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{{Short description|American media company, founded 1971}}
{{Redirect|Sinclair, Inc.|similarly-named corporations|Sinclair (disambiguation)#Companies{{!}}Sinclair § Companies}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Sinclair, Inc.
| logo = Sinclair Broadcast Group new logo.svg
| image = Sinclair Broadcasting Hq.jpg
| image_size = 270px
| image_caption = Headquarters in [[Cockeysville, Maryland]]
| former_name = {{ubl|Chesapeake Television Corporation (1971–1985) | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (1985–2023)}}
| trade_name = Sinclair 
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{Unbulleted list |{{NASDAQ|SBGI}} (Class A) |[[Russell 2000]] component}}
| ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|US8292261091}}
| industry = {{ubl|[[Broadcast media]]|[[Telecommunications]]|[[Mass media]]}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1971|4|11}} in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], U.S.
| founder = [[Julian Sinclair Smith]]
| hq_location_city = [[Cockeysville, Maryland]]
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| area_served = United States
| key_people = {{ubl|[[David D. Smith]] ([[executive chairman]])||[[Christopher Ripley]] ([[President (corporate title)|president]] and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])}}
| products = Broadcasting equipment
| production = Sports and news programming
| services = {{ubl|[[Broadcast television]]|[[Television production]]|[[Digital media]]|[[Radio]]|[[Television]]}}
| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|3.55|link=yes}}&nbsp;billion
| revenue_year = 2024
| operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|551}}&nbsp;million
| income_year = 2024
| net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|310}}&nbsp;million
| net_income_year = 2024
| assets = {{decrease}} {{US$|5.89}}&nbsp;billion
| assets_year = 2024
| equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|516}}&nbsp;million
| equity_year = 2024
| owner = Smith family (controlling)
| num_employees = 7,200
| num_employees_year = 2024
| divisions = {{ubl|Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC|[[#Chesapeake Television|Chesapeake Television]]|[[#Holdings|Sinclair Networks<br />Sinclair Original Programming]]}}
| subsid = {{ubl|[[#Sinclair Television Group|Sinclair Television Group]]|[[Tennis Channel]]|[[#Equity holdings|Dielectric<br />Keyser Capital<br />Sinclair Investment Group]]}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/912752/000197121325000012/sbgi-20241231.htm |title=2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=February 26, 2025 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref>
}}

'''Sinclair, Inc.''', [[trade name|doing business as]] '''Sinclair Broadcast Group''', is a publicly traded American [[telecommunication]]s [[conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] that is controlled by the descendants of company founder [[Julian Sinclair Smith]]. Headquartered in the [[Baltimore]] suburb of [[Cockeysville, Maryland]], the company is the second-largest [[television station]] operator in the [[United States]] by number of stations after [[Nexstar Media Group]], owning or operating 193 stations across the country in over 100 markets, covering 40% of American households. 

Sinclair is the largest owner of stations that are affiliated with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[NBC]], [[CBS]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[MyNetworkTV]], [[The CW]], and [[The CW Plus]]. Sinclair owns four [[digital subchannel|digital multicast]] networks, [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]], [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]], [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]], and [[TBD (TV network)|Roar]], and the sports-oriented cable network [[Tennis Channel]]. In June 2021, Sinclair became a [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]] company, having reached 2020 annual revenues of {{US$|5.9|link=yes}}{{nbsp}}billion, equivalent to ${{Inflation|US-GDP|5.9|2020|r=1}}{{nbsp}}billion in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}.<ref name=Fortune500>{{cite news |title=Hogan, officials applaud rise to Fortune 500 by Sinclair Broadcast, McCormick and T. Rowe Price at new Sinclair office |first=Lorraine |last=Mirabella |date=June 21, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-broadcast-mccormick-trowe-celebrate-rise-to-fortune-500-20210621-76uctyrjtjf5nchy6jeewg7r5e-story.html |access-date=June 22, 2021 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120120150/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/06/21/hogan-officials-applaud-rise-to-fortune-500-by-sinclair-broadcast-mccormick-and-t-rowe-price-at-new-sinclair-office/ |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The company is widely regarded as politically [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]], and has been noted for featuring politically motivated programming decisions that promote conservative political positions.<ref name=seattletimes-sinclair/><ref name="nyt-foxrival"/> This has included news coverage and specials in the lead-up to elections that are in support of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref name="tvnc-2012special" /><ref name="cnn-stolenhonor"/><ref name=seattletimes-sinclair/> 

==History==

===Early roots===
The company's roots date back to the late 1950s, when electrical engineer [[Julian Sinclair Smith]] and his wife Carolyn B. Smith, owning 34.5% of the shares, along with a group of shareholders, formed the '''Commercial Radio Institute''', a broadcasting [[trade school]] in [[Baltimore]], Maryland. In March 1958, Commercial Radio Institute applied to build an [[FM radio]] station in Baltimore.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=For The Record {{!}} New Fm Stations {{!}} Applications |date=April 21, 1958 |magazine=[[Broadcasting (magazine)|Broadcasting]] |page=122 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1958/1958-04-21-BC.pdf |access-date=March 31, 2024 |via=worldradiohistory.com |quote=Baltimore, Md—Commercial Radio Institute Inc., 93.1 mc, 19.55 kw unl… Owners are Julian S. and Carolyn B. Smith (34.5%) and several small stockholders.}}</ref> In April 1959, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) granted the [[Construction permit#Broadcasting|construction permit]]{{snd}}for the estimated  {{US$|25964|link=yes}} ({{Inflation|US|25964|1959|fmt=eq|r=-2}}) construction project{{snd}}.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=For The Record {{!}} New Fm Stations {{!}} Actions by FCC |date=April 6, 1959 |magazine=[[Broadcasting (magazine)|Broadcasting]] |page=102 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1959/1959-04-06-BC.pdf |access-date=March 31, 2024 |via=worldradiohistory.com |quote=Baltimore, Md—Commercial Radio Institute Inc. Granted… April 1… Estimated construction cost $25,964…}}</ref> Sinclair's first station, WFMM-FM (now [[WPOC]]), signed on the air in February 1960.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Facilities of AM/FM Radio {{!}} U. S. stations directory, including am/fm profiles {{!}} MARYLAND {{!}} Baltimore |date=September 1962 |magazine=[[Broadcasting (magazine)|Broadcasting]] |page=B-78 [PDF p. 266] |issue=1961–62 Yearbook Issue |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1961-62/1961-62-BC-YB.pdf |access-date=March 31, 2024 |via=worldradiohistory.com |quote=WFMM-FM (Feb. 4, 1960)… 44 W. Biddle St. … Julian Sinclair Smith, pres & gen mgr}}</ref> In 1967, Smith, as Chesapeake Engineering Placement Service, partly owned by the name-shortened Commercial Radio Inc., applied for and was granted, a construction permit for a new [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] television station in Baltimore, expected to be operating by September 1968 on channel 45, no call sign yet assigned.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=New TV Stations |date=October 30, 1967 |magazine=[[Broadcasting (magazine)|Broadcasting]] |page=46 |volume=73 |issue=18 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1967/1967-10-30-BC.pdf |access-date=March 31, 2024 |via=worldradiohistory.com |quote=Channel 45, Baltimore, plans to go on air in September, 1968, with 243 kw visual, 48 kw aural from an antenna height of 552 feet above average terrain}}</ref>

===Chesapeake Television Corporation===

Channel 45, with the call sign [[WBFF]], joined on April 11, 1971. By that time, Chesapeake Engineering Placement Service had changed its name to '''Chesapeake Television Corporation'''. The Commercial Radio Institute, by then a division of Chesapeake Television Corporation, founded WPTT (now [[WPNT]]) in [[Pittsburgh]], in 1978, and [[WTTE]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]], in 1984. All three stations originally were [[independent station (North America)|independents]]. In 1986, WBFF and WTTE became charter affiliates of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]] at its launch. The Fox affiliation in Pittsburgh went to higher-rated [[WPGH-TV]], which was purchased by Sinclair in 1990.

Chesapeake's first foray into [[local news]] came in the early 1980s when it launched a newscast on WPTT, a rarity at this time for stations not affiliated with the then-major networks ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]] and [[NBC]]). This newscast was called ''WPTT News''. In the opening segment, the letters "news" were formed from a [[compass]] indicating the four [[cardinal directions]]. This opening segment, featuring then-anchorman Kevin Evans, appeared briefly, and was audible, in the movie ''[[Flashdance]]'' during a scene where [[Jennifer Beals]]' character returns home and turns on the television. 

The presentation was relatively low-budget, with the anchor simply reading copy, with no field video shots other than the weather read over a stock video shot denoting the conditions outside. It was not a factor in taking ratings away from then-market laggard WIIC-TV, now [[WPXI]], much less solid runner-up [[WTAE-TV]] and then-locally owned [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Group W]] powerhouse [[KDKA-TV]]. As WBFF did not air newscasts until 1991 and WTTE would not air any newscasts from its 1984 sign-on until Sinclair purchased ABC affiliate [[WSYX]] in 1996, this marked the company's only foray into local news for years, a genre it became much more involved in from the mid-1990s on.

===Sinclair Broadcast Group===
====1985–2010====
[[File:Sinclair Broadcast Group Logo.svg|thumb|Sinclair Broadcast Group logo (1985–2017)]]

Smith's son [[David D. Smith]] began taking a more active role in the company in the 1980s. In 1985, the Chesapeake Television Corporation changed its name to '''Sinclair Broadcast Group'''. In 1990, David and his three brothers bought their parents' remaining stock and went on a buying spree that eventually made it one of the largest station owners in the country, through the purchases of stations and of companies that owned groups of stations.

Sinclair pioneered the concept of the [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) in American television in 1991, when it sold WPTT to its [[general manager]] Eddie Edwards (founder of Glencairn, Ltd., the Sinclair-affiliated licensee that would eventually become [[Cunningham Broadcasting]]) in order to purchase fellow Pittsburgh station [[WPGH-TV]] to comply with FCC ownership rules of the time that prohibited [[Duopoly (broadcasting)|duopolies]], while agreeing to allow Sinclair to retain operational responsibilities for the station. However, while LMAs would become an integral part of the company's business model in subsequent years, Sinclair's plans to acquire [[KOKH-TV]] in [[Oklahoma City]] through Glencairn, which would subsequently attempt to sell five of its 11 existing LMA-operated stations to Sinclair outright in turn (with Sinclair stock included in the deal) was challenged by the [[Rainbow/PUSH]] coalition (headed by [[Jesse Jackson]]) to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) in 1998, citing concerns over a single company controlling two broadcast licenses in the same market in violation of FCC rules. The coalition argued that Glencairn passed itself off as a minority-owned company (Edwards is [[African American]]) which, since the Smith family controlled most of the company's stock, was technically a Sinclair arm that planned to use the LMA with KOKH to gain control of the station and create an illegal duopoly with [[KOCB]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=PUSH pushing FCC over Sinclair/Glencairn|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20938729.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610193409/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20938729.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2014 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=July 13, 1998|access-date=December 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Glencairn's dicey LMAs|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54266781.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610193407/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54266781.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2014 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=March 29, 1999|access-date=}}</ref> In 2001, the FCC levied a $40,000 fine against Sinclair for illegally controlling Glencairn.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=FCC fines Sinclair for Glencairn control|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/fcc-fines-sinclair-glencairn-control/90604 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=December 10, 2001}}</ref> Sinclair became a publicly listed company in 1995, raising $105 million in a sale of 5 million shares at its opening on [[NASDAQ]] on June 6.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McConnell |first=Bill |date=June 7, 1995 |title=Sinclair Broadcasting IPO does well |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/390110904 |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 9, 2024 |work=The Daily Record |location=Baltimore, MD |page=3 |id={{ProQuest|390110904}} }}</ref> The Smith family retained a controlling interest.

In 1994, Sinclair signed a deal with Paramount and its [[UPN]] network, bringing five affiliates [[WPNT|WPTT-TV]] in Pittsburgh, [[WNUV|WNUV-TV]] in Baltimore, [[WVTV-DT2|WCGV-TV]] in Milwaukee, [[WSTR-TV]] in Cincinnati and [[KSMO-TV]] in Kansas City to the network.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=C|first=S|date=August 1, 1994|title=Paramount adds, Warner fight for affiliates |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]}}</ref> In 1996, Sinclair bought out Superior Communications for $63 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair adding 2 TV stations Oklahoma and Kentucky deals make local group major independent force; Broadcasting|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-03-06-1996066007-story.html|access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=March 6, 1996 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1997, Sinclair reached a deal with The WB to convert many of the UPN affiliates to The WB.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pope|first=Kyle |date=July 15, 1997|title=Time Warner Network Exults As Sinclair Moves 5 Affiliates|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB868923094169379500|access-date=April 28, 2021|issn=0099-9660|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Following the disputes, in August 1998, Sinclair and UPN signed a new agreement.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=UPN, Sinclair settle |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |last2=Hontz |first2=Jenny |date=August 3, 1998 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/upn-sinclair-settle-1117479049/ |access-date=April 28, 2021}}</ref> In February 1998, Sinclair bought out Sullivan Broadcasting for $1 billion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair to purchase Sullivan Deal could be worth $1 billion, gives firm 14 new TV stations; Most are Fox affiliates; Company continues to gain outlets in mid-size markets; Broadcasting|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-02-25-1998056040-story.html|access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=February 25, 1998 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1998, Sinclair bought out Max Media Properties, for $252 million.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 7, 1998|title=Sinclair closes on Max Media acquisition|work=Business Journal of Baltimore|url=https://www.google.com/search?q=1998+sinclair+max+media|access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref> In November 2004, Sinclair sold off KSMO-TV in Kansas City to [[Meredith Corporation]] for $26.8 million.<ref>{{cite journal |title=KCTV owner pays $26.8M for WB affiliate's assets |journal=[[Kansas City Business Journal]] |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/11/08/daily44.html |access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref> In December 2004, Sinclair divested [[KOVR|KOVR-TV]] in Sacramento to [[Viacom (1952-2006)|Viacom]], now [[Paramount Global]], for $285 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baltimore Sun: Baltimore breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/ |access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In 2004, as a response when LIN Media signed [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliates [[WDTN]] and [[WAND (TV)|WAND]] to NBC, Sinclair Broadcast Group converted two of its [[NBC]] affiliates [[WICS]]/[[WICD (TV)|WICD]] and [[WKEF]] to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stephens |first=Caleb |date=August 16, 2004 |title=Local TV affiliate switch could affect ad rates |journal=[[Dayton Business Journal]]|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2004/08/16/story7.html |access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref> In July 2009, in a filing with the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], Sinclair stated that if the company could not refinance its $1.33 billion debt, or if Cunningham Broadcasting became insolvent due to nonpayment on a loan worth $33.5 million, Sinclair may be forced to file for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]].<ref name="Reuters">{{cite news |title=Sinclair Broadcast warns of possible bankruptcy |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/sinclairbroadcastgroup-idUSBNG51304320090714 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=July 14, 2009 |access-date=July 14, 2009}}</ref> The company seemingly recovered its financial fortunes enough, and began a major string of acquisitions involving television stations and other properties two years later.

====2011–2013====
The beginning of the 2010s saw Sinclair's acquisition strategy intensify. In May 2011, [[Ring of Honor]] (ROH), a [[professional wrestling promotion]], was purchased for an undisclosed amount.<ref name="Sinclair2">{{cite web |last=Caldwell |first=James |date=May 21, 2011 |title=ROH Breaking News: Ring of Honor sold – ROH announces official sale of the promotion; new television distribution |url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/ROH_News_29/article_50245.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524043416/http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/ROH_News_29/article_50245.shtml |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=May 21, 2011 |work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> ROH's flagship program ''[[Ring of Honor Wrestling]]'' was added onto the schedules of many Sinclair-operated stations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Recent News |url=http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/ring-of-honor-announces-sale-to-sinclair-broadcast-group/ |publisher=ROH Wrestling |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114023928/http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/ring-of-honor-announces-sale-to-sinclair-broadcast-group |archive-date=November 14, 2013 }}</ref> In September 2011, [[Four Points Media Group]] was purchased for $200&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|200000000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}. Sinclair assumed managerial control of the stations from [[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar Broadcasting Group]]. Four Points owner [[Cerberus Capital Management]] paid Nexstar cash compensation for the prematurely terminated time brokerage agreements.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sinclair Buys Four Points Media For $200M|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/09/08/53840/sinclair-buys-four-points-media-for-200m |website=tvnewscheck.com|date=September 8, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair Grabs Four Points Stations for $200 Mil|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-grabs-four-points-stations-200-mil/43071 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=September 8, 2011}}</ref> In November 2011, Sinclair purchased [[Freedom Communications]]' television stations for $385&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|385000000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}, making Sinclair the ninth-largest broadcast group in the United States.<ref name="tvnewscheck-freedom">{{cite web |last1=Colman |first1=Price |date=November 2, 2011 |title=Sinclair Buying Freedom For $385 Million |website=tvnewscheck.com |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/55148/sinclair-buying-freedom-for-385-million}}</ref><ref name="ocr-freedomsinclair">{{cite news |first=Mary Ann |last=Milbourn |date=November 2, 2011 |title=O.C. Register owner sells TV stations |newspaper=[[Orange County Register]] |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/sinclair-324997-stations-company.html |access-date=November 2, 2011}}</ref>

At the same time, Sinclair purchased [[WWHO]], a CW affiliate in the [[Columbus, Ohio]], market, from [[LIN Media|LIN TV]]. Owing to Sinclair's existing Columbus duopoly of [[WSYX]] and [[WTTE]], WWHO was resold to Manhan Media, who entered into a shared services agreement with Sinclair.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/481548-Sinclair_Inks_Shared_Services_Deal_for_WWHO_Columbus.php |title=Sinclair Inks Shared Services Deal for WWHO Columbus |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref> In May 2012, a groupwide affiliation renewal with Fox reached, included an option for Sinclair to purchase [[WUTB]], Baltimore's [[MyNetworkTV]] station, from [[Fox Television Stations]] before March 31, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Reups With Fox, Gets WUTB Option |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/59463/sinclair-reups-with-fox-gets-wutb-option |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=May 15, 2012}}</ref> Sinclair purchased WUTB and resold it to [[Deerfield Media]]—controlled by Manhan Media owner Stephen P. Mumblow—on November 26, 2012, pairing with WBFF and WNUV. Concurrently, Fox had an option to purchase up to any combination of six different MyNetworkTV and CW stations in four different markets from Sinclair, which it declined.<ref>{{cite web |last=Halonen |first=Doug |date=February 6, 2013 |title=Sinclair In An Acquisition State Of Mind |website=tvnewscheck.com |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65306/sinclair-in-an-acquisition-state-of-mind |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref>

