assault or planting evidence.

Law enforcement has argued that those records should remain private to uphold the integrity of investigations and to protect officers’ privacy. But advocates say the public deserves to know how law enforcement disciplines its officers in cases of misconduct, and points to the fact that California has some of the toughest laws against disclosing police records in the U.S.

Annie Gilbertson, KPCC’s investigative reporter, encountered many of California’s information roadblocks when reporting on the shooting of Tennell Billups by L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Gonzalo Inzunza, for her podcast “Repeat.” Like many California Sheriff’s Departments, the L.A. County Sheriffs Dept. investigate its own officers’ shootings, with no outside oversight. As Gilbertson found in her reporting, the records on those investigations are not accessible – but if SB 1421 passed, those records would be available to the public.

Larry Mantle talks with Annie Gilberston about her process of reporting “Repeat” and trying to get information from L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Plus, we debate the two pieces of legislation.

Guests:

Annie Gilbertson, investigative reporter at KPCC; host of the KPCC podcast, Repeat

Peter Bibring, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California and director of police practices for the ACLU of California; the organization is a sponsor of both bills

Ed Fishman, legal defense administrator with the Peace Officers Research Association of California, which represents over 70,000 public safety members and over 930 law enforcement-related associations

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Marijuana is weighed on a scale at Virgil Grant's dispensary in Los Angeles, California on February 8, 2018. ; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Cannabis and California have been two seeds in a bud for decades, but it was just months ago that the Golden State passed Prop 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act.

Legal recreational dispensaries began opening in some cities after the turn of the new year and have continued to pop up in recent months, and meanwhile state officials have been tackling challenges both foreseen, such as police enforcing DUI laws for stoned drivers, and the unforeseen, like whether to allow some marijuana growers and product manufacturers to move to tribal lands.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There have also been questions about financing the marijuana industry, since federally-chartered banks want nothing to do with cannabis money because pot is still illegal at the federal level, as well as issues with licensing that include some unlicensed shops being advertised online. Tax revenue was one of the main reasons behind the push to legalize cannabis, and the state says it is considering lowering taxes to help the burgeoning industry compete with the established black market. And there’s the issue of cities and municipalities making their own rules and regulations for marijuana activity within their jurisdiction.

Today on AirTalk, Larry Mantle checks in with Lori Ajax, who heads up California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, to talk about how legalization is going so far, some of the challenges her office is facing, and what she hopes to accomplish in the months to come.

Guest:

Lori Ajax, chief of the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Black American civil rights leader Martin Luther King (1929 - 1968) addresses crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, where he gave his 'I Have A Dream' speech.; Credit: Agence France Presse/Getty Images

Fifty years ago today, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

He had traveled there in support of a strike by sanitation workers. He held a nonviolent demonstration on April 3, where he delivered what turned out to be his last speech, now known as “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”

Whether you were a child or an adult, we want to hear your memories or stories about this momentous day. How did you learn the news? How did it impact you or your family?

Here's how CBS News' Walter Kronkite reported Dr. King's death 50 years ago today.

Larry Mantle shared his own memory of finding out about Dr. King's death, and said it still impacts him emotionally to this day.

We also heard from AirTalk listeners who shared their own powerful memories of how they found out about Dr. King's death. Alona says she called her mom immediately after hearing the news.Louise says she was 12 years old growing up on Chicago's South Side when Dr. King was killed and remembers how she found out.For Martellus in Pasadena, Dr. King was a symbol of peaceful progress.Anthony says he was only 7 when Dr. King died, but he remembers feeling something was amiss by the way his mother reacted to a phone call.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

An Orange County Sheriff's deputy keeps a watch over a group of detainees in the medical and dental care area at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010.; Credit: Jae C. Hong/AP

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas accusing them of running an illegal jail informant program that violates the rights of defendants.

The jailhouse snitch scandal has led to the unraveling of nearly 20 high-profile cases. The civil rights group is seeking a permanent injunction to force OCSD and OC District Attorney to stop what they described as violating the U.S. Constitution’s due process clause.

Guest:

Andre Mouchard, assistant managing editor for the OC Register who oversees the paper’s ongoing look into the OC jail informant scandal

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

YouTube's headquarters is seen during an active shooter situation in San Bruno, California on April 03, 2018. ; Credit: JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images

After yesterday’s shooting on YouTube’s San Bruno campus that left three people injured and the shooter dead, we’re learning more about the woman who is suspected of carrying out the attack and why she might have done it.

San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini says the YouTube shooter was angry about the policies and practices of the company and had visited a gun range before she drove to the company's headquarters near San Francisco. He says 39-year-old Nasim Najafi Aghdam got into the building through a parking garage.

Barberini said Wednesday that investigators are in the process of executing search warrants at two properties. He also said that the gun used in the shooting was a legally purchased 9mm handgun, and that Aghdam had gone to a gun range before carrying out the shooting.

We’re also learning that at least one family member had reportedly contacted police with concerns that Aghdam “might do something,” though he apparently did not specify what that “something” might be.

