Nation & World Glance
NEW YORK — A video with dozens of news anchors reading a script about “fake stories” put in stark visual terms what for weeks had largely been an academic debate about media consolidation and the Sinclair Broadcast Group’s efforts to promote a consistent message across its stations.
The 98-second video, posted on Deadspin Saturday, has already been viewed by millions of people and provoked a tweet by President Donald Trump supporting the corporation on Monday.
Sinclair owns nearly 200 local stations and had ordered its anchors to read a statement expressing concern about “the troubling trend of irresponsible, onesided news stories plaguing the country.” Some outlets publish these “fake stories” without checking facts first and some people in the me- dia push their own biases, the statement said.
The anchors give no specific examples. Sinclair, whose corporate leadership leans right, uses terminology familiar to Trump and his criticisms of “fake news.” In the message, the anchors say they “work very hard to seek the truth and strive to be fair, balanced and factual.”
Dashboard video shows Sacramento sheriff’s car hit protester
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Video shown Monday that was taken by a dashboard camera inside a sheriff’s vehicle shows it hitting a protester and driving away — the latest flashpoint following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man in Sacramento.
The law enforcement official behind the wheel likely didn’t know he hit someone, Sheriff Scott Jones said at a news conference where the video was shown, noting that he hasn’t spoken to the driver, whose name has not been released.
The Sheriff’s Department said the woman who was hit had minor injuries. The California Highway Patrol is investigating.
The woman, 61-year-old Wanda Cleveland, is considering her legal options, her attorney Mark Reichel said in a statement.
The demonstration on Saturday night followed two weeks of protests over the March 18 death of 22-year-old Stephon Clark, who was shot by Sacramento police responding to a call of someone breaking car windows.
Kansas woman’s ex hides in attic, falls through ceiling
SALINA, Kan. — A Kansas woman suspicious that someone had broken into her home later found her ex-boyfriend’s legs punched through her ceiling.
The Salina Journal reports that a 23-year-old Salina woman called police to her house Thursday after finding her front door chained from the inside. Police say they searched the house but didn’t find an intruder.
Two hours later, the woman and her current boyfriend heard a loud noise and found the 25-yearold former boyfriend had fallen partly through the living room ceiling. Police say the suspect, Tyler Bergkamp, was hiding in the attic. Police say the current boyfriend pulled Bergkamp’s legs through the ceiling and began fighting him. Bergkamp faces several charges, including aggravated burglary and criminal threat.