On July 19, 2012, Sinclair acquired six stations from [[Newport Television]], along with existing operational agreements for two other stations, for $412.5&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|412500000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}, as part of a larger dispersal of Newport's 22-station portfolio.<ref name="tvnc-sinclairnexstar">{{cite web |title=Newport Sells 22 Stations For $1 Billion |date=July 19, 2012 |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/60876/newport-sells-22-stations-for-1-billion |website=tvnewscheck.com |access-date=July 20, 2012}}</ref> That same day, Sinclair purchased [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] station [[WTTA]] for $40&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|40000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}.<ref name="sinclair-newportacq" /> Two of Sinclair's existing stations in markets affected by the Newport deal, [[WSTR-TV]] and [[KMYS]], were sold to Deerfield Media.<ref name="sinclair-newportacq">{{cite web|title=Sinclair Broadcast to buy 7 TV outlets for $452.5M|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sinclair-broadcast-to-buy-7-tv-outlets-for-4525m-2012-07-19|publisher=MarketWatch|date=July 19, 2012}}</ref> Deerfield also acquired [[KBTV-TV]], [[Beaumont, Texas]]'s Fox affiliate, from Nexstar, with Sinclair assuming operations and merging it into CBS affiliate [[KFDM]].<ref name=fcc-saletodeerfield>{{cite web|title=Application for consent to assignment of broadcast station construction permit or license|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1511825&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=61214|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=August 23, 2012}}</ref> The non-license assets of ABC affiliate [[WHAM-TV]] in [[Rochester, New York]], were sold by Newport to Sinclair, with Deerfield purchasing the station's license.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rbr.com/sinclairs-rochester-dealings-detailed/ |title=Sinclair's Rochester Dealings Detailed|date=December 10, 2012|publisher=Radio & Television Business Report|access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref>

In February 2013, [[Cox Media Group]] sold five television stations, their smallest by [[media market]] rankings, to Sinclair, with Deerfield Media assuming ownership of Cox-operated [[KNSN-TV|KAME-TV]] in Reno.<ref name="tvnc-kamedeerfield">{{cite web |title=Sinclair Buys Four Cox Stations |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65729/sinclair-buys-four-cox-stations |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=February 25, 2013|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref><ref name="b&c-coxdeal">{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair to Acquire Five Cox Stations |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/492015-Sinclair_to_Acquire_Five_Cox_Stations.php |author=Michael Malone |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=February 25, 2013 |access-date=February 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301044657/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/492015-Sinclair_to_Acquire_Five_Cox_Stations.php |archive-date=March 1, 2013 }}</ref> Sinclair purchased [[Schaumburg, Illinois]]–based [[Barrington Broadcasting]] on February 28, 2013, including six other stations operated by Barrington.<ref name="b&c-barringtondeal">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclairs-chesapeake-tv-acquires-barrington-stations-370m/43929 |title=Sinclair's Chesapeake TV Acquires Barrington Stations |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=February 28, 2013 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |access-date=March 1, 2013}}</ref> The former Cox and Barrington stations are operated through subsidiary Chesapeake Television, focusing on smaller markets and with management separate from Sinclair proper.<ref name=tvnc-kamedeerfield/><ref name=bbj-chesapeaketv>{{cite journal |title=Sinclair to pay $99M for four Cox Media TV stations |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/02/25/sinclair-to-pay-99m-for-four-cox.html |last=Haber |first=Gary |journal=[[Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=February 25, 2013 |access-date=February 26, 2013}}</ref> Two Barrington stations, along with the lease for a third, were initially set to be transferred to Cunningham Broadcasting,<ref name=b&c-barringtondeal/> but were ultimately sold to an affiliate of [[Northwest Broadcasting]] owner Brian Brady.<ref>{{cite web|title=Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101563583&formid=314&fac_num=40758|work=CDBS Public Access|date=August 9, 2013|access-date=August 9, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC approves sales of three Syracuse TV stations|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2013/11/19/fcc-approves-sales-of-three-syracuse-tv-stations/|work=cnyradio.com|date=November 19, 2013}}</ref>

Prevailing in a bidding war with LIN Media, Sinclair purchased [[Fisher Communications]] in April 2013, for $373.3&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|373300000|2013}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}, including 20 television stations in the western United States, operational control of one station, and three radio stations in [[Seattle]].<ref name="tvnc-fisherbuy">{{cite web |date=April 11, 2013 |title=Official: Sinclair Buys Fisher For $373.3M |website=tvnewscheck.com |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/66798/official-sinclair-buys-fisher-for-3733m |access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref> This deal returned Sinclair to radio ownership, since the divestment of their radio portfolio between 1999 and 2000.<ref name="nyt-sinclairentercom">{{cite news|title=Entercom to buy 43 Sinclair radio stations|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/28/business/company-news-entercom-to-buy-43-sinclair-radio-stations.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 28, 1999|access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref><ref name="nyt-sinclairemmis">{{cite news|title=Sinclair to sell 6 stations to Emmis, settling lawsuit|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/23/business/company-news-sinclair-to-sell-6-stations-to-emmis-settling-lawsuit.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 23, 2000|access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref> The deal was initially met with financial scrutiny. The law firm Levi & Korsinsky notified Fisher shareholders with accusations that Fisher's [[board of directors]] were breaching [[fiduciary]] duties by "failing to adequately shop the Company before agreeing to enter into the transaction", and Sinclair was underpaying for Fisher's stock.<ref name="wsj-breachofduty">{{cite press release|title=SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Notifies Investors of Claims of Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Fisher Communications, Inc. in Connection With the Sale of the Company to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130423-912630.html?mod=googlenews_wsj |type=press release |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=April 24, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110013117/http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130423-912630.html?mod=googlenews_wsj |archive-date=January 10, 2014 }}</ref> Shortly after the announcement, a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder.<ref name="nasdaq-lawsuit">{{cite press release|title=Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI) Investor Lawsuit to Stop Takeover by Sinclair Broadcast Group Announced by Shareholders Foundation |url=http://www.nasdaq.com/article/fisher-communications-inc-fsci-investor-lawsuit-to-stop-takeover-by-sinclair-broadcast-group-announced-by-shareholders-foundation-20130422-00597#.UXf1RNzrxPE |archive-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629224357/http://www.nasdaq.com/article/fisher-communications-inc-fsci-investor-lawsuit-to-stop-takeover-by-sinclair-broadcast-group-announced-by-shareholders-foundation-20130422-00597%23.UXf1RNzrxPE |url-status=dead|type=Press release |publisher=[[NASDAQ]] |access-date=April 24, 2013 }}</ref> The suit was settled in July 2013<ref name="aa-fscilawsuitsettled">{{cite news|title=Fisher Reaches Settlement In Shareholder Suit|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/120707/fisher-reaches-settlement-in-shareholder-suit|newspaper=All Access|date=July 29, 2013|access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref> and the merger approved shortly thereafter.<ref name="nnc-fscishapprove">{{cite news|title=Fisher Shareholders Approve Sale To Sinclair|url=http://www.netnewscheck.com/article/27949/fisher-shareholders-approve-sale-to-sinclair|work=NetNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|date=August 6, 2013|access-date=August 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908180930/http://www.netnewscheck.com/article/27949/fisher-shareholders-approve-sale-to-sinclair|archive-date=September 8, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="aa-fishersinclaircomplete">{{cite web|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group Closes On Fisher Communications Acquisition|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/121117/sinclair-broadcast-group-closes-on-fisher-communic|access-date=August 8, 2013|work=All Access|date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>

On June 3, 2013, Titan TV Broadcast Group sold four stations, along with operating agreements for two stations, to Sinclair.<ref name="tvnc-ttbgsinclair">{{cite web |title=Sinclair Buys 6 Titan Television Stations |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/67978/sinclair-buys-6-titan-television-stations |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=June 3, 2013|access-date=June 4, 2013}}</ref> Prior to the deal, a seventh station, [[KDBC-TV]] in [[El Paso, Texas]], to Cunningham,<ref name="fcc-kdbccunningham">{{cite web |title=Application For Consent To Transfer Control Of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License (KDBC-TV)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1550179&Service=DT&Form_id=315&Facility_id=33764|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 4, 2013}}</ref> fueling speculation KDBC-TV would be consolidated with Sinclair-owned [[KFOX-TV]].<ref name="ept-kfoxkdbc?">{{cite news|title=General manager at KFOX, John Witte, retires |url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_23219211/general-manager-at-kfox-witte-retires?source=most_emailed |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629024226/http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_23219211/general-manager-at-kfox-witte-retires?source=most_emailed |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 29, 2013|last=Diaz|first=Paula|work=[[El Paso Times]]|date=May 11, 2013|access-date=June 4, 2013 }}</ref> Sinclair exercised its option to purchase KDBC-TV outright<ref>{{cite web|title=Application For Consent To Transfer Control Of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101566316&formid=315&fac_num=33764|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=August 7, 2013|access-date=August 12, 2013}}{{psc|date=April 2018}}</ref> citing KDBC-TV's fourth-place ranking in the El Paso market while KFOX ranked sixth, making it permissible under FCC duopoly regulations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101566316&qnum=5190&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812142330/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101566316&qnum=5190&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 |title=El Paso HH Rating/Shares|url-status=dead |archive-date=August 12, 2013 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}{{psc|date=April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Closes on Stations Purchased by Titan TV Broadcast Group |url=http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Titan%20close.pdf |publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group |date=October 3, 2013 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013011212/http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Titan%20close.pdf |archive-date=October 13, 2013 }}</ref> Dielectric Communications, a key supplier of television broadcasting antennas, was purchased from SPX on June 18, 2013. SPX had intended to close down all of Dielectric's operations by the end of July, in turn threatening a [[National Broadband Plan (United States)|FCC-proposed incentive auction and subsequent repacking of television broadcast spectrum]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair to Buy Dielectric for <$5 Million|url=http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/sinclair-to-buy-dielectric/219921|work=TV Technology|date=June 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213848/http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/sinclair-to-buy-dielectric/219921|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref>

In July 2013, as part of a refocus on the ''[[Politico]]'' website and newspaper, [[Allbritton Communications]] sold their seven station portfolio—including [[Washington, D.C.]]'s [[WJLA-TV]]—to Sinclair, for $985&nbsp;million, equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|985000000|2013}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair to Buy TV Stations From Allbritton|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/business/media/sinclair-to-buy-tv-stations-from-allbritton.html|work=The New York Times|date=July 29, 2013 |access-date=July 29, 2013|last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |last2=Kaufman |first2=Leslie }}</ref> This deal was complicated by multiple regulatory hurdles and a proposed barring of future joint sales agreements (JSA) by the FCC. Originally planning to divest four Sinclair-owned stations in three markets with Allbritton stations to Deerfield and [[Armstrong Williams]]-controlled Howard Stirk Holdings, and continuing to operate them under JSAs,<ref name="tvnc-allbrittonsinclairsales">{{cite web |title=Sinclair Buying Allbritton Stations For $985M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/69268/sinclair-buying-allbritton-stations-for-985m |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=July 29, 2013|access-date=July 29, 2013}}</ref> 

In March 2014, Sinclair announced intentions to divest three stations and one existing LMA to independent third parties. Unable to find a buyer, Sinclair proposed in May 2014, to return to the FCC the licenses for [[WSES|WCFT-TV]] in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]], [[WGWW|WJSU-TV]] in [[Anniston, Alabama]], and [[WGWG|WCIV]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]], transferring the intellectual properties of those three stations to existing Sinclair-owned stations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair To Surrender Licenses To Three TV Stations, Blames New FCC TV Ownership Restrictions|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/130102/sinclair-to-surrender-licenses-to-three-tv-station|work=All Access|date=May 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair to surrender licenses to three TV stations |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-sinclair-fcc-tv-20140529-story.html |author=Joe Flint |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 29, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> One other Allbritton station, [[WHTM-TV]] in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], was sold to [[Media General]] for $83.4&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|83400000|2014}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref name="tvnc-sinclairsellswhtmwtat">{{cite web |title=Media General Buying WHTM For $83.4M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/77239/media-general-buying-whtm-for-834m |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=June 23, 2014 |access-date=June 23, 2014}}</ref> After nearly a year of delays, the deal was approved by the FCC in July 2014,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=FCC Approves Sinclair/Allbritton Deal|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-approves-sinclairallbritton-deal/132692 |first=John |last=Eggerton |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref> and completed on August 1.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair's Deal For Allbritton Closes |url=http://broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-s-deal-allbritton-closes/132894 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=August 1, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref> WCIV, WCFT-TV and WJSU-TV were ultimately sold to Howard Stirk Holdings.<ref name="tvnc-wcftwjsuclosing?">{{cite web |first=Harry A. |last=Jessell |date=May 29, 2014 |title=Sinclair Giving Up 3 Stations To Appease FCC |website=tvnewscheck.com |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/76663/sinclair-giving-up-3-stations-to-appease-fcc |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006094146/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/76663/sinclair-giving-up-3-stations-to-appease-fcc |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=May 30, 2014}}</ref>

In September 2013, Sinclair purchased eight stations owned or operated by New Age Media. As part of the deal, three stations—[[WSWB]] in [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]]/[[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], [[WTLH]] in [[Tallahassee, Florida]], and [[WNBW-DT]] in [[Gainesville, Florida]]—would be sold by owner MPS Media to Cunningham, with Deerfield purchasing [[WTLF]] in Tallahassee.<ref name="bbj-newagesinclair">{{cite news|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group to pay $90M for eight New Age Media TV stations|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/09/25/sinclair-broadcast-group-new-age-media.html|last=Haber|first=Gary|work=Baltimore Business Journal|date=September 25, 2013|access-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref><ref name="tvnc-newagesinclair">{{cite web |title=Sinclair To Buy 8 New Age Stations for $90M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/70742/sinclair-to-buy-8-new-age-stations-for-90m |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=September 25, 2013|access-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref> New Age Media and MPS Media terminated the deal on October 31, 2014. Sinclair purchased the non-license assets for all eight stations and began operating them through master service agreements the next day.<ref name="sinclair-newagetosinclairnonlicense">{{cite press release|title=Sinclair Reports Third Quarter 2014 Financial Results|url=http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Q3%2014.pdf|type=Press release|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group|location=Baltimore|date=November 5, 2014|access-date=November 15, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129070109/http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Q3%2014.pdf|archive-date=November 29, 2014}}</ref><ref name="sbgi-newagesinclairmsa">{{cite web|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Form 10-Q|url=http://sbgi.edgarpro.com/redirect_frames.asp?filename=0001104659%2D14%2D078963%2Etxt&filepath=%5C2014%5C11%5C10%5C&cols=0%2C3%2C4%2C7%2C8&SortBy=receivedate&AD=D&startrec=1&res=10&pdf=0|website=sbgi.edgarpro.com|date=November 10, 2014|access-date=November 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107104019/http://sbgi.edgarpro.com/redirect_frames.asp?filename=0001104659%2D14%2D078963%2Etxt&filepath=%5C2014%5C11%5C10%5C&cols=0%2C3%2C4%2C7%2C8&SortBy=receivedate&AD=D&startrec=1&res=10&pdf=0|archive-date=January 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====2014–2016====
Sinclair signed an agreement in June 2014 to carry the classic film subchannel network [[GetTV]] in 33 markets by the end of September.<ref name=tnc0>{{cite web |title=GetTV Signs Big Affiliation Deal With Sinclair |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/77232/gettv-signs-big-affiliation-deal-with-sinclair |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=June 23, 2014 |access-date=July 9, 2014}}</ref> In July of that year, Sinclair announced the launch of the [[American Sports Network]] (ASN) service, operating within its Sinclair Networks company. This service, which produces and distributes [[college sports]] broadcasts, is primarily carried on Sinclair stations.<ref name=bc>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair Launches American Sports Network |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/sinclair-launches-american-sports-network/132498 |first=Michael |last=Malone |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=July 17, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref> ASN was created as part of the company's foray into original, non-news content creation beyond Ring of Honor Wrestling and school sports. Subsequently, on August 21, 2014, the company announced the formation of Sinclair Original Programming, a new division concentrating on entertainment and commercial content. The company also announced plans for a future cable news network. The Original Programming division chief operating officer was announced as Arthur Hasson, general manager of Sinclair stations in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]].<ref name="bbj">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2014/08/21/sinclair-launches-division-to-create-original-tv.html|title=Sinclair launches division to create original TV content|last=Seltzer|first=Rick|date=August 21, 2014|work=Baltimore Business Journal|access-date=September 8, 2014}}</ref> On August 20, 2014, Sinclair announced that it would swap WTTA in Tampa and [[KXRM-TV]] and [[KXTU-LD]] in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]] to Media General in exchange for [[WJAR]] in [[Providence, Rhode Island]], [[WLUK-TV]] and [[WCWF]] in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]] and [[WTGS]] in [[Savannah, Georgia]]. The deal was part of Media General's merger with LIN Media, the owner of WLUK and WCWF and operator of WTGS at that time, as both Media General and LIN owned stations in the three markets, requiring both companies to sell off stations in conflicting markets due to the FCC's recent decision to scrutinize sharing agreements between stations owned by different licensees.<ref name=tvnc-mgsinclairswap>{{cite web |title=Media General, LIN Sell Stations In 5 Markets |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78615/media-general-lin-sell-stations-in-5-markets |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=August 20, 2014 |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref><ref name=b&c-mgsinclairswap>{{cite magazine |title=Media General, LIN Divest Stations in Five Markets|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/media-general-lin-divest-stations-five-markets/133323 |first=Michael |last=Malone |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=August 20, 2014 |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> The swap was approved by the FCC alongside the Media General-LIN merger on December 12, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=FCC Okays Media General/LIN Merger|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/fcc-okays-media-generallin-merger/136356 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=December 12, 2014}}</ref>

