Rhode Island

​ReSisters.

The Rhode Island ReSisters (formerly the Kent County Huddle) are an outgrowth of the Women's March.  We meet bi-weekly to discuss how we can affect the political life of our local communities, the State of RI, and events at the national level.  Our particular focus is our local NBC affiliate WJAR TV, Channel 10.  Channel 10 is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, a right-leaning media company.

Sinclair Broadcasting, in its manner of delivering the news, is undeniably and willingly related to state-run media. Its relationship to dictatorial governments is hand-and-glove, while its distance from the way in which democratic governments function in their delivery of news, is shocking. It is also deliberate.
 
Editorial opinion is not news, and we, in the spirit of our own support of democratic ideals, are not opposing Sinclair because its ideals differ from ours. Quite the opposite, in fact. We know that in a democracy a lot of different opinions do and should flourish.

​However, we oppose Sinclair because the company has not differentiated its editorial opinion from hard news and because Sinclair insists, in word and policy, that its opinion is the only true opinion, the only right opinion and that the company is the only one qualified to deliver news. In so declaring, Sinclair readily dismisses all other news outlets as being fake.  Sinclair's embrace of such tactics leaves no room for interpretation. By definition, that perspective is totalitarian, dictatorial, in fact, fascistic.
 
To date, we have focused on voter registration, supporting local candidates, and now on ensuring our local television news is balanced and fair.  We are also working with  similar groups locally and nationwide against Sinclair's biased approach to the news.  We are relieved and happy that Sinclair's request to the FCC to buy even more stations across the U.S. was thwarted.

In October of 2017, we organized a protest outside Channel 10 asking that the station label any of the "commentaries" imposed on the station by Sinclair Broadcast Group as commentaries and not present them as though they were news. We've also rallied outside the station several times since then.

We plan on continuing to have our voices heard through continual pressure on Channel 10 and on their advertisers.  Learn more about out our ReSister actions here.