Twitter users responded in disbelief and anger over a video compilation of local news anchors across the country being forced to read a script reportedly created by Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of television stations nationwide.

In the script, reporters are made to describe “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country,” claiming some outlets publish stories “without checking facts first” and certain members of the media “push their own personal bias and agenda.”

The haunting video was posted by Deadspin on Saturday after reports emerged about Sinclair’s script and requirement for all of its stations to broadcast “must-run” conservative segments.

How America's largest local TV owner turned its news anchors into soldiers in Trump's war on the media: https://t.co/iLVtKRQycL pic.twitter.com/dMdSGellH3 — Deadspin (@Deadspin) March 31, 2018

“Among the dark ironies of the script these anchors have to read is how they each have to mention their hometown markets,” Twitter user Marc Caputo wrote Saturday. “As if it’s tailor-made for their audiences when in reality it’s broad-based propaganda to be spread across the nation without local regard.”

Among the dark ironies of the script these anchors have to read is how they each have to mention their hometown markets as if it’s tailor-made for their audiences when in reality it’s broad-based propaganda to be spread across the nation without local regard https://t.co/mMRgt4KODZ — Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) April 1, 2018

Other users slammed the local anchors for agreeing to read the scripts, which many said reflected the president’s attack on the American press. “What Sinclair did here was horrid, but every local anchor who went along with this stunt should be deeply ashamed of themselves,” one user wrote.

What Sinclair did here was horrid, but every local anchor who went along with this stunt should be deeply ashamed of themselves. https://t.co/b1uR4Deyaz — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 31, 2018

See more reactions from Twitter below:

This video is pathetic and embarrassing. https://t.co/wj5X2IUTcn — Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) March 31, 2018

Sinclair doing authoritarianism with insidious style. The *soldiers* blindly following orders no questions asked. You can say, “ I don’t want to read this” https://t.co/NtOK38oZ9y — LiliTaylor (@lilitaylor) April 1, 2018

Find out if any of your local stations are owned @WeAreSinclair (Sinclair Broadcast Group). If so, make sure to boycott watching them so advertisers drop. This is what corporate authoritarian propaganda looks like. #BoycottSinclair https://t.co/tZDQWBkm5v — Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) April 1, 2018

Watch this video. Read this article. Sinclair Broadcast Group is buying up local stations all over the country & using them to push their extremely biased agenda. https://t.co/AYvb2oYk5t — Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) April 1, 2018

Sinclair Broadcasting is gobbling up local news stations. They are a right-leaning news org who seems to toe Trump's "Fake News line". This is incredibly dangerous to our democracy & must be stopped by the Gov. as this is monopolistic behavior. Watch this chilling video: pic.twitter.com/Yl8abyttf3 — Brian Krassenstein? (@krassenstein) March 31, 2018

It’s also interesting that Trump is focused on the merger involving CNN instead of the Sinclair-Tribune merger. The common thread is that CNN and the Washington Post report bad news related to his Administration. https://t.co/LI89yu75kd — Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 31, 2018

[image via screengrab]

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