On September 3, 2014, Sinclair announced the purchase of [[Las Vegas]] NBC affiliate [[KHSV|KSNV-DT]] from Intermountain West Communications Company for $120 million. As Sinclair already owns a duopoly in Las Vegas ([[KSNV|KVMY]] and [[KVCW]]), the company will sell the license assets (though not the programming) of one of the three stations to comply with FCC ownership restrictions, with the divested station's programming being relocated to the other stations.<ref name=tvnc-ksnvsinclair>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Buying KSNV Las Vegas For $120M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/78930/sinclair-buying-ksnv-las-vegas-for-120m |access-date=September 3, 2014 |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=September 3, 2014}}</ref> The purchase of KSNV's non-license assets was completed on November 1, 2014.<ref name=sinclair-newagetosinclairnonlicense/> On September 11, 2014, the license assets of WCIV were sold to Howard Stirk Holdings (pending FCC approval) and aside from sharing studio space with WMMP (which will retain the ABC affiliation and current programming of WCIV), will have no operational control from Sinclair, saving the station from being forfeited back to the FCC.<ref name=fcc-hshwciv>{{cite web|title=Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101650192&formid=314&fac_num=21536|website=CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission|publisher=Charleston Television, LLC|access-date=September 15, 2014}}</ref><ref name=bc-hsh>{{cite magazine |title=Howard Stirk Holdings Grabs WCIV for $50,000 |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/howard-stirk-holdings-grabs-wciv-50000/134123 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |access-date=September 19, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=DESCRIPTION OF TRANSACTION AND UNIQUE SERVICE TO BE PROVIDED |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101650192&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 |website=CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission |publisher=Howard Stirk Holdings |access-date=September 21, 2014}}</ref> Similar sales were filed with the FCC for WBMA-LD satellite stations WCFT-TV on September 24<ref name=fcc-hshwcft>{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101651545&formid=314&fac_num=21258|website=CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission|publisher=TV Alabama, Inc.|access-date=September 26, 2014}}</ref> and WJSU-TV on September 28.<ref name=fcc-hshwjsu>{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE (WJSU-TV)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1653165&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=56642|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=September 30, 2014|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref> Sinclair continued its push into original programming. Since May 2015, three deals were made to expand American Sports Network beyond college sports. In June, subsidiary Sinclair TV Group, Inc. formed Tornante-Sinclair LLC, a TV production company, with Michael Eisner's Tornante Co. With [[MGM Television|MGM]] on October 31, 2015, [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]] was launched as a sci-fi broadcast subchannel network.<ref name=bsun>{{cite news |last=Mirabella |first=Lorraine |title=Sinclair Broadcast exceeds second-quarter profit forecasts |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-earnings-20150805-story.html |access-date=October 15, 2015 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=August 5, 2015 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=bsun0>{{cite news |last=Mirabella |first=Lorraine |title=Sinclair Broadcast forms venture with former Disney CEO Eisner to create TV shows |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-tornante-venture-20150629-story.html |access-date=October 15, 2015 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=June 29, 2015 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> On October 12, Sinclair Original Programming and the programming department was merged into Sinclair Programming and moved into Sinclair Television Group.<ref name=bc0>{{cite magazine |last=Kuperberg |first=Jonathan |title=Sinclair Ups Pair of Execs to Consolidate TV Programming, Reorganize Promotion, Publicity |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-ups-pair-execs-consolidate-tv-programming-reorganize-promotion-publicity/144916 |access-date=October 29, 2015 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=October 12, 2015}}</ref>

On October 1, 2015, [[Gray Television]] announced that it would acquire [[WLUC-TV]] from Sinclair; in return, Sinclair would receive [[WSBT-TV]] in [[South Bend, Indiana]], from Gray. The swap, part of Gray's acquisition of the broadcasting assets of [[Schurz Communications]] (owner of WSBT), was necessary as Gray already owns [[WNDU-TV]] in South Bend.<ref name=tvnc-saletogray>{{cite web |title=Gray Television Sells Some, Buys Some |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/88873/gray-television-sells-some-buys-some |access-date=October 1, 2015 |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> The sale was completed on February 16, 2016.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.gray.tv/index.php?page=press-releases&releaseid=2139772 |title= Gray Closes Schurz Acquisition, Related Transactions, and Incremental Term Loan Facility |author= Gray Television |author-link= Gray Television |publisher= Gray Television |date= February 16, 2016 |access-date= February 16, 2016}}</ref> On January 27, 2016, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would acquire [[Tennis Channel]] for $350 million. The channel's corporation comes with $200 million in net operating losses that SBGI can use to offset future income thus reducing taxes.<ref name="deadline-sinclairtennis">{{cite news|title=Sinclair Scores Tennis Channel With $350M Acquisition Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2016/01/sinclair-buys-tennis-channel-1201691628/|access-date=January 27, 2016|work=Deadline}}</ref> Sinclair's news operations had launched six [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drone]] teams in September 2016. Initial stations getting drone teams were in Washington, Baltimore, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Columbus, Ohio; Tulsa, Oklahoma and Little Rock, Arkansas.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kurz |first=Phil |title=Sinclair Launches Six Drone Teams; 40 Planned by End of 2017 |url= http://www.tvnewscheck.com/playout/2016/09/sinclair-launches-six-drone-teams-40-planned-by-end-of-2017/ |access-date=November 3, 2016 |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=September 30, 2016}}</ref> In the mid-2010s, Sinclair launched ''Refined'', an online local lifestyle web magazine run in conjunction with local Sinclair stations. The third was announced for DC under [[WJLA-TV]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gilgore |first1=Sara |title=New online lifestyle magazine to debut in Greater Washington |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2016/03/02/new-online-lifestyle-magazine-to-debutin-greater.html|access-date=December 28, 2016 |journal=[[Washington Business Journal]] |date=March 2, 2016}}</ref> In December 2016, SBG announced [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]], a new digital subchannel network aimed towards [[millennials]], with a focus on digital content.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mirabella |first=Lorraine |title=Sinclair launches first-of-kind TV network featuring digital content |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-launches-tbc-tv-network-20161207-story.html |access-date=December 28, 2016 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=December 8, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> It began broadcasting on February 13, 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bouma|first1=Luke|title=Meet TBD TV The Newest OTA/Online TV Station|url=http://cordcuttersnews.com/meet-tbd-tv-newest-otaonline-tv-station/|access-date=March 1, 2017|work=Cord Cutters News|date=February 19, 2017}}</ref> At the NATPE conference on January 17, 2017, SBG and MGM announced a second TV network, [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]], a new digital subchannel network focusing on action-adventure based programming. It begin broadcasting on February 28, 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last=Buckman |first=Adam |title=MGM, Sinclair Unwrap New Action Diginet |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/100750/mgm-sinclair-unwrap-new-action-diginet |access-date=March 1, 2017 |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=January 17, 2017}}</ref> Sinclair had two rounds of executive promotions announced in November 2016 and effective January 1, 2017, with chair and CEO David D. Smith moving up to executive chairman while CFO [[Christopher Ripley]] becoming president and CEO. In the second round, David Amy was promoted from chief operating officer to vice chairman with responsibility for corporate marketing, human resources and the networks group, while Steven Pruett move from co-COO of Sinclair Television Group to executive vice president and chief TV development officer.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mirabella |first=Lorraine |title=Sinclair Broadcast shuffles top management in second round of changes |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-broadcast-promotoins-20161111-story.html |access-date=December 28, 2016 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=November 11, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
====2017–2022====
{{Further|Attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group}}

On March 1, 2017, Sinclair bought Tennis Media Company for $8 million, which includes the Tennis.com website and ''[[Tennis (magazine)|Tennis]]'' magazine; the deal also includes up to $6 million in [[earnout]] if certain targets are reached. Sinclair intends to integrate the properties with Tennis Channel.<ref name="bbj-sbgtennis">{{cite journal |title=Sinclair Broadcast acquires Tennis.com, magazine for $8 million |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2017/03/01/sinclair-broadcast-acquires-tennis-com-magazinefor.html |journal=[[Baltimore Business Journal]] |access-date=March 2, 2017}}</ref> On April 21, 2017, following the reinstatement of the "UHF discount" (a policy that counts television stations broadcasting on [[UHF television broadcasting|UHF]] channels by 50% of their total audience towards the FCC's 39% market cap), Sinclair announced its intent to purchase [[Bonten Media Group]] for $240 million.<ref name="tvnc-sinclairbonten">{{cite web |title=Sinclair Buying Bonten Stations For $240M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/103465/sinclair-buying-bonten-stations-for-240m |website=tvnewscheck.com |access-date=April 21, 2017 |date=April 21, 2017}}</ref> The sale was approved on June 30,<ref>[http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-approves-sinclair-bonten-deal/166927 FCC Approves Sinclair-Bonten Deal], [[Broadcasting & Cable]], June 30, 2017, Retrieved June 30, 2017.</ref> and the sale was completed September 1.<ref>[http://sbgi.net/pr-news/sinclair-closes-on-acquisition-of-bonten-media-group-holdings-inc/ Sinclair Closes On Acquisition Of Bonten Media Group Holdings, Inc.], Sinclair Broadcast Group, September 5, 2017, Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765838&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=308 Consummation Notice] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906140325/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765838&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=308 |date=September 6, 2017 }}, ''CDBS Public Access'', [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765840&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=18334 Consummation Notice], ''CDBS Public Access'', [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765843&Service=TX&Form_id=905&Facility_id=23808 Consummation Notice] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906141205/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765843&Service=TX&Form_id=905&Facility_id=23808 |date=September 6, 2017 }}, ''CDBS Public Access'', [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref> On May 8, 2017, Sinclair announced its intent to acquire the Chicago-based [[Tribune Media]] for $3.9 billion. The sale would have given Sinclair ownership of additional stations within the top-10 markets, along with ownership of a stake in [[Food Network]], [[WGN America]], and other additional assets,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair Plans Big Changes for WGN America, Eyes MVPD Offering With Tribune Media Deal |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wgn-america-underground-sinclair-tribune-media-1202418701/ |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref> To comply with [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] antitrust and FCC ownership regulations, it was suggested that Sinclair would have to divest stations in multiple markets.<ref name="variety-sinclairtribunescrutiny">{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair Will Come Under Scrutiny as It Seeks Approval for Tribune Merger |url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/sinclair-tribune-merger-fcc-1202418989/ |last=Johnson |first=Ted |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref>

The concerns about Sinclair potentially creating an oligarchy in the broadcast television industry – alongside Nexstar Media Group, which has a station portfolio of similar size – led public interest groups to attempt to block the purchase by preventing the UHF discount from being reinstated. On June 1, 2017, the [[District of Columbia Court of Appeals]] issued a seven-day administrative stay to the UHF discount rulemaking, in order to allow review of an emergency stay motion filed by The Institute for Public Representation (a coalition of public interest groups comprising [[Free Press (advocacy group)|Free Press]], the [[United Church of Christ]], Media Mobilizing Project, the [[Prometheus Radio Project]], the [[National Hispanic Media Coalition]] and [[Common Cause]]) on May 15. The coalition argued that the UHF discount was no longer logical from a technical standpoint (as stations that transmit on the UHF band have typically maintained better digital signal quality than those transmitting on VHF, a reversal of the technical issues with both bands during the analog era) and would trigger a wave of [[mergers and acquisitions]] in the broadcast television industry that would further reduce diversity in station ownership.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair-Tribune Merger Faces Roadblock as Court Puts Hold on FCC Station Ownership Rule |url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/fcc-uhf-discount-appellate-court-sinclair-tribune-1202451298/ |last=Johnson |first=Ted |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 1, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Free Press Seeks Emergency Stay of UHF Discount Return |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/free-press-seeks-emergency-stay-uhf-discount-return/166153|first=John |last=Eggerton |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=May 28, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Federal Court Stays FCC UHF Discount Decision, for Now |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/federal-court-stays-fcc-uhf-discount-decision-now/166250 |last=Eggerton |first=John |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=June 1, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Groups File To Block Return Of UHF Discount |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/104108/groups-file-to-block-return-of-uhf-discount |last=Jessell |first=Harry |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=May 15, 2017 |access-date=June 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=D.C. Appeals Court halts return of FCC's UHF discount for TV broadcasters|url=http://www.fiercecable.com/broadcasting/d-c-appeals-court-halts-return-fcc-s-uhf-discount-for-tv-broadcasters|last=Munson|first=Ben|work=FierceCable|date=June 2, 2017|access-date=June 6, 2017}}</ref> The D.C. Court of Appeals denied the emergency stay motion on June 15, 2017, though it is still subject to a pending court proceeding to appeal the UHF discount implementation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/104954/court-rejects-request-to-stay-uhf-discount |title=Court Rejects Request To Stay UHF Discount |last=Miller |first=Mark |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=June 15, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fcc-sinclair-tribune-uhf-discount-appeals-court-1202467351/ |title=Appeals Court Removes FCC Roadblock to Sinclair-Tribune Merger |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 15, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/court-wont-block-fccs-uhf-discount-return/166555 |title=Court Won't Block FCC's UHF Discount Return |last=Eggerton |first=John |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=June 15, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref>

On February 21, 2018, Sinclair informed the FCC that it planned to sell off Tribune stations in [[New York City]], [[Chicago]], and [[San Diego]], while seeking waivers to purchase the Tribune stations in [[Indianapolis]], [[South Central Pennsylvania]], and the [[Piedmont Triad]]. Sinclair is expected to enter into LMA's to operate WPIX and WGN-TV, while selling off KSWB outright. Overlapping stations in [[Seattle]], [[St. Louis]], [[Salt Lake City]], [[Oklahoma City]], [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], [[Norfolk, Virginia]], and [[Des Moines, Iowa]] will be sold off to unaffiliated third parties.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tribune-media-m-a-sinclair-ma/seeking-tribune-deal-approval-sinclair-offers-to-sell-ny-chicago-stations-idUSKCN1G52VU|title=Seeking Tribune deal approval, Sinclair offers to sell NY, Chicago...|first=David|last=Shepardson|newspaper=Reuters|date=February 21, 2018}}</ref> On July 16, 2018, [[FCC]] chairman [[Ajit Pai]] was reported to have "serious concerns" about the transaction and proposed a hearing before an [[administrative law judge]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-16/fcc-rejects-sinclair-plan-for-tv-station-sales-in-tribune-deal-jjof6bcs |title=Sinclair and Tribune Fall as FCC Slams TV Station Sale Plan |last=Shields |first=Todd |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=July 16, 2018 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> On August 9, 2018, Tribune Media announced that it had terminated the sale agreement with Sinclair, and that it had filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the company for breach of contract. Tribune Media CEO Peter Kern stated that the sale "cannot be completed in an acceptable timeframe, if ever"; the suit cited Sinclair's "belligerent and unnecessarily protracted negations" with the Department of Justice and FCC over regulatory negotiations in order to maintain control of stations that it was advised to divest, as well as violations of the sale agreement requiring divestitures of stations to not result in any threats of regulatory scrutiny.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/09/media/tribune-sinclair/index.html|title=Tribune calls off $3.9 billion Sinclair media deal|last=Riley|first=Charles|work=CNNMoney|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/business/dealbook/sinclair-tribune-media.html|title=Tribune Ends Deal With Sinclair, Dashing Plan for Conservative TV Behemoth|work=The New York Times|date=August 9, 2018 |access-date=August 9, 2018|language=en|last1=Lee |first1=Edmund |last2=Tsang |first2=Amie }}</ref>

Following the failed acquisition of Tribune Media, Sinclair has mentioned publicly about buying [[Fox Sports Networks]], as well as the stations owned by [[Cox Media Group]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilen |first1=Holden |title=Sinclair Broadcast CEO eyes deal for Fox's regional sports networks |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2018/10/03/sinclair-broadcast-ceo-eyes-deal-for-foxs-regional.html |access-date=January 16, 2019 |work=Baltimore Business Journal |date=October 3, 2018 |publisher= American City Business Journals}}</ref> In January 2019, Sinclair launched an OTT multi-channel streaming service [[Stirr]] providing free streaming access to local Sinclair station content as well as [[On demand television|on-demand]] shows and films.<ref name=vty>{{cite news |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia  |title=Sinclair Enters Streaming Arena With Entertainment Bundle and Local Channels |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/sinclair-stirr-streaming-local-bundle-1203109272/ |work=Variety |date=January 16, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> On February 13, 2019, Sinclair and the [[Chicago Cubs]] announced a new regional sports network, [[Marquee Sports Network]], to start in 2020 with exclusive rights to Cubs' games.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Agrest |first1=Jeff |title=Cubs announce deal with Sinclair to launch Marquee Sports Network in 2020 |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-announce-deal-with-sinclair-to-launch-marquee-sports-network-in-2020/ |access-date=February 14, 2019 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=February 13, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214142246/https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-announce-deal-with-sinclair-to-launch-marquee-sports-network-in-2020/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On March 9, 2019, Sinclair purchased a minority stake in [[YES Network]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2019/03/08/new-york-yankees-buy-back-yes-network-for-3-47-billion/ |title=New York Yankees Buy Back YES Network For $3.47 Billion |first=Mike |last=Ozanian |magazine=[[Forbes]] |date=March 8, 2019 |access-date=March 9, 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> While Sinclair did not bid on the Cox stations,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Feiner |first1=Lauren |title=Apollo affiliates to buy stake in Cox Media Group TV stations |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/15/apollo-affiliates-to-buy-stake-in-cox-media-group-tv-stations.html |access-date=May 2, 2019 |work=www.cnbc.com |date=February 15, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> on April 26, 2019, it was reported that Sinclair was the successful bidder for Fox Sports Networks at $10 billion.<ref name="Sinclair">{{cite news |last=Gasparino |first=Charlie |title=Sinclair places top bid, reaches "handshake agreement" with Disney for Fox Regional Sports Networks |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/sinclair-top-bid-handshake-fox-regional-sports-networks |work=[[Fox Business Network|FOXBusiness]] |access-date=April 30, 2019 |date=April 26, 2019}}</ref> On August 22, 2019, Sinclair completed the acquisition of FSN and thus FSN is now a wholly owned subsidiary and becoming sisters to Marquee.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2019-08-23/sinclair-completes-acquisition-of-regional-sports-networks-from-Disney |title=Sinclair completes acquisition of regional sports networks from Disney |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=August 22, 2019 |access-date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>

