Sinclair Station Pulls Show After Host's Comments
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Some would say that it is just Sinclair being Sinclair, but there are a number of people that are not happy with the comments of their employees.
WJAR (Providence) declined to air an episode of its weekly public affairs show on Sunday after the host came under fire on social media this weekend for claiming that three incoming female lawmakers of color were striking a “fierce pose” in a picture taken on the steps of the State House.
The Boston Globe reports that the station also removed from its website the episode of “10 News Conference,” which featured prominent anchor Gene Valicenti interviewing Rhode Island’s House and Senate leaders about the upcoming legislative session. News director Scott Isaacs said the show will run next week after more interviews are conducted.
“It is important to note that ’10 News Conference’ is a political talk show in which Gene frequently shares his own commentary and analysis,” Isaacs said in a statement. “However, after reviewing this week’s planned episode we determined that these particular topics required additional context and interviews with different voices. As a result, Gene and station management have decided to postpone broadcasting this episode until next week.”
That seems to be Sinclair’s go-to reply when one of their hosts goes off the rails.
Valicenti showed the legislative leaders picture posted online by Senator-elect Tiara Mack, a progressive Democrat from Providence, which shows Mack, Senator-elect Cynthia Mendes and Representative-elect Brianna Henries, both East Providence Democrats, posing on the steps of the State House with a caption that reads: “We don’t just want a seat at the table. We’re bringing the table back to where it belongs: with the people. This is our power. This is our house.”
Valicenti said the women were striking a “fierce pose” and also called the women “fierce-looking.” He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Mack said she spoke with Valicenti on Saturday and agreed to appear on his morning radio show on WPRO-AM on Monday and to sit for an interview with him on television later in the week. She said that Valicenti tried to explain his comments, but did not offer an apology.
“It’s always interesting when white men call Black women to tell them they are not racist,” Mack said. She called his comments “racist, ageist, and classist.”
Mack stopped short of calling for Valicenti to be fired, but said she doesn’t believe he should be delivering the news to Rhode Islanders. She questioned whether he should be reassigned.