We’ll get the latest from a reporter who has been covering the story, talk with a workplace security expert about how she was able to walk onto YouTube’s campus to carry out the shooting, and hear from an expert in police tactics on how law enforcement vets and triages tips from people who believe a family member may be a danger to themselves or others.

Guests:

Trisha Thadani, business reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle; she has been covering the story since it broke Tuesday afternoon

Maria Haberfeld, professor of police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice; she specializes in police training

Steve Albrecht, threat assessment expert and consultant who has put together threat assessment teams and security trainings for workplaces and schools for over 25 years; he was formerly a police officer in San Diego

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

People work at computers in TechHub, an office space for technology start-up entrepreneurs, near the Old Street roundabout in Shoreditch which has been dubbed 'Silicon Roundabout' due to the number of technology companies operating from the area on March 15, 2011 in London, England.; Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

It’s been nearly six months since the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein came to the fore of public and media attention, launching the #MeToo movement which has reverberated far past the entertainment industry – but has it shifted attitudes in the workplace?

According to a new survey from the Pew Research Center, 51 percent of people surveyed thought #MeToo has made it more difficult for men to know how to interact with women at work, and few see an upside for women, with 51 percent saying it won’t make a difference and 20 percent saying it will lead to fewer career opportunities.

The survey breaks down beliefs by gender, generation and political party affiliation. For example, 28 percent of Republican or Republican-leaning men think it’s a big problem to have men get away with sexual harassment and for women to not be believed, compared to 58 percent of men who identify as Democrat.

Larry Mantle sits down with one of the researchers who put together the survey. Plus, we want to hear from you. How has the #MeToo movement changed behavior and outlook at work? Has it made it more difficult for men to interact with women? Has it been beneficial to women in the workplace?

Guest:

Juliana Horowitz, associate director for social trends research at the Pew Research Center; she worked on the survey “Sexual Harassment at Work in the Era of #MeToo” survey; she tweets @jmhorowitz78

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California State Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) speaks during a news conference to announce new legislation to address recent deadly police shootings on April 3, 2018 in Sacramento, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A California lawmaker is introducing a legislation aiming to reduce fatal use of force.

On Tuesday, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) introduced Police Accountability and Community Protection Act (AB 931). Under the current law, police use of deadly force must be “objectively reasonable.” The newly introduced bill would make two key changes to the current policy. AB 931 would only allow officers to use deadly force if necessary to prevent imminent and serious bodily injury or death, after resorting to alternatives like verbal warning or nonlethal force to deescalate the situation. It would also examine if an officer’s action prior to a killing was negligent and determine if those actions placed the officer in harm’s way.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) released a statement on the proposed legislation arguing that AB 931 is not sound policy and that it will put officers in more dangerous encounters with suspects.

Guests:

Peter Bibring, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California and director of police practices for the ACLU of California; the organization is sponsoring AB 931

Gary Ingemunson, independent counsel for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the labor union representing LAPD officers; he is also a former police officer

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

General atmosphere at 2013 Harvard University's 362nd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University on May 30, 2013 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.; Credit: Paul Marotta/Getty Images

In 2014, a lawsuit was filed by a group representing some Asian Americans who claim that Harvard University unfairly disadvantages Asian American college applicants.

Last week, the group behind the suit - Student for Fair Admissions - sought to have Harvard’s admissions data released to the public, which it claimed would prove irrefutably that the school’s admissions process discriminates against Asian Americans.

AirTalk debates the topic.

Guests:

Anemona Hartocollis, reporter for the New York Times, who covered the story; she tweets @anemonanyc

Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review; he tweets from @ishapiro

Paul Watanabe, Ph.D., professor of political science and director at the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California on November 12, 2017.; Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

Now that Callisto, an online startup aimed at combating sexual harassment and assault by connecting victims who share the same perpetrator, has seen success with their university partnerships, they’re looking to expand into the workplace.

The latter months of 2017 brought an avalanche of sexual assault and harassment take-downs, and women learned the power in coming forward as a unified group. In most instances, multiple reports involving a single perpetrator hold more weight than reports of an isolated incident, and Callisto has designed a system that detects serial offenders in order to create firmer legal options for victims' cases.

Shifting this concept from college campuses, where Title IX issues often become swathed in bureaucratic red tape, to decentralized work industries seemed like a natural move. This summer, Callisto will be unveiling a partnership in Silicon Valley, and it plans on rolling into more industries following the launch.

But what concerns, if any, do employers have regarding third party reporting services? What are the legal pros and cons to the confidential nature of software such as this?

Guests:

Anjana Rajan, chief technology officer at Callisto, an online platform designed to help combat sexual assault and harassment in a multitude of industries

Sue M. Bendavid, chair of the employment law department at Lewitt Hackman, where she represents companies and management in seuxal harassment allegations

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A US border patrol vehicle guards the bank of the Bravo River, the natural border between the cities of El Paso, Texas in the United States and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico on April 4, 2018.; Credit: HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump says National Guard troops will be sent to the US-Mexico border to work with the border patrol. 