On January 27, 2020, Sinclair announced that it would sell [[WDKY-TV]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], and the non-license assets of [[KGBT-TV]] in [[Harlingen, Texas]], to [[Nexstar Media Group]] for $60 million, as part of a settlement between the two companies over [[Attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group|Sinclair's failed acquisition]] of [[Tribune Media]], which was ultimately acquired by Nexstar.<ref name="nxstsbgisettle">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/sinclair-pays-nexstar-60m-some-assets-to-settle-tribune-suit |title=Sinclair Pays Nexstar $60M, Some Assets, to Settle Tribune Suit |last=Eggerton |first=John |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=January 27, 2020 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128005801/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/sinclair-pays-nexstar-60m-some-assets-to-settle-tribune-suit |url-status=live}}</ref> The transaction was completed on September 17, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1821151&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=64017|title=Consummation Notice|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008031358/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1821151&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=64017 |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> On May 7, 2020, the company was fined $48&nbsp;million to settle investigations related to reports and statements made to the FCC.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Eggerton |first1=John |title=Sinclair Agrees to Pay Record $48 Million Penalty |url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/sinclair-agrees-to-pay-record-48-million-penalty |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |access-date=May 7, 2020 |archive-date=May 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517123118/https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/sinclair-agrees-to-pay-record-48-million-penalty |url-status=dead }}</ref> In August 2020, Sinclair reached a $25&nbsp;million settlement agreement for its shareholders related to three lawsuits. Of the $25&nbsp;million, $20.5&nbsp;million will be paid into a settlement fund.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mirabella |first=Lorraine |title=Sinclair Broadcast settles shareholder lawsuits for $25 million |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-broadcast-settles-shareholder-lawsuit-20200814-nrhafiq4gzg6xjxllag7wpvtqa-story.html |access-date=August 21, 2020 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=August 17, 2020 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=August 14, 2020 |title=Sinclair reaches $25M deal with shareholders over failed Tribune acquisition |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2020/08/14/sinclair-agrees-to-settlement-with-shareholders.html |access-date=August 21, 2020 |journal=[[Baltimore Business Journal]]}}</ref> In November 2020, Sinclair announced that they would sell [[KBSI]] in [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri]], and [[WDKA]] in [[Paducah, Kentucky]], to [[Standard Media]] for $28 million, in a transaction that closed in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|date=January 20, 2021|title=FCC OK's Sinclair Duo's Spin To Soo Kim|url=https://www.rbr.com/fcc-oks-sinclair-duos-spin-to-soo-kim/|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=Radio & Television Business Report|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2021, Sinclair began moving the primary programming from so-called "sidecar" stations with which Sinclair has an LMA, to subchannels of stations Sinclair owns outright, replacing the sidecar stations' programming with subchannel network (also known as [[diginet]]) affiliations on their main signals.<ref name=nctc /> On January 1, Fox moved from [[KFXA]] in [[Cedar Rapids, Iowa]] to [[KGAN]], where its "Fox 28" branding was retained.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/fox28-moving-to-22-january-1st |work=[[KGAN]] |title=FOX 28 moving to 2.2 January 1st |date=January 1, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106202337/https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/fox28-moving-to-22-january-1st |url-status=live}}</ref> With a transitional simulcast period from January 1 to February 4, Fox moved from [[WRGT-TV]] in [[Dayton, Ohio]] to [[WKEF]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dayton247now.com/news/local/fox-45-digital-channel-change-to-require-rescan |title=FOX 45 digital channel change to require rescan |last=Richardson |first=Joshua |publisher=[[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] |date=December 29, 2020 |access-date=December 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230040201/https://dayton247now.com/news/local/fox-45-digital-channel-change-to-require-rescan |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> where its "Fox 45" branding was retained; although beginning on February 4, WRGT-TV maintained a primary affiliation with non-diginet MyNetworkTV, on April 19, that affiliation also moved to WKEF. With a transitional simulcast period from January 1 to February 1, Fox moved from [[KBTV-TV]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dick |first=Jacob |date=December 31, 2020 |title=KBTV changes channel for antenna users |url=https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/KBTV-changes-channel-for-antenna-users-15838655.php |access-date=February 6, 2021 |website=Beaumont Enterprise}}</ref> in [[Port Arthur, Texas]] to [[KFDM]]<ref name="foxkfdm">{{cite news |url=https://fox4beaumont.com/news/local/fox-4-moving-to-new-home-on-kfdm-63 |title=Fox 4 moving to new home on KFDM 6.3 |work=[[KFDM#Fox 4|Fox 4 Beaumont]]|date=December 23, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2020}}</ref> in nearby [[Beaumont, Texas]], where its "Fox 4" branding was retained. With a transitional simulcast period from January 7 to February 3, Fox moved from original Sinclair signee WTTE in [[Columbus, Ohio]] to [[WSYX]], where its "Fox 28" branding was retained.<ref name=foxcolclay /> On February 1, Fox moved from [[WVAH-TV]] in [[Charleston, West Virginia]] to [[WCHS-TV]], where its "Fox 11" branding was retained. While in at least one case (Columbus) the move was done due to the transition to [[ATSC 3.0]], there are no explanations for the other stations.<ref name=foxcolclay>{{cite web |last=Clay |first=Jarrod |date=January 7, 2021 |title=FOX 28 over-the-air signal moves to channel WSYX 6.3 |url=http://myfox28columbus.com/news/local/fox-28-over-the-air-signal-moves-to-channel-wsyx-63 |access-date=April 29, 2021 |website=[[WTTE]]}}</ref>

In March 2021 Sinclair laid off 550&nbsp;employees, which represented about 5% of its workforce, citing the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 3, 2021 |title=Sinclair Broadcast Group Lays Off Staff, Citing "Profound" Pandemic Impact |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sinclair-broadcast-group-lays-off-staff-citing-profound-pandemic-impact |access-date=March 4, 2021 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> On June 2, 2021, it was announced that Sinclair is a [[Fortune 500]] company, with annual revenues of $5.9&nbsp;billion in 2020, placing it at 465 on the annual listing of the largest U.S. companies.<ref name=Fortune500 /> The company has 10,000&nbsp;employees as of 2021, and acquired an additional {{convert|46000|sqft|sqm|adj=on}} office building near its main Hunt Valley headquarters to accommodate an additional 260&nbsp;employees.<ref name=Fortune500 /> On April 1, 2021, Sinclair anchorman Reed Cowan said that if [[WE Charity]] did not pay him $20 million, he would use Sinclair Broadcast Group's television platforms to disparage a Canadian charity which builds schools in Africa.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wemple|first=Erik|title=Opinion {{!}} Sinclair anchor demands $20 million from charity over fraud allegations|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/04/02/sinclair-broadcast-group-reed-cowan-we-charity/|access-date=April 29, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 8, 2021 |title=Las Vegas news anchor demands $20M amid fraud allegations |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/tv/las-vegas-news-anchor-demands-20m-amid-fraud-allegations-2324392/ |access-date=April 29, 2021 |newspaper=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

On October 17, 2021, Sinclair was struck by a ransomware attack affecting the internal servers and workstations of its television stations, after the alleged hackers breached the stations' internal broadcasting systems via an [[Active Directory]] domain that interconnected the company's corporate and local IT networks. The incident had disrupted some of its office and operational networks (including internal servers, email servers, corporate phone lines, and workstations and news graphics systems at the company's stations), and resulted in data being taken from its server network. Many of Sinclair's stations saw varying disruptions to programming in the days following the attack; many of its stations were able to produce their newscasts using limited internal resources (while generally being unable to display lower-third and/or full-screen graphics), while a few were forced to preempt them outright for a few days afterward. Many scheduled [[National Football League|NFL]] game telecasts on the 17th were disrupted on its NBC, CBS and Fox affiliates (replaced by a different game feed or by alternative programming). Sinclair also supplied alternative programming feeds to fill airtime on some of the affected stations due to varying difficulties in transmitting and receiving certain syndicated program feeds or to occupy timeslots normally filled by newscasts (mainly from company-owned multicast networks like [[Stadium (TV network)|Stadium]] and [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]], or via a feed of its syndicated newscast ''[[The National Desk]]'').<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Local TV Programming Disrupted as Sinclair Hit by Ransomware Attack |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/sinclair-broadcast-ransomware-cyber-attack-1235032881/ |author=Alex Weprin |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=October 18, 2021 |access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sinclair TV stations disrupted across the US after ransomware attack|url=https://therecord.media/sinclair-tv-stations-disrupted-across-the-us-in-apparent-ransomware-attack/amp/?__twitter_impression=true|author=Catalin Cimpanu|website=The Record|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=October 21, 2021|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018151734/https://therecord.media/sinclair-tv-stations-disrupted-across-the-us-in-apparent-ransomware-attack/amp/?__twitter_impression=true|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sinclair TV network crippled by potential ransomware attack|url=https://www.techtosee.com/sinclair-tv-network-crippled-by-potential-ransomware-attack/|website=TechToSee|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=October 21, 2021|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018132610/https://www.techtosee.com/sinclair-tv-network-crippled-by-potential-ransomware-attack/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ransomware experts later indicated that the attack was likely linked to Evil Corp., a Russia-based cybergang that was sanctioned by the [[United States Department of the Treasury|U.S. Treasury Department]] in 2019 and had been accused prior to the attack of attempting to rebrand itself to evade the sanctions; the hackers are believed to have disseminated the Macaw ransomware strain (which was also linked to a similar cyberattack that hit [[Olympus Corporation]]'s corporate server network on October 10) within Sinclair's servers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair Broadcast Hack Linked to Notorious Russian Cybergang|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-20/sinclair-broadcast-hack-linked-to-notorious-russian-cybergang|author=William Turton|website=Bloomberg|publisher=Bloomberg LLC|date=October 20, 2021|access-date=October 21, 2021}}</ref> On March 3, 2022, Sinclair announced that they would sell the [[Ring of Honor]] wrestling promotion to [[Tony Khan]], who is the principal owner of rival [[All Elite Wrestling]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wilen |first=Holden |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Sinclair Broadcast agrees to sell Ring of Honor wrestling promotion |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2022/03/03/sinclair-sells-ring-of-honor-wrestling-promotion.html |journal=[[Baltimore Business Journal]]}}</ref>

====2023–present: Reorganization into a holding company====
In March 2023, it was reported that Sinclair had laid off news employees and reduced the number of newscasts in four markets: [[KAEF-TV]] in [[Eureka, California#Media|Eureka, California]]; [[WGXA]] in [[Macon, Georgia]]; [[WEYI-TV]]/[[WSMH]] in [[Saginaw, Michigan#Television stations|Saginaw]]/[[Flint, Michigan#Television|Flint, Michigan]]; and [[WACH]] in [[Columbia, South Carolina#Media|Columbia, South Carolina]]. The discontinued newscasts were replaced by airings of ''The National Desk''.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/3/18/sinclair-continues-layoffs | title = Sinclair Continues Layoffs | date = March 18, 2023 | work = FTVLive | first = Scott | last = Jones | access-date = May 13, 2023 | archive-date = March 22, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230322134542/https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/3/18/sinclair-continues-layoffs | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=tvnc20230501 /> On April 3, 2023, Sinclair announced that it would be reorganizing its operations, with the TV broadcasting properties remaining under Sinclair Broadcast Group, while the non-broadcast operations would be placed under Sinclair Ventures. Then, the two companies would be placed under a new holding company, "Sinclair, Inc.".<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair Broadcast Group to Reorganize as Sinclair Inc. |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sinclair-broadcast-group-to-reorganize-as-sinclair-inc-faf9bd1a |work=MarketWatch |language=EN-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair Broadcast Group To Rename As Sinclair Inc. |url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/sinclair-broadcast-group-to-rename-as-sinclair-inc-1032211426 |work=markets.businessinsider.com |language=en}}</ref> In late April 2023, Sinclair announced that starting May 15, it would end all local news broadcasts on stations in five markets: [[WGFL]] in [[Gainesville, Florida#Television|Gainesville, Florida]]; [[KPTH]] in [[Sioux City, Iowa#Television stations|Sioux City, Iowa]]; [[KPTM]] in [[Omaha, Nebraska#Television networks and cable TV|Omaha, Nebraska]]; [[WNWO-TV]] in [[Toledo, Ohio#TV|Toledo, Ohio]]; and [[KTVL]] in [[Medford, Oregon#Television|Medford, Oregon]]. These low-rated newscasts were to be replaced by airings of ''The National Desk''.<ref name="tvnc20230501">{{Cite web |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/sinclair-shutters-five-news-markets-we-just-turned-off-the-lights-for-many/ |title=Sinclair Shutters Five News Markets: 'We Just Turned Off The Lights For Many' |date=May 1, 2023 |website=tvnewscheck.com |first=Michael |last=Stahl |access-date=May 13, 2023 |archive-date=May 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502074516/https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/sinclair-shutters-five-news-markets-we-just-turned-off-the-lights-for-many/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/sinclair-replaces-local-newscasts-with-the-national-desk-in-5-markets |title=Sinclair Replaces Local Newscasts With 'The National Desk' in 5 Markets |date=May 2, 2023 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |first=Jon |last=Lafayette |access-date=May 13, 2023 |archive-date=May 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504222943/https://www.nexttv.com/news/sinclair-replaces-local-newscasts-with-the-national-desk-in-5-markets |url-status=live}}</ref> On June 1, 2023, Sinclair announced the closing of its reorganization as a holding company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sbgi.net/sinclair-announces-closing-of-holding-company-reorganization/|date= June 1, 2023|access-date=July 15, 2023|work=Sinclair|title=Sinclair Announces Closing of Holding Company Reorganization}}</ref>

In May 2023, Sinclair sold its controlling interest in Stadium to [[Silver Chalice]], Sinclair stating that the network did not have enough viewership for Sinclair to continue funding it; Sinclair will continue to supply some programming.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fisher|first=Eric|date=May 29, 2023|title=White Sox and Bulls Owner Acquires Controlling Stake of Stadium Network|url=https://frontofficesports.com/white-sox-and-bulls-owner-acquires-controlling-stake-of-stadium-network/|access-date=May 29, 2023|website=Front Office Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=May 30, 2023 |title=Sinclair Sells Control of Stadium to Jerry Reinsdorf's Silver Chalice |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/sinclair-sells-control-of-stadium-to-jerry-reinsdorfs-silver-chalice |access-date=November 3, 2023 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]}}</ref> On October 10, 2023, Sinclair announced that on October 30, 2023, it will convert Stadium's over-the-air service into [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]], a network that will feature reruns of home improvement, true crime, reality and celebrity-driven shows.<ref>[https://www.nexttv.com/news/sinclair-launching-new-multicast-network-dubbed-the-nest "Sinclair Will Serve Up 'Comfort Food' on New Multicast Network The Nest"] from ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'', October 10, 2023</ref> On March 13, 2024, Sinclair reached a deal with [[America's Public Television Stations]] in which Sinclar will offer free hosting for [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] stations on Sinclair stations with ATSC 3.0 signals if said PBS stations have not launched their own.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sbgi.net/sinclair-and-apts-announce-free-virtual-channel-hosting-for-public-television-stations-not-yet-transmitting-in-atsc-3-0/ | title=Sinclair and APTS Announce Free Virtual Channel Hosting for Public Television Stations Not Yet Transmitting in ATSC 3.0 | date=March 13, 2024 }}</ref> As of February 2025, [[Nebraska Public Media]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/sinclair-nebraska-public-media-launch-free-virtual-channel-hosting-in-atsc-3-0 | title=Sinclair, Nebraska Public Media Launch Free Virtual Channel Hosting in ATSC 3.0 | date=October 16, 2024 }}</ref> [[WNPT]] in [[Nashville]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/nashville-pbs-sinclair-launch-virtual-wnpt-nextgen-tv-channel | title=Nashville PBS, Sinclair Launch Virtual WNPT NextGen TV Channel | date=December 17, 2024 }}</ref> and [[KNPB]] in [[Reno, Nevada]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/pbs-reno-sinclair-launch-atsc-3-0-virtual-channel | title=PBS Reno, Sinclair Launch ATSC 3.0 Virtual Channel | date=January 22, 2025 }}</ref> have taken up on Sinclair's offer, while [[WQED (TV)|WQED]] in Pittsburgh has not despite reception issues with its main ATSC 1.0 signal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://triblive.com/aande/movies-tv/tv-qa-what-happened-to-wqed-tvs-signal/|title=TV Q&A: What happened to WQED-TV's signal?|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]|date=September 20, 2023|accessdate=April 5, 2025}}</ref> Also in May 2024, Sinclair was reportedly considering selling more than 30% of its 185 broadcasting stations, which it later recanted.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rizzo|first1=Lillian|last2=Sherman|first2=Alex|date=May 9, 2024|title=Sinclair explores selling roughly 30% of its broadcast stations, sources say|publisher=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html|access-date=May 9, 2024}}</ref> In January 2025, upon expectations that the FCC will push for deregulation of local television stations under the [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]] including eliminating the national ownership cap, Sinclair restructured its debt and liquidity in order to prepare for more acquisitions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sinclair-debt-deal-financial-flexibility-liquidity-1236108431/ | title=TV Station Giant Sinclair Restructures Debt as It Eyes Growth | website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date=January 14, 2025 }}</ref>

On March 11, 2025, it was reported that Sinclair would sell five TV stations ([[WVTV]], [[WICS]]/[[WICD-TV]], [[KHQA]], & [[KTVO]]) to Rincon Broadcasting Group, led by former Sinclair and [[Bally Sports]] executive Todd Parkin, who would go on to purchase seven stations less than a month later from [[Imagicomm Communications]] that the latter company had purchased from [[Cox Media Group]].<ref name="rinconFCC">{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff39568c87a01956d9bae8f05b7&id=25076ff39568c87a01956d9bae8f05b7&goBack=N|title=Assignments|work=Licensing and Management System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|date=March 10, 2025|accessdate=March 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://thedesk.net/2025/03/sinclair-sells-tv-stations-rincon/ | title = Sinclair to sell five TV stations to ex-Bally Sports sales executive | first = Matthew | last = Keys | website = TheDesk.net | date = March 11, 2025 | access-date = July 10, 2025 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250311205013/https://thedesk.net/2025/03/sinclair-sells-tv-stations-rincon/ | archive-date = March 11, 2025}}</ref><ref name="rincon">{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/imagicomm-selling-seven-stations-to-rincon/|title=Imagicomm Selling Seven Stations To Rincon|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|date=April 3, 2025|accessdate=April 4, 2025}}</ref> (Earlier in the 2000s, Parkin had owned [[KTKA-TV]] in [[Topeka, Kansas]], [[WTGS]] in [[Savannah, Georgia]] and [[WYTV]] in [[Youngstown, Ohio]] through his then-company, PBC Broadcasting; WTGS is coincidetially now owned by Sinclair while KTKA-TV and WYTV are now owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]] sidecar [[Vaughan Media]] and operated by Nexstar through LMAs in those markets.)<ref>{{cite news|title=Topeka's KTKA-TV sold to LA company|url=http://cjonline.com/news/local/2011-02-04/topekas-ktka-tv-sold-la-company|newspaper=The Topeka Capital-Journal|publisher=Morris Communications|date=February 4, 2011|access-date=August 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207161709/http://cjonline.com/news/local/2011-02-04/topekas-ktka-tv-sold-la-company|archive-date=February 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> A new public interest group called "Frequency Forward", with ties to a Washington, D.C.-based communications law firm, filed a petition with the FCC objecting to the sale of the Sinclair stations, based on the group's claims that Sinclair has a history of using so-called "sidecar" companies to skirt ownership rules.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://thedesk.net/2025/04/sinclair-frequency-forward-petition/ | title = Group linked to law firm challenges sale of Sinclair TV stations | first = Matthew | last = Keys | website = TheDesk.net | date = April 14, 2025 | access-date = July 10, 2025 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250414184934/https://thedesk.net/2025/04/sinclair-frequency-forward-petition/ | archive-date = April 14, 2025}}</ref> The FCC rejected Frequency Forward's petition and approved the sale of the Sinclair properties on July 1.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Winslow |first=George |date=July 1, 2025 |title=FCC Approves Sale of Sinclair Stations to Rincon |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/fcc-approves-sale-of-sinclair-stations-to-rincon |access-date=July 5, 2025 |website=TV Technology}}</ref> In June 2025, Sinclair began adding [[ROXi]], a [[digital music]] service, to some of its ATSC 3.0 lighthouse stations.<ref>{{cite web | title=ROXi, Revolutionary Interactive Music TV Channel, Launches on US Broadcast TV | date=July 30, 2025 | url=https://sbgi.net/roxi-revolutionary-interactive-music-tv-channel-launches-on-us-broadcast-tv/ }}</ref>

