Dr. Anthony Fauci explains how misinformation amplified by Sinclair Broadcast Group has hurt the pandemic response

Fauci: “This is a dramatic example of the divisiveness in our country”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the January 24, 2021, edition of CBS' Sunday Morning

TED KOPPEL (SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR): And then, of course, we have the other kind. In case you can't read it from all the way over there. "Say no to the prick," it says. 

[VIDEO CLIP FROM SINCLAIR'S AMERICA THIS WEEK]

JUDY MOKOVITS: I believe Dr. Fauci has manufactured the coronaviruses

[END VIDEO CLIP]

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI (GUEST): You know, Ted, I think this is a dramatic example of the divisiveness in our country. We've had a complete distortion and throwing aside of scientific facts and evidence. And a certain part of the country believed the hoax aspect, the fake news aspect.

The other half was longing for clarity, longing for facts, longing for truth. So for better or worse, for one reason or other, I became a symbol that was unrealistic, like Saint Anthony. Ok, it was kind of great, but that's not reality.

On the other hand, I've had people who have threatened my life because I'm speaking public health measures.

Sinclair host Eric Bolling recorded the America This Week interview with Judy Mikovits of the conspiracy theory video Plandemic in July 2020; following Media Matters reporting, Sinclair decided to not air the interview on all its stations, but a Media Matters review found that it had already aired on at least one station.

Sinclair (including Bolling himself) has continued to promote pandemic misinformation on its local news stations.