He’s describing this as essentially a stopgap until Congress approves funding for a border wall and tightens immigration enforcement overall.

But governors have a lot of say in how their National Guard personnel are used. Texas’ governor is applauding the President’s move. That state already has some National Guard members along the border. But what about California? Our leaders have been hostile to Trump. How might that affect Governor Brown’s willingness to cooperate?

What is the Federal government’s jurisdiction over state National Guard troops? We discuss the latest, plus the legal issues involved.

Guests:

Emily Cadei, D.C. correspondent for the Sacramento Bee; she tweets @emilycadei

Dwight Stirling, adjunct professor of law at USC; chief executive officer and co-founder of the Veterans Legal Institute in Santa Ana; he is a major and a judge advocate officer in the CA National Guard

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short (L) listens while Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney (R) speaks about the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 at the White House March 22, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

The director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Mick Mulvaney, is expected to ask Congress to restructure the agency, according to reports.  

Meanwhile, the federal government wants to make drastic changes to weaken the agency’s independence. The CFPB is responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector.

Guest:

Yuka Hayashi, reporter who covers financial regulations for the Wall Street Journal; she tweets @tokyowoods

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Julian Turner (right), part of Metro's homeless outreach team, chats with two young men outside the Pershing Square stop.; Credit: Rina Palta, KPCC

As the homelessness crisis worsens in Los Angeles, the public transit system increasingly becomes a space where people without homes take shelter, which comes with repercussions for its safety, usability and sanitation.

L.A. Metro has allocated about $207 million for law enforcement this year, which is done by a mix of L.A. and Long Beach police departments, the Sheriff’s Department and private security. But as reported by the L.A. Times, under a new $1.2 million contract, Metro has been trying a new approach: social workers riding the Metro Red Line five days a week in an attempt to provide outreach and help to people who are homeless. This one year program, launched in May of last year, is now coming to a close, though there are plans to expand it out.

How well has this new program worked? How do social workers approach people who are homeless on the train? What is your experience with homelessness on L.A. Metro and what do you think can be done?

Guests:

Laura Nelson, transportation reporter for the Los Angeles Times; her recent article is “As waves of homeless descend onto trains, L.A. tries a new strategy: social workers on the subway”; she tweets @laura_nelson

Tescia Uribe, chief program officer at the nonprofit People Assisting The Homeless (PATH) that has partnered with Metro on its homeless program

Alex Wiggins, chief system security and law enforcement officer who oversees Metro’s homeless outreach social services program

Adam Murray, executive director of Inner City Law Center, an organization that provides legal services on Skid Row

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Classroom at West Los Angeles College in Los Angeles, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016.; Credit: Susanica Tam/For KPCC

A study by the Modern Language Association (MLA) found the number of U.S. college students studying foreign languages is on a steady decline.

Data shows fewer students are enrolling in language classes other than English. The most popular language among college students was Spanish, which has also seen a drop in student enrollment, according to research findings.

Other languages with a popularity decline were German, Russian and Italian. By contrast, the Korean language has seen an increase in interest with enrollment up 65 percent – that said the actual number of students studying Korean is just 14, 000 compared to 700,000 students studying Spanish. The study is based on the enrollments of undergraduate introductory courses as well as advanced-degree programs.

Guest:

Dennis Looney, director of programs and of the association of departments of foreign languages at the Modern Language Association (MLA); he co-authored the study that found a decline in student enrollment in foreign language classes

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A sign for the Sinclair Broadcast building is seen in a buisness district October 12, 2004 in Hunt Valley, Maryland. ; Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

In March, Sinclair Broadcast Group TV stations started airing promos in which local anchors expressed concern about “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country.”

The scripted, word-for-word promos were met with discontent by some of the anchors who were required to read them and created a social media whirlwind after websites like Deadspin and ThinkProgress mashed the promos together into one, eerie “journalistic responsibility message.”

How America's largest local TV owner turned its news anchors into soldiers in Trump's war on the media: https://t.co/iLVtKRQycLpic.twitter.com/dMdSGellH3

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) March 31, 2018

Critics have long argued Sinclair Broadcast Group uses its local stations to advance a right-leaning agenda. Since 2015, it has required its stations to air Sinclair-produced “must-run” packages that highlight a conservative perspective. One recent must-run segment explored the concept of a “deep state” of public authorities trying to undermine President Trump.

Sinclair is already the largest owner of television stations in the United States, owning or operating 193 stations across the country – and if the FCC approves its $3.9 billion bid to buy Tribune Media, that number would grow by 40 and give Sinclair stations in major markets like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Larry sits down with two media ethics experts to discuss the promos and their role in the larger media landscape.

Guests:

Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota

Jeffrey McCall, professor of communication at DePauw University in Indiana and former  journalist; he is the author of “Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007); he tweets @Prof_McCall

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.