On September 17, 2025, [[Nexstar Media Group]] announced that it would [[Suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!|suspend future broadcasts of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'']] following the host's comments about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination. FCC chairman [[Brendan Carr]] also threatened action against [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], the television network that originates the show, and ABC's parent company, [[Disney]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mangan |first1=Dan |title=FCC Chair Carr says ‘we’re not done yet’ after Jimmy Kimmel suspension by ABC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-fcc-carr.html |website=cnbc.com |publisher=NBC |access-date=22 September 2025}}</ref><ref name=NYTKimmel>{{Cite news |first1=John |last1=Koblin |first2=Brooks |last2=Barnes |first3=Benjamin |last3=Mullin |first4=Michael |last4=Grynbaum |date=2025-09-18 |title=Disney Pulled Jimmy Kimmel as Pressure Built on Multiple Fronts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/business/media/disney-abc-jimmy-kimmel.html |access-date=2025-09-19 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref> In an official statement, Sinclair said that it also objected to Kimmel's comments, adding that it would "not lift the suspension of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on our stations until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network's commitment to professionalism and accountability". Together, Nexstar Media and Sinclair control more than 20% of ABC's local station affiliates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/business/media/jimmy-kimmel-nexstar-sinclair-boycott.html |last=Mullin |first=Benjamin|title=Local TV Giants Boycott Jimmy Kimmel's Return to Late Night |website=The New York Times |date=September 23, 2025 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> Both Sinclair and Nexstar announced the end of their stations' boycott of the show on September 26.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/business/media/sinclair-jimmy-kimmel-boycott.html |title=Local Network Giants End Jimmy Kimmel Boycott |website=The New York Times |date=September 26, 2025 |access-date=September 26, 2025}}</ref>

Sinclair has been among the U.S. station owners lobbying the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to revise national broadcast ownership rules. This includes the proposed elimination of a rule passed in 2004 that limits any broadcasting company from owning or controlling local television stations reaching more than 39% of total U.S. households.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=September 18, 2025 |title=Nexstar Says It Made Decision To Preempt Jimmy Kimmel 'Unilaterally' And With No Communication With FCC Or Government Agencies |url=https://deadline.com/2025/09/nexstar-jimmy-kimmel-trump-fcc-1236548804/ |access-date=September 19, 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lombardo |first=Clare |date=September 19, 2025 |title='We are all Jimmy Kimmel': What late night hosts are saying about Kimmel's suspension |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5546839/jimmy-kimmel-trump-jimmy-fallon-seth-meyers-colbert |access-date=September 19, 2025 |work=NPR }}</ref> Congressional approval is also required for the rule to be modified or repealed. While that rule still stands, on July 23 the [[Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals]] struck down the so-called Top-Four Prohibition, which restricted companies from owning more than two top-four TV stations in the same media market.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/fcc-launches-review-of-rules-on-network-mergers-local-station-ownership/ar-AA1NBzVO?ocid=BingNewsSerp |website=Microsoft News |last=Johnson |first=Ted |title=FCC Launches a Review of Rules on Network Mergers, Local Station Ownership |access-date=September 30, 2025}}</ref> The change spurred the recent corporate merger of Nexstar and [[Tegna Inc.|Tegna]].<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Appeals Court Vacates FCC's Top-Four Station Ownership Rule|url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/eighth-circuit-vacates-fccs-top-four-station-ownership-rule|last=Winslow|first=George|website=TVTechnology|date=July 23, 2025|access-date=September 21, 2025}} For the FCC rule, see {{cite web|title=Implementation of Section 629 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (National Broadcast Television Ownership)|url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-06-117A1.pdf|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=March 1, 2007|access-date=September 22, 2025}}</ref>

On November 17, Sinclair announced it had built a ~8% stake in E.W. Scripps and is looking to acquire the local TV broadcaster.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flint |first=Lauren Thomas and Joe |date=2025-11-17 |title=Sinclair Takes Stake in E.W. Scripps to Push Takeover Deal |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/sinclair-takes-stake-in-e-w-scripps-to-push-takeover-deal-d7fdf11c |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> 

==Programming==
Sinclair had experimented with using a centralized news organization called ''[[News Central (American TV program)|News Central]]'' that provided prepackaged news segments for distribution to several of the group's stations. These segments were integrated into programming during local news broadcasts. [[Mark Hyman (commentator)|Mark Hyman]], a high-ranking executive at Sinclair, also created "The Point", a series of [[conservatism|conservative]] [[editorial]] segments that were broadcast on stations operated by the group that maintain news departments.<ref name=lat-thrusts>{{cite news|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group thrusts itself into the news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-may-08-et-jensen8-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=April 13, 2013 |first=Elizabeth |last=Jensen |date=May 8, 2004 }}</ref><ref name=bc-newsmax>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair, Newsmax in Online Partnership |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/blog/station-station/sinclair-newsmax-online-partnership/66562 |first=Michael |last=Malone |date=March 18, 2013 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |access-date=April 21, 2013}}</ref>

In October 2015, Sinclair premiered ''[[Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson|Full Measure]]'', a syndicated [[public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] program hosted by [[Sharyl Attkisson]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sinclair's 'Full Measure With Sharyl Attkisson' Launches in October |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-s-full-measure-sharyl-attkisson-launches-october/142503 |first=Michael |last=Malone |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=July 23, 2015 |access-date=October 18, 2015}}</ref> On July 1, 2017, Sinclair launched a new daily morning kids' TV block called [[KidsClick]], partnering with [[This TV]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair launching KidsClick programming block July 1|url=http://www.nickandmore.com/2017/05/09/sinclair-launching-kidsclick-programming-block-july-1/ |website=nickandmore.com |date=May 9, 2017 |access-date=October 22, 2017}}</ref> The block was moved to [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]] in 2018, and was eventually discontinued 8 months later. In June 2020, Sinclair announced it would launch "a headline news service" that would air weekday mornings (6:00 AM – 9:00 AM local time) and rely on news-gathering services of Sinclair's stations as well as original content, similar in format to ''[[NewsNation (WGN America)|NewsNation]]'' produced by [[Nexstar Media Group]] for [[WGN America]].<ref>[https://sbgi.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Headline-News-Service-Release_FINAL.pdf "Sinclair Broadcast Group to Launch Headline News Service, Announces 25 New Positions to be Filled"], press release from Sinclair Broadcast Group, June 17, 2020</ref>  The show, titled ''[[The National Desk]]'', launched on January 18, 2021, and airs on Sinclair's [[The CW|CW]] and [[MyNetworkTV]]-affiliated stations along with its [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]-affiliated stations that do not have their own local morning news shows.<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sinclair-broadcast-groups-the-national-desk-to-premiere-monday-january-18-301209353.html "Sinclair Broadcast Group's ''The National Desk'' To Premiere Monday, January 18"], press release from Sinclair Broadcast Group via PRNewswire, January 15, 2021</ref> On September 27, 2021, ''The National Desk'' expanded to a two-hour evening newscast, airing 10 pm to midnight Eastern Time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barron |first=Alicia |date=September 2, 2021 |title=All news may be local — but more and more of it is going national |url=https://cronkitenewslab.com/broadcast/2021/09/02/sinclari-national-desk-new-late-night-news/ |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=Cronkite News Lab |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Political views==
{{Conservatism US|media}}

Sinclair's stations have been known for featuring news content and programming that promote [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative political positions]]. They have been involved in various controversies surrounding politically motivated programming decisions,<ref name=seattletimes-sinclair/><ref name="nyt-foxrival"/> such as news coverage and specials during the lead-ups to elections that were in support of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref name="tvnc-2012special" /><ref name="cnn-stolenhonor"/><ref name=seattletimes-sinclair/> 

A 2019 study by [[Emory University]] political scientists Gregory J. Martin and Josh McCrain in the ''[[American Political Science Review]]'' found that "stations bought by Sinclair reduce coverage of local politics, increase national coverage and move the ideological tone of coverage in a conservative direction relative to other stations operating in the same market".<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/04/10/yes-sinclair-broadcast-group-does-cut-local-news-increase-national-news-and-tilt-its-stations-rightward/|title=Analysis {{!}} Yes, Sinclair Broadcast Group does cut local news, increase national news and tilt its stations rightward|last1=Martin|first1=Gregory J.|date=April 10, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=April 16, 2018|last2=McCrain|first2=Josh|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=McCrain|first1=Joshua|last2=Martin|first2=Gregory J.|date=2019|title=Local News and National Politics|journal=American Political Science Review|language=en|volume=113|issue=2|pages=372–384|doi=10.1017/S0003055418000965|issn=0003-0554|doi-access=free}}</ref> A 2021 study found that viewers in areas with a Sinclair TV station had lower approval of President Barack Obama and were less likely to vote for Democratic presidential nominees.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Levendusky|first=Matthew S.|date=2021|title=How Does Local TV News Change Viewers' Attitudes?The Case of Sinclair Broadcasting|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2021.1901807|journal=Political Communication|volume=39|pages=23–38|doi=10.1080/10584609.2021.1901807|s2cid=234872355|issn=1058-4609|url-access=subscription}} [https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/web.sas.upenn.edu/dist/9/244/files/2021/04/PolComm_Sinclair_TV_News.pdf Alt URL]</ref> A 2023 study found that Sinclair-owned stations aired fewer reports mentioning masks during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], but their reports were more likely to focus on partisan views of the issue.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Neumann|first1=Markus|last2=Moore|first2=Steven T.|last3=Baum|first3=Laura M.|last4=Oleinkov|first4=Pavel|last5=Xu|first5=Yiwei|last6=Niederdeppe|first6=Jeff|last7=Lewis|first7=Neil Jr.|last8=Gollust|first8=Sarah E.|last9=Fowler|first9=Erika Franklin|date=2023|title=Politicizing Masks? Examining the Volume and Content of Local News Coverage of Face Coverings in the U.S. Through the COVID-19 Pandemic|journal=Political Communication|language=en|volume=41|issue=2|pages=66–106|doi=10.1080/10584609.2023.2239181|doi-access=free}}</ref>

The ''Washington Post'' noted that [[WJLA-TV]]'s news content began to exhibit a conservative slant following Sinclair's acquisition of the station, including having established a partnership with the conservative [[The Washington Times|''Washington Times'']] newspaper, while the company produces pieces from a Washington bureau that similarly exhibit a conservative viewpoint.<ref name="nyt-foxrival" /> Sinclair executive David Smith met with [[Donald Trump]] during the 2016 election year, in which he told the future president, "We are here to deliver your message."<ref name="twsGuardian888">The Guardian, Jon Swaine, April 10, 2018, [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/apr/10/donald-trump-sinclair-david-smith-white-house-meeting?CMP=share_btn_fb Sinclair TV chairman to Trump: 'We are here to deliver your message': The rightwing broadcaster met Trump at the White House to pitch a potentially lucrative new product to officials], Retrieved April 10, 2018, "...an earlier meeting with Trump during the 2016 election campaign, where he told the future president: "We are here to deliver your message."..."</ref> 

In 2004, Sinclair's political slant was scrutinized by critics when it was publicized that nearly all of Sinclair's recent campaign contributions were to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. In particular, the [[Center for Public Integrity]] showed concern that the Republican slant of Sinclair's news programming, along with Mark Hyman's history of government lobbying, such as for the FCC to loosen rules regarding [[concentration of media ownership]]—a factor that has assisted in the company's growth,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/09/media/sinclair-trump-growth/index.html |title=Sinclair's influence grows, thanks to Trump |last=Byers |first=Dylan |date=May 9, 2017 |work=[[CNN Business]] |access-date=July 30, 2017}}</ref> made its stations provide "anything but fair and balanced news programming". Hyman disputed these allegations by stating that its newscasts were "pretty balanced" and that "the reason why some on the left have characterized us as conservative is that we run stories that others in the media spike".<ref name=lat-thrusts/><ref name=seattletimes-sinclair/>

In 2017, all Sinclair news-producing stations began inserting a waving [[Flag of the United States|American flag]] into the right corner of its [[lower third]] news graphics. This was observed by an media trade website as a potential reinforcement of the political slant of Sinclair.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2017/11/14/sinclair-america-flag-lower-thirds/?og=1|title=Sinclair mandate: Add American flag to news graphics|website=NewscastStudio|date=November 14, 2017 }}</ref> At times, Sinclair has disciplined hosts who have stepped over the line regarding propriety. For example, host Jamie Allman resigned from [[St. Louis]] ABC affiliate KDNL in 2018, after a comment he made on his now-canceled daily news/commentary show ''The Allman Report'', in which he said that he was "getting ready to ram a hot poker up [then-17-year-old [[Stoneman Douglas High School shooting|Parkland shooting]] survivor-turned-[[gun control]] activist] [[David Hogg]]'s ass".<ref name="twsCNN00776">{{cite news |work=CNN|first=Elliott C. |last=McLaughlin |date=April 10, 2018 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/10/us/sinclair-commentator-resigns-jamie-allman-david-hogg/index.html |title=Sinclair TV host resigns after making vulgar comment about Parkland student David Hogg |access-date=April 11, 2018 |quote=…getting ready to ram a hot poker up David Hogg's ass tomorrow…}}</ref>

Sinclair has faced scrutiny from some media critics, as well as some of its station employees, for the conservative slant of their stations' news reporting and other programming decisions, and how the company's rapid growth has aided the airing of content that supports these views.<ref name="wp-sinclairwjla" /><ref name="nyt-foxrival" /><ref name="bsun-antiwar" /> Sinclair has faced criticism over business practices that circumvent [[concentration of media ownership]] regulations, particularly the use of [[local marketing agreement]]s, accusations that the company had been currying favor with the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]] in order to loosen these rules<ref name=twsNPR404>David Folkenflik, April 3, 2018, NPR, [https://www.npr.org/2018/04/03/599077733/warm-relations-with-trump-appears-to-benefit-sinclair-broadcasting Warm Relations With Trump Appear To Benefit Sinclair Broadcasting], Retrieved April 3, 2018, "...company favors President Trump and that in exchange, the FCC has eased restrictions on its efforts at expansion..."</ref> and about its management lacking diversity and being totally controlled by a single family.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Rob|last1=Cox|date=April 4, 2018|title=Cox: Sinclair is more totalitarian than democratic|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-media-sinclair-ma-breakingviews/breakingviews-cox-sinclair-is-more-totalitarian-than-democratic-idUSKCN1HB25O|publisher=Reuters}}</ref> Critics, including former ''[[CBS Evening News]]'' anchor [[Dan Rather]], have described Sinclair's practices as being "an assault on our democracy" by disseminating what they perceive to be [[Orwellian]]-like propaganda to its local stations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/sinclair-broadcast-groups-outrageous-assault-on-our-democracy/|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group's Outrageous Assault on Our Democracy|last=Smith|first=Kyle|date=April 4, 2018|work=National Review|access-date=December 3, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=twsRawStory0077>Travys Gettys, April 2, 2018, Raw Story, [https://www.rawstory.com/2018/04/extremely-dangerous-democracy-msnbcs-joe-mika-shame-sinclair-anchors-reciting-pro-trump-propaganda/ 'Extremely dangerous to our democracy': MSNBC's Joe and Mika shame Sinclair anchors for reciting pro-Trump propaganda], Retrieved April 5, 2018, "...The "Morning Joe" hosts played a video montage showing anchors warning viewers ... "extremely dangerous to our democracy."..."</ref><ref name=twsStatesman1>Indiana Statesman, Joe Lippard, April 3, 2018, [https://www.isustudentmedia.com/indiana_statesman/opinion/article_e45d0e48-3787-11e8-8885-9fc3bd60b98e.html This is Extremely Dangerous to Our Democracy], Retrieved April 5, 2018, "...A video published by the website shows no less than 36 local news anchors reciting the exact same speech word for word...."</ref>

===Must-run segments===
Sinclair often mandates its stations to air specific reports, segments, programs and editorials, referred to as "must-runs". The company produces long-form programs airing weekends on its stations, including Armstrong Williams's weekly talk show ''The Right Side'', and the political/investigative journalism series ''[[Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-sinclair-promo-20180405-story.html |title=Backlash grows over Sinclair Broadcast Group's 'must-run' conservative content on local TV stations |date=April 5, 2018 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The "must-run" practice has been criticized by news staff at some of Sinclair's stations due to the viewpoints they propagate. In 1996, after CEO David Smith was arrested in a prostitution sting, he ordered Sinclair's Baltimore station [[WBFF]] to produce reports on a local drug counseling program as part of his community service sentence.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kolhatkar |first=Sheelah |title=The Growth of Sinclair's Conservative Media Empire |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |url-access=limited |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/22/the-growth-of-sinclairs-conservative-media-empire |date=October 15, 2018}}</ref> The order was criticized by WBFF reporter LuAnne Canipe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/2004/10/22/sinclair_6/ |title=Sleaze and smear at Sinclair |last=Boehlert |first=Eric |website=[[Salon.com]] |date=October 23, 2004 |access-date=July 30, 2017}}</ref> 

