S4 E18: Sinclair, Wax Presidents & Trump Travel Ban: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
26 Aug 2024 (21 days ago)
Trump Administration and Policies
- On Thursday, President Trump posted a series of tweets about Mika Brzezinski.
- The Supreme Court ruled to partially reinstate President Trump's travel ban.
- The State Department defined close family as a parent, child, in-law, sibling, or spouse, but not grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, or brothers or sisters-in-law.
Sinclair Broadcast Group
- Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of local TV stations in the U.S., is set to acquire Tribune Media for $4 billion.
- If approved, the deal would create the largest single group of television stations in the nation.
- Sinclair produces and distributes conservative commentary segments, featuring personalities like Mark Hyman, to its affiliates, a practice uncommon among other major TV station owners.
- Boris Epstein is the Chief Political Analyst at Sinclair and has a regular segment called "Bottom Line with Boris".
- In 2010, Sinclair's Pittsburgh affiliate pulled a 30-second Democratic ad off the air after receiving a complaint and finding that some claims in the ad were unsubstantiated.
- Sinclair regularly sends out segments called "must runs" that station managers are directed to work into their broadcasts.
- Sinclair provided a political scientist limited screen time to counter a pastor's assertions, with voiceovers undercutting his statements.
- The political scientist, Bullock, argued that the pastor, Shines, misrepresented history by omitting context.
- Sinclair mandates daily segments called "Terrorism Alert Desk," which sometimes feature relatively insignificant events related to terrorism.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group may acquire a local news station.
Other News
- A wax museum of presidents in Gettysburg is auctioning off its wax figures.
- The speaker bought five wax presidents: Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, William Henry Harrison, and Warren G. Harding.
- A fictional movie about Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States, is coming soon.
- The movie stars Campbell Scott, Anna Kendrick, Michael McKean, James Cromwell, and Laura Linney.
- The show will return on July 30th.