Following the [[September 11 attacks]], Sinclair ordered its stations to read editorials in support of President [[George W. Bush]]'s response to the attack. ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' reported that WBFF staff internally objected to the editorial, as they felt that the endorsement would "undermine public faith in their political objectivity". The station, however, complied with the mandate.<ref name="bsun-antiwar">{{cite news |title=Sinclair's TV program on Kerry is called illegal donation to Bush |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-10-12-0410120139-story.html |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=October 12, 2004 |access-date=May 9, 2017 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=nyt-foxrival>{{cite news |title=Fox's Unfamiliar but Powerful Television Rival: Sinclair |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/business/dealbook/sinclair-media-expansion-fox-conservative-media.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=May 9, 2017 |url-access=subscription |first1=Michael |last1=de la Merced |first2=Nicholas |last2=Fandos |date=May 3, 2017 }}</ref>

Newsroom employees of [[KOMO-TV]] in Seattle told ''The New York Times'' they felt the national pieces were low quality, and were too politically skewed for the city's progressive audience. One employee admitted they had tried to reduce their prominence by deliberately scheduling them during lesser-viewed portions of newscasts, such as around commercial breaks, in an act of [[malicious compliance]] with Sinclair's must-run rules.<ref name="wp-how"/><ref name="wp-sinclairwjla">{{cite news|title=Here's what happened the last time Sinclair bought a big-city station|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/heres-what-happened-the-last-time-sinclair-bought-a-big-city-station/2017/05/08/92433126-33f7-11e7-b4ee-434b6d506b37_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref><ref name="nyt-tiltright">{{cite news|title=Sinclair Requires TV Stations to Air Segments That Tilt to the Right|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/business/media/sinclair-broadcast-komo-conservative-media.html|website=The New York Times|date=May 13, 2017|access-date=May 13, 2017|last1=Ember|first1=Sydney}}</ref> However, in March 2018, KOMO aired a must-run segment during prime time about some Americans' belief in the existence of a [[deep state in the United States|deep state]] in the federal government, a concept Trump has blamed for undermining his presidency.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/Sinclair-must-run-segments-Seattle-KOMO-12773700.php|title=Right-leaning Sinclair segments airing during Seattle newscasts|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|access-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>

In April 2017, Sinclair announced it had hired [[Boris Epshteyn]], who was briefly the [[White House]] assistant communications director for surrogate operations for the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]], and a senior advisor of [[Donald Trump]]'s presidential campaign, as chief political analyst.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/trump-spokesman-boris-epshteyn-sinclair-broadcast-group-1202032200/|title=Trump Spokesman Boris Epshteyn Joins Sinclair Broadcast Group as Political Analyst|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=April 17, 2017|work=Variety|access-date=July 30, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> All Sinclair stations were required to air Ephsteyn's commentary, ''Bottom Line with Boris'' nine times per week.<ref name="Sinclair political analyst">{{cite magazine |url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/sinclair-orders-stations-to-air-more-pro-trump-commentary.html |title=Sinclair Orders Stations to Air Commentary From Ex-Trump Aide |magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |access-date=March 8, 2018 |first=Eric |last=Levitz |date=July 10, 2017 }}</ref>

In July 2017, the [[HBO]] news satire program ''[[Last Week Tonight with John Oliver|Last Week Tonight]]'' devoted a segment to discussing Sinclair's editorial practices, in which host [[John Oliver]] presented clips of various anchors from stations run by the company, using an identical script describing the FBI as having a "personal vendetta" against [[Michael Flynn]], clips of Mark Hyman editorials, in which he compared multiculturalism and political correctness to a cancer epidemic, and stated that marriage was a solution to domestic abuse, and joked that the "Terrorism Alert Desk" segments defined terrorism as "anything a Muslim does". Oliver felt that it was inappropriate for local newscasts to advance political positions.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/john-oliver-blasts-sinclair-forcing-local-tv-speech-false-news-2018-4 |title=John Oliver blasts Sinclair for making local TV news anchors recite a speech about 'false news' like 'members of a brainwashed cult' |first=John |last=Lynch |work=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> 

Oliver pointed out, as an example, the fact that Sinclair's ''Terrorism Alert Desk'' reported in 2016 that [[Islamic State]] militia in [[Iraq]] had killed nine youth by slashing them in half with [[chainsaw]]s. Such news originated from an anonymous-sourced report published by ''[[Iraqi News]]'', lacking any confirmation from independent outlets and was treated with extreme caution even by British tabloids such as the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' and by far-right website ''[[Breitbart News]]'', leading Oliver to ironically remark that he did not know it was possible to "dip beneath the journalistic standards of ''Breitbart''".<ref name=":3" />

The must-run segments usually only apply to those stations that have their own news department. For Sinclair stations where the newscast is operated by an external newsroom, the contracts generally forbid Sinclair from interfering with editorial control.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://buffalonews.com/2018/04/12/sinclair-controversy-makes-brief-stop-in-buffalo-but-is-less-relevant-here/|title=Sinclair controversy makes brief stop in Buffalo but is less relevant here|first=Alan|last=Pergament|date=April 12, 2018|newspaper=The Buffalo News|access-date=April 12, 2018}}</ref> On December 11, 2019, it was reported that Sinclair had dropped Epshteyn's commentary segments, with plans to encourage stations to prioritize local investigative journalism and coverage of the [[2020 U.S. presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/sinclair-drops-boris-epshteyn-other-political-analysts-n1099796 |title=Sinclair drops Boris Epshteyn and other political analysts |work=[[NBC News]] |access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>

In June 2024, dozens of Sinclair local newscast anchors delivered an identical or nearly identical introduction to a recorded story by a Sinclair national correspondent. The story related to a recent ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' article that called into question the mental acuity of Democratic president and reelection candidate [[Joe Biden]]. The Sinclair report did not mention that the ''Journal'' story had been criticized by prominent media critics for alleged lack of balance in its sourcing, including its heavy reliance on anonymous Republican sources.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gilmour |first1=David |title=Stunning Supercut Shows Sinclair Stations' Collective Push Of Controversial WSJ Report On Biden's Mental Fitness |url=https://www.mediaite.com/news/supercut-shows-sinclair-stations-collective-push-of-controversial-wsj-report-attacking-bidens-mental-fitness/ |publisher=[[Mediaite]] |date=June 12, 2024}}</ref>

===''Nightline'' reading of the names===
In April 2004, ABC broadcast a special episode of ''[[Nightline]]'' where host [[Ted Koppel]] listed the names of soldiers killed in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion]] and subsequent [[History of Iraq (2003–11)|occupation]] of [[Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2004/tv/news/inside-move-nightline-becomes-the-fallen-1117903911/|title=Inside Move: 'Nightline' becomes 'The Fallen'|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|date=April 28, 2004|work=Variety|access-date=August 9, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Sinclair ordered its seven ABC affiliates not to air the episode. The company claimed the broadcast "[appeared] to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq", and undermined a then-ongoing effort by its Washington bureau to report on positive, "untold" stories from Iraq under occupation that were being ignored by mainstream media outlets.<ref name="bsun-sinclairiraq">{{cite news |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/01/30/sinclair-crew-to-cover-iraq/ |title=Sinclair crew to cover Iraq |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |access-date=May 9, 2017 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="bsun-sinclairiraqreport">{{cite news |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/02/18/in-iraq-going-for-the-upbeat/ |title=In Iraq, going for the upbeat |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |access-date=May 9, 2017 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="nyt-foxrival" />  ABC stated that the segment was meant to be "an expression of respect which seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country".<ref name=seattletimes-sinclair>{{cite news |title=Sinclair known for conservative political tilt |date=April 12, 2013 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/sinclair-known-for-conservative-political-tilt/ |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |access-date=April 12, 2013 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=ap-nightline>{{cite news |title=Names of U.S. war dead read on 'Nightline'|url=http://www.today.com/id/4864247/ns/today-entertainment/#.UWeoKNzrz-U |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[NBC News]] |access-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref>

===''Stolen Honor'' documentary===
In October 2004, just two weeks prior to the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]], it was reported that all 62 of Sinclair's stations would preempt [[prime time]] programming to air ''[[Stolen Honor|Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal]]'', a documentary critical of U.S. presidential candidate [[John Kerry]]'s anti-[[Vietnam War]] activism.<ref name="cnn-stolenhonor">{{cite news|title=Sinclair under fire for Kerry film|url=https://money.cnn.com/2004/10/12/news/newsmakers/sinclair_kerry/|author=Katie Benner|work=CNN|date=October 12, 2004}}</ref> The film was produced by [[Carlton Sherwood]], a former associate of [[Tom Ridge]], and accused Kerry of prolonging the Vietnam War because of his [[anti-war]] [[activism]]. The organization [[Swift Boat Veterans for Truth]], an anti-Kerry organization in the 2004 election year, was cross-promoting the film as part of a $1.4 million advertising campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtondispatch.com/culture/archives/000649.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041015043711/http://www.washingtondispatch.com/culture/archives/000649.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 15, 2004 |work=Washington Dispatch |access-date=January 4, 2014 |title=Backlash Begins against Sinclair Broadcasting}}{{unreliable source?|date=April 2018}}</ref> 

In response, the [[Democratic National Committee]] filed a legal motion with the [[Federal Election Commission]] stating that it is inappropriate for the media organization to air "partisan propaganda" in the last 10 days of an election campaign.<ref name=dnc-sinclair>{{cite web|title=DNC News: Sinclair Broadcasting Group|url=http://www.democrats.org/news/200410110001.html|publisher=[[Democratic National Committee]]|date=October 11, 2004|access-date=April 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041029082321/http://www.democrats.org/news/200410110001.html|archive-date=October 29, 2004}}</ref> As this controversy made the news, with a number of Sinclair advertisers pulling their ads and Sinclair stock dropping 17% in eleven days,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_02/b3915645.htm?campaign_id=yahoo_bestmgrs05|title=David Smith|date=January 10, 2005|work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513234316/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_02/b3915645.htm?campaign_id=yahoo_bestmgrs05|archive-date=May 13, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sinclair announced that it had never intended to air ''Stolen Honor'' in an hour slot in the first place, indicating that it might instead show clips of the video in a discussion panel format. Ultimately, Sinclair did not broadcast any such show. Following the incident, Sinclair fired its Washington bureau chief [[Jon Lieberman]] for publicly criticizing the film in ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' as "biased political propaganda".<ref name=cnn-sinclairfired>{{cite news|title=Sinclair fires reporter for criticizing anti-Kerry program|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/19/sinclair.kerry/|work=[[CNN]]|date=October 19, 2004|access-date=April 13, 2013}}</ref>

===''Breaking Point'' infomercial===
In November 2010, it was reported that five Fox affiliates and one ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair broadcast an [[infomercial]] critical of then-President [[Barack Obama]], ''Breaking Point: 25 Minutes that will Change America'', which was sponsored by the [[National Republican Trust Political Action Group]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Breaking Point: 25 Milutes that will Change America |url=http://nationalrepublicantrust.com/25_minutes_Breaking_Point.html |work=National Republican Trust |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116085112/http://nationalrepublicantrust.com/25_minutes_Breaking_Point.html |archive-date=November 16, 2013 }}</ref> The infomercial painted Obama as an extremist, and claimed that, during the 2008 presidential campaign, he received some campaign money from the [[Hamas]] terrorist group, and that Obama said in a speech, "You want freedom? You're gonna have to kill some crackers! You gonna have to kill some of those babies."<ref name="auto3">{{cite news|title=Fox affiliates run infomercial in swing states suggesting Obama funded by Hamas, wants to 'kill some crackers'|url=http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/01/fox-affiliates-run-ad-tying-obama-kill-crackers-rhetoric/|work=The Raw Story|date=November 1, 2010|access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite news|title='Kill Some Crackers': GOP Group Pays Fox Affiliates To Influence Election With Anti-Obama Propaganda|url=http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/11/01/127479/breaking-point-infomerical/|work=ThinkProgress|date=November 1, 2010}}</ref>

The special discussed Obama advisers [[Van Jones]] and [[John Holdren]], as well as Obama staff [[Anita Dunn]], [[Kevin Jennings]], [[Carol Browner]] and [[Cass Sunstein]] – all in an unflattering light. In one case, the special claimed that Holdren said that trees should be permitted to sue humans in court. The infomercial aired at various times during the weekend of October 30, 2010, on Sinclair-owned stations in [[WMSN-TV|Madison]], [[KBSI (TV)|Cape Girardeau]], [[WDKY-TV|Lexington]], [[WPGH-TV|Pittsburgh]], [[KDSM-TV|Des Moines]], and [[WXLV-TV|Winston-Salem]] – all in [[swing state]]s vital to the [[United States elections, 2010|2010 elections]].<ref name="auto3"/><ref name="auto1"/>

===2012 pre-election special===
On November 5, 2012, six Sinclair stations in swing states aired a special focusing on issues surrounding the [[2012 United States presidential election|presidential election]] occurring the next day, such as the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan civil war]] and [[Health care reform in the United States|health care reform]]; the special consisted of a series of segments which were presented by the local anchors at each station. While scheduling of the special was at the discretion of each station, Columbus, Ohio ABC affiliate [[WSYX]] pre-empted both ''[[ABC World News Tonight|ABC World News]]'' and ''Nightline'' to air it.<ref name=tvnc-2012special/> The special was met with controversy for showing a bias against Obama and focusing little on Republican candidate [[Mitt Romney]], as opposed to showcasing both candidates equally. A Sinclair staff member disputed these claims, stating that "no one is disputing the facts of the stories that aired in the special", and that its decision on which markets to air the special was influenced by their "news value" and resonation with the public.<ref name=tvnc-2012special>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Rejects Criticism Of Election |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/63412/sinclair-rejects-criticism-of-election-specials |last=Marzsalek |first=Diana |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=April 13, 2013}}</ref>

===Coverage during the 2016 presidential election campaign===
On December 16, 2016, [[Jared Kushner]], son-in-law of then-President-elect [[Donald Trump]], stated that he had reached deals with Sinclair to give the company extended access to the Trump campaign, in exchange for airing, without further commentary, interviews with the Republican Party candidate on its stations, which Kushner said had a better reach than cable networks such as [[CNN]].<ref name="kushner-sinclair">{{cite news |last1=Dawsy |first1=Josh |last2=Gold |first2=Hadas |title=Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for straighter coverage |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-campaign-sinclair-broadcasting-jared-kushner-232764 |work=[[Politico]] |date=December 16, 2016 |access-date=April 21, 2017}}</ref> 

Sinclair VP of news Scott Livingston stated that the company wanted to "give all candidates an opportunity to voice their position and share their position with our viewers", as part of an effort towards "tracking the truth and telling the truth" and allowing Trump to "clearly state his position on the key issues". He stated that Sinclair had made similar offers to the [[Hillary Clinton]] campaign. Clinton did not accept offers to do interviews with Sinclair, according to Livingston, though her running mate, [[Tim Kaine]], did. A spokesperson for the Trump campaign stated that the deal did not involve monetary compensation, and that it had attempted to make similar deals with other local station groups such as [[Hearst Television]].<ref name="kushner-sinclair"/>

A December 22, 2016 ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' review of Sinclair's internal documents, as well as reviews of the newscasts and public affairs programming on the company's stations, revealed that more broadcast time was given to favorable or neutral coverage of Trump's campaign than to other candidates in the primary and general election campaigns of 2016. The coverage included distribution of reports favorable to Trump's campaign or challenging to Clinton's on a "must-run" basis, as well as Sinclair managers offering local reporters and anchors questions of "national importance" to use in interviews with candidates, a common company practice, according to Livingston, so that other Sinclair stations can share the content.<ref name="wp-how">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-that-nations-largest-owner-of-tv-stations-helped-donald-trumps-campaign/2016/12/22/02924864-c7af-11e6-8bee-54e800ef2a63_story.html|title=How the nation's largest owner of TV stations helped Donald Trump's campaign|last=Farhi|first=Paul|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 22, 2016|access-date=June 17, 2017}}</ref>

In May 2017, in response to Sinclair's announced intent to acquire Tribune Media, Craig Aaron, president/CEO of media advocacy group [[Free Press (advocacy group)|Free Press]], accused Sinclair of [[quid pro quo|currying favor]] with the Trump administration through the interview arrangement with Trump, the group's February hiring of former Trump campaign aide [[Boris Epshteyn]] as a political analyst, and executive chair David Smith's meetings with then-FCC commissioner Ajit Pai prior to his appointment as the agency's chair in exchange for deregulating media ownership rules to allow the company to expand its broadcasting portfolio.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|title=Sinclair Is Said to Be Near a Deal to Buy Tribune Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/07/business/dealbook/sinclair-is-said-to-be-near-a-deal-for-tribune-media.html|last=Merced|first=Michael|work=The New York Times|date=May 7, 2017|access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus debt |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-tribune-sinclair-20170508-story.html |last=Battaglio |first=Stephen |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sinclair-tribune-merger-station-group-1202416416/ |title=Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name="valleytribune-sinclairtribune">{{cite news |title=Sinclair buying Tribune Media Co. raises anti-trust, freedom of speech concerns, experts say |url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2017/05/08/sinclair-buying-tribune-media-co-raises-anti-trust-freedom-of-speech-concerns-experts-say/ |last=Smith |first=Kevin |newspaper=[[San Gabriel Valley Tribune]] |date=May 8, 2017 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name=variety-sinclairtribunescrutiny/>

==={{Anchor|boycott}}2018 journalistic responsibility promos===
In March 2018, [[CNN]] chief media analyst [[Brian Stelter]] obtained an internal memorandum sent by Sinclair, which dictated that its stations must produce and broadcast an "anchor-delivered journalistic responsibility message" using a mandated script. The promos contain language decrying "biased and false news", and accusing unnamed mainstream media figures of bias.<ref name="cnn rankle" /> Stelter stated that the script is written to sound like the opinion of the local anchors, despite the text being in fact a mandate from corporate management.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |title=Sinclair responds to criticism of media-bashing promos |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/02/media/sinclair-promo-reactions-president-trump/index.html |access-date=April 3, 2018 |work=CNNMoney |date=April 2, 2018 }}</ref> At least 66 Sinclair-owned stations produced their own version of the message, with the first being aired on March 23, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2018/04/02/here-are-66-local-news-stations-airing-sinclair-s-brainwashing-anti-media-promo/219812 |title=Here are 66 local news stations airing Sinclair's brainwashing anti-media promo |date=April 2, 2018 |work=Media Matters for America |access-date=April 2, 2018 |language=en |first=Pam |last=Vogel}}</ref> Sinclair-owned [[WMSN-TV]] refused to air the message, although its news is produced by [[Morgan Murphy Media]]-owned [[WISC-TV]].<ref name= anapol>{{cite news |last=Anapol |first=Avery |date=April 2, 2018 |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/381352-sinclair-owned-tv-station-chooses-not-to-air-media-bias-promo/ |title=Sinclair-owned TV station chooses not to air media bias promo |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref>

The promos began to receive mainstream media attention after the sports blog ''[[Deadspin]]'', as well as ''[[ThinkProgress]]'', posted video compilations featuring all of the promos being played simultaneously. The promos have been criticized as in regard to the greater political context of "[[Fake news#United States|fake news]]" in the media for media bashing, comparing it to the rhetoric of Donald Trump in regard to these topics.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ktla.com/2018/04/01/sinclair-broadcasting-tells-stations-to-air-media-bashing-promos-and-criticism-goes-viral/ |title=Sinclair Tells Stations to Air Media-Bashing Promos – and Criticism Goes Viral |date=April 2, 2018 |publisher=KTLA |agency=CNN |access-date=April 2, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/as-sinclairs-sound-alike-anchors-draw-criticism-for-fake-news-promos-trump-praises-broadcaster/2018/04/02/a1be67e8-367a-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html |title=As Sinclair's sound-alike anchors draw criticism for 'fake news' promos, Trump praises broadcaster |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=April 2, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=April 2, 2018 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Sinclair maintains that its "must-runs" are standard procedure, often covering a wide variety of issues such as news updates regarding terrorism and other public matters on which the company has an opinion while remaining "committed to reporting the facts".<ref name=Fortin20180402>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/business/media/sinclair-news-anchors-script.html|title=Sinclair Made Dozens of Local News Anchors Recite the Same Script |last1=Fortin|first1=Jacey|date=April 2, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 2, 2018|last2=Bromwich|first2=Jonah Engel|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> After the compilations went [[viral video|viral]], Trump responded to the promos on April 2, 2018, defending the company as being "far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke".<ref name="cnn rankle">{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/07/media/sinclair-broadcasting-promos-media-bashing/index.html |title=Sinclair's new media-bashing promos rankle local anchors |last=Stelter |first=Brian |work=CNNMoney |access-date=March 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2018/03/08/sinclair-media-group-fake-news/|title=Sinclair TV Group Requires Local News Anchors to Echo President Trump in Bashing 'Fake News'|work=Fortune|access-date=March 13, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Fortin20180402 />

The instructions for the mandated promos tell an/the anchor(s) to state:<ref name="cnn rankle" />

<blockquote>I'm/We're extremely proud of the quality, balanced journalism that [proper news brand name of local station] produces. But I'm/We're concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media. More alarming, national media outlets are publishing these same fake stories without checking facts first. Unfortunately, some members of the national media are using their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control 'exactly what people think.' This is extremely dangerous to our democracy... We understand Truth is neither politically 'left or right.' Our commitment to factual reporting is the foundation of our credibility, now more than ever.</blockquote>

On April 2, 2018, Sinclair Broadcast Group released a statement on their website in response to what it called "unfounded media criticism".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sbgi.net/pr-news/sinclair-responds-to-unfounded-media-criticism/|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group|access-date=April 6, 2018|title=Sinclair Responds to Unfounded Media Criticism &#124;|date=April 2, 2018 }}</ref> The statement cited a [[Monmouth University]] poll that found large majorities of Americans believe that traditional news media outlets report fake news.<ref>{{cite web |title='Fake News' Threat to Media; Editorial Decisions, Outside Actors at Fault |date=April 2, 2018 |url=https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_us_040218 |publisher=Monmouth University Polling Institute |access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> Sinclair maintains that the promos "served no political agenda". Sinclair responded by posting a video on its website that attacked CNN for "dishonesty and hypocrisy" in their coverage of the Sinclair must-run promo; Sinclair equated Stelter's warnings about "fake news" as similar to Sinclair's warnings in its must-run promo.<ref name=twsWashPost01010>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |first=Paul |last=Farhi |date=April 10, 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/sinclair-attacks-cnn-with-video-alleging-hypocrisy-in-fake-news-debate/2018/04/10/d071a2de-3cf7-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html |title=Sinclair attacks CNN with video alleging 'hypocrisy' in 'fake news' debate |access-date=April 11, 2018 }}</ref>

Several outlets called for an advertiser boycott of Sinclair-owned stations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://slate.com/business/2018/04/public-shaming-isnt-enough-to-stop-sinclair-broadcast-group.html|title=Public Shaming Isn't Enough to Stop Sinclair's Conservative Local News Empire|last=Glaser|first=April|date=April 2, 2018|work=Slate Magazine|access-date=April 4, 2018|language=en}}</ref> A report in ''[[Advertising Age]]'' magazine suggested that a boycott would not be easy, since it involves users first identifying the station as a Sinclair station, and then figuring out which advertisers are putting commercials on that station, and then discouraging those advertisers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://adage.com/article/media/a-sinclair-broadcasting-ad-boycott-easy/312953/|title=A Sinclair Broadcast ad boycott wouldn't be easy|last=Poggi|first=Jeanine|date=April 2, 2018|work=AdAge|access-date=April 8, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Professional wrestler [[David Starr (wrestler)|David Starr]] has criticized the company due to [[Ring of Honor]] holding an event in Israel where Starr was involved in a match against [[Jay Lethal]] and [[Matt Sydal]] on April 21, 2019, amid a fan [[Boycotts of Israel in sports|boycott]]. The video was removed due to allegations of antisemitism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrestletalk.com/news/roh-announce-world-title-match-in-israel-to-fan-backlash/|title=ROH Announce World Title Match In Israel To Fan Backlash|first=Josh|last=Howey|date=February 22, 2019|website=WrestleTalk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/international/wrestler-starr-slams-sinclair-in-politically-charged-promo-removes-it-584123/amp|title=Jewish wrestler slams 'Fascist' Sinclair in promo, gets censored|website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailyddt.com/2019/06/24/david-starr-theyve-compared-multiculturalism-to-a-cancer-epidemic/|title=David Starr: "...they've compared multiculturalism to a cancer epidemic."|website=dailyddt.com|date=June 24, 2019 }}</ref>

===Judy Mikovits interview===
In July 2020, Sinclair Broadcast Group scheduled to air an interview of ''[[Plandemic]]'' creator [[Judy Mikovits]] and her lawyer [[Larry Klayman]], conducted by [[Eric Bolling]] on the ''America This Week'' show. During the interview, Mikovits was introduced by Bolling as an "expert in virology". She put forth a baseless claim that American health official [[Anthony Fauci]] created the COVID-19 virus and sent it to China. Bolling did not argue against Mikovits' allegation or fact-check it on-air, although he claimed that he had argued against Mikovits by calling her allegation "hefty". Sinclair Broadcast Group distributed the interview to its local stations, and released the interview online, with the on-screen graphic "Did Dr. Fauci create COVID-19?" After media reports about the Mikovits interview emerged, Sinclair received substantial criticism, resulting in Sinclair canceling its broadcast and removing the interview from Sinclair-affiliated websites.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Darcy |first1=Oliver |title=Local TV stations across the country set to air discredited 'Plandemic' researcher's conspiracy theory about Fauci |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/24/media/sinclair-fauci-conspiracy-bolling/index.html |access-date=July 26, 2020 |work=[[CNN Business]] |date=July 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bauder |first1=David |title=Sinclair pulls show where Fauci conspiracy theory is aired |url=https://apnews.com/d49a45e68eebaf5f021b685142530819 |access-date=July 26, 2020 |work=Associated Press |date=July 25, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kornfield |first1=Meryl |title=Sinclair TV stations delay airing interview with 'Plandemic' researcher amid backlash |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/07/25/sinclair-tv-stations-delay-airing-interview-with-plandemic-researcher-amid-backlash/ |access-date=July 26, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 26, 2020}}</ref>

===Arctic Frost===
In early October 2025, Sinclair National Desk released articles concerning ''Arctic Frost'' which allegedly was a surveillance program during the Biden administration.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Ray |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/01/why-was-fbi-conducting-surveillance-on-a-pennsylvania-congressman-in-2022/ |title=Why was FBI conducting surveillance on a Pennsylvania congressman in 2022? |work=Sinclair National Desk |via=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=1 October 2025 |access-date=7 October 2025 |archive-date=1 October 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20251001194522/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/01/why-was-fbi-conducting-surveillance-on-a-pennsylvania-congressman-in-2022/}} On September 20, 2025, [https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/09/20/fbi-arctic-frost-charlie-kirk/ Snopes released an article about FBI surviellance efforts concerning "Arctic Frost"] following the January 6, 2021, Capitol Riots.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Tedesco |first=Maria |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/07/grassley-says-bidens-fbi-spied-on-gop-senators-calls-it-worse-than-watergate/ |title=Grassley says Biden’s FBI spied on GOP senators, calls it worse than Watergate |work=Sinclair National Desk |via=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=7 October 2025 |access-date=7 October 2025 |archive-date=7 October 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20251007152527/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/07/grassley-says-bidens-fbi-spied-on-gop-senators-calls-it-worse-than-watergate/}}</ref>

==Retransmission disputes==
{{See also|Carriage dispute}}

===Suddenlink===
In the summer of 2006, [[Charter Communications]] streamlined its operations, which included selling off portions of the cable system's service franchises that it considered to be "geographically non-strategic". Charter's [[Huntington, West Virginia|Huntington]]-[[Charleston, West Virginia]] franchise was purchased by [[Suddenlink Communications]]. Sinclair requested a $40 million one-time fee, and a $1-per subscription per month fee from Suddenlink for retransmission rights of both ABC affiliate [[WCHS-TV]] and Fox affiliate [[WVAH-TV]] on the Suddenlink cable system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://multichannel.com/article/CA6349903.html|title=Suddenlink, Sinclair in Retrans Clash|last=Farrell|first=Mike|work=Multichannel News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914125657/http://multichannel.com/article/CA6349903.html|archive-date=September 14, 2007}}</ref> This led to a protracted media battle and smear campaign between the two companies, and Sinclair pulled the two stations off of Charter's systems in the neighboring [[Beckley, West Virginia]] market.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} After several weeks of negotiations, the two companies reached an agreement which allowed WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV to continue transmission over the Suddenlink cable system. The terms of the agreement were not released to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6361496.html|title=Suddenlink, Sinclair Seattle Retrans Flap|last=Farrell|first=Mike|work=Multichannel News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415032843/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6361496.html|archive-date=April 15, 2008}}</ref>

===Mediacom===
[[Mediacom]] filed an [[antitrust]] lawsuit against Sinclair in October 2006, claiming that the group insisted on blanket carriage of 22 Sinclair-owned/managed stations across Mediacom-operated service areas, where Sinclair operates a television station regardless of market differences. The District Court for the Southern District of [[Iowa]] denied Mediacom's injunction motion on October 24. The cable provider filed an appeal to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit]], but dropped the request on December 13. Sinclair's [[must-carry#Retransmission consent|retransmission]] agreement with Mediacom was originally set to expire on December 1, 2006, but the group later extended the deadline to January 5, 2007.<ref name="auto2">{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Nuckols |date=January 6, 2007 |title=Mediacom May Lose 22 Sinclair Stations |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/05/AR2007010502143.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] }}</ref>

Despite the extension, the two sides remained at an [[impasse]] over how much money Mediacom should pay Sinclair for carriage of its stations. On January 4, the Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau denied Mediacom's complaint, stating that Sinclair failed to negotiate with Mediacom in good faith. After failing to respond to Mediacom's offer to take the dispute to binding [[arbitration]] before the deadline, Sinclair pulled all 22 stations from Mediacom's lineups shortly after midnight on January 6.<ref name="auto2"/>

Despite a plea from Iowa's [[United States Congress|Congressional]] delegation urging the two sides to submit to binding arbitration, Sinclair rejected the plea on January 11.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6407035.html?display=Breaking+News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415032857/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6407035.html?display=Breaking+News|title=Multichannel.com|archive-date=April 15, 2008}}</ref> The two sides discussed the dispute in front of Iowa lawmakers on January 23.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/BUSINESS/701240359/1029/BUSINESS |title=Des Moines Register |newspaper=[[The Des Moines Register]] |access-date=January 4, 2014}}{{Dead link|date=January 2014}}</ref> On January 30, 2007, Senators [[Daniel Inouye]], chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation|Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation]] and Ranking Member [[Ted Stevens]] signed a letter addressed to FCC chairman [[Kevin Martin (FCC)|Kevin Martin]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Telegraph Herald]]|location=[[Dubuque, Iowa]]|volume=171|number=32|page=1|date=February 1, 2007}}</ref> 

The impasse ended on February 2 when Mediacom announced that it had reached a retransmission agreement with Sinclair for undisclosed terms. All 22 stations were restored to Mediacom systems shortly after the agreement was announced.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mediacom and Sinclair Make a Deal |website=cable360.net |url=http://www.cable360.net/competition/broadcast/21913.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720183049/http://www.cable360.net/competition/broadcast/21913.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |author=Shirley Brady |date=February 2, 2007 |access-date=January 4, 2014 }}</ref> Mediacom lost 14,000 subscribers during the last quarter of 2006 and an additional 18,000 subscribers during the first quarter of 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mediacom Loses Customers During Dispute |url=http://www.kcci.com/money/13260018/detail.html |work=[[KCCI]] |publisher=[[Hearst Television]] |date=May 4, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207224756/http://www.kcci.com/money/13260018/detail.html |archive-date=February 7, 2012 }}</ref>

In December 2009, Sinclair announced that it would pull all of its stations from Mediacom systems for the second time in three years if a new carriage agreement was not reached by midnight on December 31. The impasse had threatened coverage of the January 5 [[Orange Bowl]] in Iowa, where the [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Hawkeyes]] played, and the January 7, [[2010 BCS National Championship Game]] in [[Alabama]]. Mediacom and lawmakers from Iowa and Alabama asked the FCC to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/content/legislators-ask-fcc-intervene-sinclair-mediacom-dispute|title=Legislators Ask FCC To Intervene In Sinclair-Mediacom Dispute|last=Eggerton|first=John|work=Multichannel News|date=December 22, 2009|access-date=December 22, 2009}}</ref> On December 31, Mediacom and Sinclair agreed to an eight-day extension of the retransmission agreement that permitted Sinclair's stations to remain on Mediacom until January 8.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair, Mediacom Extend Retrans Talks |url=http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/local-broadcast/e3i6ad645d17ccf55b7b432711bfd0eddb6 |author=Katy Bachman |work=Mediaweek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104215733/http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/local-broadcast/e3i6ad645d17ccf55b7b432711bfd0eddb6 |archive-date=January 4, 2010 }}</ref> Both sides reached a one-year retransmission agreement on January 7, one day before the interim agreement was set to expire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/content/updated-mediacom-reaches-retrans-agreement-sinclair|title=Mediacom Reaches Retrans Agreement With Sinclair|last=Farrell|first=Mike|work=Multichannel News|date=January 7, 2010|access-date=January 7, 2010}}</ref>

===Time Warner Cable===
Sinclair was involved with retransmission negotiations with [[Time Warner Cable]] at the same time as the Mediacom dispute in 2006 and 2007. The two sides reached an agreement on January 19, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408756.html?display=Breaking+News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415032902/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408756.html?display=Breaking+News|title=Mulichannel.com|archive-date=April 15, 2008}}</ref> In November 2010, Sinclair announced that it would pull 33 of its stations in 21 cities from Time Warner Cable on January 1, 2011, if the two parties did not come to an agreement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Here We Go Again: Sinclair Threatens Time Warner Cable Subs With Loss of 33 Stations in 21 Cities |url=http://stopthecap.com/2010/11/11/here-we-go-again-sinclair-threatens-time-warner-cable-subs-with-loss-of-33-stations-in-21-cities/ |website=stopthecap.com |date=November 11, 2010 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref> The deadline was extended to January 14, 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair, cable talks extended to Jan. 14 |url=http://www.pressherald.com/news/sinclair-cable-talks-extended-to-jan_-14_2011-01-01.html |newspaper=[[Portland Press Herald]] |date=January 1, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref> Regardless of the outcome, Time Warner Cable was obligated to carry Fox network programming on its systems due to a deal reached with the network earlier in 2010. The agreement did not extend to syndicated and locally produced programs on Sinclair's Fox affiliates.<ref>{{cite news|title=Time Warner Cable may be able to outFox Sinclair |url=http://www.rbr.com/tv-cable/time-warner-cable-may-be-able-to-outfox-sinclair.html |work=Radio and Television Business Report |date=December 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208073051/http://www.rbr.com/tv-cable/time-warner-cable-may-be-able-to-outfox-sinclair.html |archive-date=December 8, 2011 }}</ref> The two companies reached an agreement on January 15, 2011, shortly after the deadline was extended by another 24 hours.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Time Warner Cable, Sinclair Ink Retrans Pact |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/time-warner-cable-sinclair-ink-retrans-pact/42691 |author=Michael Reynolds |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=January 15, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref>

===Comcast===
In a January 5, 2007, article, ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'' reported that Sinclair might pull 30 stations from [[Comcast]] systems after its retransmission agreement was slated to expire on February 5.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6404747.html |title=Sinclair Could Pull 30 Stations Off Comcast |last=Becker |first=Ann |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415042635/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6404747.html |archive-date=April 15, 2008}}</ref> Comcast was granted an extension to March 1,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6412272.html?display=Breaking+News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415032907/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6412272.html?display=Breaking+News|title=Multichannel.com|archive-date=April 15, 2008}}</ref><ref>http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-02282007-1306304.html {{Dead link|date=January 2014}}</ref> and again to March 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/|title=Yahoo Finance - Stock Market Live, Quotes, Business & Finance News|website=finance.yahoo.com}}</ref> Comcast stated that it would not pay cash for retransmission rights, but was willing to barter, for example, promoting Sinclair stations on cable channels carried by Comcast devoid of any advertising payments by the company.<ref>{{cite news|title=Comcast nixes cash-only compensation for TV retransmission rights|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/comcast-nixes-cash-only-compensation-for-tv-retransmission-rights|work=[[MarketWatch]]|access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref> On March 9, Comcast and Sinclair jointly announced a four-year deal for retransmission rights, expiring on March 1, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070316044039/http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070309/clf119.html?.v=8|url-status=dead|title=Yahoo Finance - Stock Market Live, Quotes, Business & Finance News|archivedate=March 16, 2007|website=finance.yahoo.com}}</ref> Sinclair and Comcast came to a new agreement for continued carriage on March 3, 2011; this agreement was negotiated without any public statements or announcements.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair reaches tentative agreement with Comcast |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/03/03/sinclair-reaches-tentative-agreement-with-comcast/ |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=March 3, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair, Comcast beat FCC clock, quietly sign retrans deal |url=http://www.fiercecable.com/story/sinclair-comcast-beat-fcc-clock-quietly-sign-retrans-deal/2011-03-04 |author=Jim Barthold |publisher=FierceCable |date=March 4, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref>

===Dish Network===
[[Dish Network]]'s retransmission agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group was slated to expire on August 13, 2012. If an agreement had not reached by that time, 74 Sinclair stations would have been blacked out, including the affiliates of three of the major networks. A representative for Dish Network stated that Sinclair is "seeking a massive price increase that would force Dish to pay more to carry Sinclair's stations than it pays to any other broadcaster". A Sinclair representative, meanwhile, stated that it "believes significant doubt exists as to whether or not a new agreement will be reached with Dish". Dish Network subsequently set up its own website regarding the dispute.<ref name="dishnetwork">{{cite news |title=TV blackout threatened in station-provider dispute |url=http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_6b4bfd54-e61e-11e1-8cf8-001a4bcf887a.html |newspaper=[[The Daily News (Batavia)|The Daily News]] |date=August 2012 |access-date=January 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817043128/http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_6b4bfd54-e61e-11e1-8cf8-001a4bcf887a.html |archive-date=August 17, 2012 }}</ref> Dish and Sinclair came to an agreement on August 16, averting the removal of its any of the group's stations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Stations Remain On Dish Network After They Reach Carriage Agreement |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2012/08/dish-network-sinclair-retransmission-agreement-320095/ |date=August 16, 2012 |access-date=February 4, 2014}}</ref> On August 25, 2015, ten days after the 2012 retransmission agreement had expired, Dish customers lost access to 129 Sinclair stations, resulting in the largest local television blackout in history.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dish Loses 129 Sinclair Stations in Biggest TV Blackout Ever |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://www.variety.com/2015/biz/news/dish-sinclair-tv-blackout-1201578634 |date=August 26, 2015 |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref>

===DirecTV===
DirecTV's retransmission agreement with Sinclair was slated to expire on February 28, 2013. If an agreement had not been reached by that date, 87 Sinclair stations would have been blacked out by the satellite provider. Representatives for Sinclair noted that they "...have been negotiating for quite some time in an effort to reach a new agreement, at this time it does not appear that these efforts will be successful. Although Sinclair does not believe that it is constructive to negotiate its private business relationships in public, Sinclair is informing the public in advance of the end of carriage because it is aware of the impact on a segment of the public from the end of the relationship between the Sinclair stations and DirecTV." DirecTV stated "we will compensate Sinclair fairly, but our customers should not be forced to pay more than twice as much for the same programs that remain available completely free of charge over the air and online."<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair and DirecTV closing in on carriage deadline|url=http://rbr.com/sinclair-and-directv-closing-in-on-carriage-deadline/|publisher=Radio & Television Business Report|date=February 28, 2013|access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref> A new carriage agreement was reached between Sinclair and DirecTV on February 28, hours before the previous deal was to have expired.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair And DirecTV Make Retrans Deal |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65829/sinclair-and-directv-make-retrans-deal |website=tvnewscheck.com |date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref>

===Hulu with Live TV===
On March 7, 2023, the Walt Disney Company began notifying subscribers of its [[Hulu]] with Live TV service that it would drop several ABC affiliate stations after failing to reach an agreement with the owner of those broadcast outlets. The stations were removed from Hulu the following day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lucia |first=Joe |date=March 9, 2023 |title=Hulu drops Sinclair-owned ABC affiliates |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/hulu/hulu-drops-sinclair-owned-abc-affiliates.html |access-date=March 9, 2023 |website=awfulannouncing.com}}</ref> It later emerged through media reports that the stations were owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and that a retransmission consent agreement between the two companies had lapsed before a new agreement could be reached.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=March 9, 2023 |title=Sinclair Stations Come Off Hulu in Dispute With Disney, ABC (UPDATED) |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/sinclair-stations-off-hulu-in-dispute-with-disney-abc |access-date=March 9, 2023 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] }}</ref> In a statement sent to reporters, a spokesperson for Sinclair said they were surprised by the decision to drop the channels and urged Disney to return to the negotiating table.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keys |first=Matthew |date=March 9, 2023 |title=Disney's Hulu forced to drop Sinclair-owned ABC affiliates |url=https://thedesk.net/2023/03/hulu-drops-sinclair-abc-affiliates-disney/ |access-date=March 9, 2023 |website=thedesk.net}}</ref>

==Sinclair stations==
{{Main|List of stations owned or operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group}}

Most of the television stations run by Sinclair are owned by the company outright. However, the company operates many others through either a [[local marketing agreement|local marketing agreements or shared services agreements]]. The company's stations are affiliates of various [[television network]]s, like [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[NBC]] and [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]. Sinclair also owned or managed several affiliates of the [[The WB|WB]] and [[UPN]] networks, which both launched in January 1995. In September 2006, The WB and UPN merged their operations into a new network, [[The CW]]. Eight of Sinclair's WB stations, along with independent station KFBT (now KVCW) in Las Vegas, became affiliates of the new network. At the same time, Sinclair aligned 17 of its stations (ten former WB affiliates, six former UPN stations, and independent [[WFGX]]) with [[MyNetworkTV]], a syndication service owned by Fox's parent [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]]. Sinclair's relationship with Fox/News Corporation was strengthened after Sinclair agreed to a six-year affiliation renewal for its 19 Fox-affiliated stations. The deal included flagship WBFF in Baltimore, despite Fox already owning a station in that same market, MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated station [[WUTB]]. IN 2012, Sinclair purchased WUTB outright.

==Other holdings==
*'''Sinclair Networks''', LLC<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bagley |first1=Beau |title=Minor League Baseball to be televised nationally on ASN |url=http://www.elpasoproud.com/sports/minor-league-baseball-to-be-televised-nationally-on-asn |access-date=August 6, 2015 |work=elpasoproud.com |publisher=[[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar Broadcasting Group]] |date=May 18, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107104019/http://www.elpasoproud.com/sports/minor-league-baseball-to-be-televised-nationally-on-asn |archive-date=January 7, 2016 }}</ref>  – a company created by Sinclair in January 2014, with the hiring of its chief operating officer Doron Gorshein. The company runs:<ref name=bc/>
** [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]] (2015) sci-fi multicast network.
** [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]] (2017) action multicast network. 
** [[Roar (TV network)|Roar]] (2017) comedy/reality multicast network. Formerly operated by [[Jukin Media]].
** [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]] (2023) reality/lifestyle multicast network.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Nest - A Sinclair Broadcast Network |url=https://sbgi.net/networks/the-nest/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=Sinclair, Inc |language=en}}</ref>
** [[Marquee Sports Network]] (2020) is the regional sports network for the [[Chicago Cubs]] with ownership split between Sinclair and the team
*'''Sinclair Original Programming''' – a division whose formation was announced by the company in August 2014; led by chief operating officer Arthur Hasson, the division will concentrate on entertainment and commercial content.<ref name=bbj/> On October 12, 2015, Sinclair Original Programming and the programming department was merged into Sinclair Programming and moved into Sinclair Television Group.<ref name=bc0/>
* The Tennis Channel, Inc./Tennis media<!-- a part of the network group? -->
** [[Tennis Channel]] (acquired 2016)<ref name="bbj-sbgtennis" />
** [[Tennis (magazine)|''Tennis'' magazine]] (acquired March 2017)<ref name="bbj-sbgtennis" />
** Tennis.com (acquired March 2017)<ref name="bbj-sbgtennis" />
*** ''Baseline'' daily newsletter<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Marszalek |first=Diana |title=Sinclair Buys 'Tennis' Magazine |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/sinclair-buys-tennis-magazine/163734|access-date=March 8, 2017 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>
===Sinclair Television Group===
'''Sinclair Television Group, Inc.''' is a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group that owns television stations in mid-sized markets.<ref name=b&c-barringtondeal/> In June 2015, Sinclair TV Group, Inc. formed Tornante-Sinclair LLC, a TV production company, with Michael Eisner's Tornante Co. With [[MGM Television|MGM]] on October 31, 2015, [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]] was launched as a sci-fi broadcast subchannel network.<ref name="bsun" /><ref name="bsun0" />

===Chesapeake Television===
{{Infobox company
| name = Chesapeake Television
| type = [[Division (business)|Division]]
| industry = Television broadcasting
| services = Broadcast television<br />[[Advertising]]
| parent = Sinclair, Inc.
}}

'''Chesapeake Television''' is a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group that owns television stations in smaller markets. Chesapeake was founded in 2013, to acquire small-market stations purchased through Sinclair's run of acquisitions. As early as January 2013, Sinclair was looking at forming a new subsidiary group for its smaller-market stations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/exclusive-sinclairs-smith-fox-affils-board-chairman-pruett-plan-station-group-launch/43857|title=Exclusive: Sinclair's Smith, Fox Affils Board Chairman Pruett Plan Station Group Launch|last=Malone|first=Michael|date=January 18, 2013|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=September 3, 2013}}</ref> With the February 2013 announcement of the company's purchase of Barrington Broadcasting, Sinclair announced the formation of a subsidiary for this purpose, Chesapeake Television, to be headed by Steve Pruett, former CEO of [[Communications Corporation of America]] and the current chairman of the Fox network's affiliate board.<ref name="b&c-barringtondeal" /> The four stations, as well as a fifth acquired through an LMA, that Sinclair purchased from Cox Media Group and the Barrington stations formed the initial nuclei of the group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/sinclair-buying-barrington-tv-stations-for-370m/|title=Sinclair Buying Barrington TV Stations For $370M|last=Knox|first=Merrill|date=March 1, 2013|work=[[AdWeek|TVSpy]]|access-date=September 10, 2014|publisher=[[Mediabistro.com]] (Prometheus Global Media)}}</ref>

===Equity holdings===
* Acrodyne Technical Services, LLC – broadcasting equipment install, repairs
* Dielectric, LLC – broadcasting equipment designer and manufacturer
* Sterling Venture Partners, L.P. – private equity firm
* Allegiance Capital Limited Partnership – private mezzanine venture capital fund
* Patriot Capital II, L.P. – small businesses structured debt and mezzanine financing
* Timeline Labs, LLC
* Keyser Capital – a wholly owned subsidiary
** Triangle Sign & Service, LLC (−2021) – commercial signs manufacture and installs
** Alarm Funding Associates, LLC (−2017) regional security funding, alarm operating and bulk acquisition company
** Bay Creek South, LLC – planned resort communities (just less than 1,800 acres) near [[Cape Charles, Virginia]]
** Patriot Capital III, LP – private equity firm
* Sinclair Investment Group, LLC – a property investment company<ref>{{cite web|title=Investments|url=http://www.sbgi.net/business/ventures.shtml|work=Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.|access-date=September 11, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824060010/http://www.sbgi.net/business/ventures.shtml|archive-date=August 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Circa News]]
Keyser Capital sold on March 7, 2017, Alarm Funding Associates, LLC to Riverside Partners' RPAFA Investors, LLC for $200 million netting pre-tax $70 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=BRIEF-Sinclair Broadcast Group's Investment, Keyser Capital, sells Alarm Funding Associates|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-sinclair-broadcast-groups-investme-idUSASB0B46V|access-date=March 8, 2017|work=Reuters|date=March 7, 2017}}</ref>

==Former holdings==
* [[FanDuel Sports Network]] – [[regional sports network|Regional Networks]] formerly known as [[Fox Sports Networks]]. Sinclair formerly owned the regional sports networks via subsidiary [[Main Street Sports Group]], a former joint venture with [[Allen Media Group]]. Main Street Sports Group was formerly known as Diamond Sports Group. [[Fox Sports]]' regional sports networks were acquired following [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney's]] acquisition of [[21st Century Fox]]'s entertainment assets. On March 31, 2021, the Fox Sports Networks were rebranded as Bally Sports. On October 21, 2024, the network was rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network. Sinclair's equity stake in Diamond Sports Group was extinguished in Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy, with the new equity holders being its former creditors.
** The [[FanDuel Sports Network app]]. 
** [[YES Network]] (2019) [[regional sports network]] acquired in 2019 alongside the [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] and [[Yankee Global Enterprises]]. Yankee Global Enterprises is the majority owner; Amazon and [[Main Street Sports Group]] hold minority stakes. Sinclair used to hold a minority stake through its former subsidiary Diamond Sports Group, but lost that stake when its equity stake in Diamond Sports Group was extinguished in the Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy case.
* [[Ring of Honor]] (ROH), a professional wrestling promotion that was acquired by Sinclair in 2011. Sinclair sold the promotion's assets, video library, and other intellectual property to [[Tony Khan]], through its subsidiary ROH Acquisition Co, LLC in 2022.
** [[Honor Club]] (2018-2022), a [[streaming service]] that was launched on February 19, 2018.
* [[Stadium (sports network)|Stadium]] (2014-2023), a sports programming distributor and internet network launched originally as [[American Sports Network]] on July 17, 2014, and rebranded to "Stadium" on August 21, 2017.<ref name=bc/> Sinclair sold this in 2023 to Chicago White Sox owned media subsidiary [[Silver Chalice]].
** [[Stadium College Sports]] (2001-2023) digital cable networks SCS Atlantic, SCS Central, and SCS Pacific.
*[[Stirr]] (2019-2024) is a free, ad-supported streaming service launched on January 16, 2019, and drew on programming from the Sinclair TV stations and other streaming live channels. Some programs were available on demand. Its main channel was Stirr City, which pulled content based on the user's selected location. When network programming ran on its local channel, Stirr City provided alternative programming. Sinclair sold the service in 2024, resulting in it losing its live-streaming functionality and access to Sinclair content and becoming strictly an On Demand service.

==Affiliated companies==
The companies listed below are separate corporations, effectively [[shell corporation|shell companies]], formed to hold the licensed assets of television stations, where SBG would run afoul of FCC ownership regulations. Sinclair then signs [[local marketing agreement]]s to actually control, operate, and program the stations, with the purposes of the shell merely to answer to the FCC and public about license matters, often with Sinclair's explicit input, unless so restricted by individual regulations against a station. Such arrangements are termed "sidecar agreements" by the FCC.<ref name=wp20130902 /> The companies include, in addition to those mentioned in some detail below:
* [[Deerfield Media]]
* [[Howard Stirk Holdings]] is a licensing holding company formed to acquire certain television stations formerly owned by Barrington Broadcasting. It is owned by [[Armstrong Williams]], founder and CEO of communications firm The Graham Williams Group.<ref name=b&c-barringtondeal/>
* Mercury Broadcasting Company – a company based in [[San Antonio]], Texas that previously maintained local marketing agreements for its two stations with other companies; Sinclair took over the agreements for the stations in 2013. Sinclair purchased one of them outright, while its Wichita station [[KMTW]] remains under Mercury ownership, albeit operated by Sinclair under an LMA.

In 2021, Sinclair began to consolidate the major network affiliations on the DT1 channels held by Deerfield, HSH, Mercury and Cunningham stations onto the DT2 or DT3 subchannels of sister stations directly owned by Sinclair, effectively leaving many of the shell companies' stations to carry only subchannel networks, also known as [[diginet]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.northpine.com/blog/2021/09/22/sinclair-moves-cw-to-omaha-subchannel-continuing-trend/|title=Sinclair Moves CW to Omaha Subchannel, Continuing Trend|last=Ellis|first=Jon|date=September 22, 2021|publisher=NorthPine|access-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name=nctc>{{cite news|url=https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/download/879_369944c7832d3004373446b7b8391ab9|title=The Retransmission Consent Agreement, effective January 1, 2021 (the "Agreement"), by and between Sinclair Television Group, Inc. and National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc.|date=January 1, 2021|work=Letter from Sinclair to the National Cable Television Cooperative|publisher=National Cable Television Cooperative|access-date=July 26, 2021 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210726210935/https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/download/879_369944c7832d3004373446b7b8391ab9 | archive-date = July 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://nashvilledtvnews.info/post/CW_Network_is_Moving_Sept._20th|title=CW Network is Moving Sept. 20th|publisher=Nashville DTV News|access-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref>

===Cunningham Broadcasting===
[[Cunningham Broadcasting]], formerly known as Glencairn Ltd., is a station holding company affiliated with Sinclair Broadcast Group via a relationship with the company's owners. Per a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Cunningham is owned by the estate of Carolyn Beth Cunningham Smith (from whom the company derived its name), the estate of Sinclair's controlling shareholders' parent, and trusts for the children of Sinclair's controlling shareholders. All but one, ([[WYZZ-TV]], managed by [[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar]]) of Cunningham stations have local marketing agreements with Sinclair-owned/managed stations. Glencairn/Cunningham, based on ownership and agreements, has served merely as a [[shell corporation]].<ref name=wp20130902>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/media-company-snatches-up-local-tv-stations-as-part-of-plan-to-build-a-national-powerhouse/2013/09/02/e0bfc716-11db-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story_1.html|title=Media company snatches up local TV stations as part of plan to build a national powerhouse|last1=Heath|first1=Thomas|date=September 2, 2013|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 3, 2013|last2=Kang|first2=Cecilia|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912014820/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/media-company-snatches-up-local-tv-stations-as-part-of-plan-to-build-a-national-powerhouse/2013/09/02/e0bfc716-11db-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story_1.html |archive-date=September 12, 2014}}<br />{{cite news |title=Media company snatches up local TV stations as part of plan to build a national powerhouse |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/media-company-snatches-up-local-tv-stations-as-part-of-plan-to-build-a-national-powerhouse/2013/09/02/e0bfc716-11db-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_story.html |access-date=January 12, 2019|url-access=limited}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
{{Finance links|name=Sinclair, Inc.|symbol=SBGI|reuters=SBGI.O|sec_cik=1971213|yahoo=SBGI|google=SBGI:NASDAQ}}
* [https://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=sinclair CJR Who Owns What: Sinclair Broadcast Group]

{{SBGI}}
{{Ring of Honor}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group| ]]
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