Pruitt gives exclusive interview to conservative Sinclair TV empire
Sinclair's Boris Epshteyn provides Pruitt with a friendly platform from which to push back against scandals and defend Paris agreement withdrawal
Published
This post was updated on 6/1/18.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has given an exclusive interview to Sinclair Broadcast Group chief political analyst Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump aide. Pruitt has demonstrated a clear preference for right-wing media outlets, including Fox News, The Daily Caller, and the Washington Free Beacon, so by sitting for an interview with Sinclair, a conservative media company that is the largest TV station owner and operator in the country, he continues his retreat into the right-wing echo chamber.
The interview was aired in two short segments. The first was released on May 30 and ran on at least 35 of Sinclair's local TV news stations in at least 20 states. The second segment was released on June 1 and will also be shown on Sinclair stations around the country. A longer, 12-minute version of the interview has been published online.
Media Matters has chronicled Sinclair’s aggressive approach to promoting its conservative agenda, which includes forcing local stations to air “must-run” segments like the one below. If Sinclair is successful with its plan to acquire Tribune Media, it will greatly expand its reach, infiltrating the largest media markets in the country. Like other conservative media outlets, Sinclair has given cover to Trump and provided his allies and administration officials with a platform to spread White House propaganda. Epshteyn's softball interview with Pruitt is a perfect illustration of this symbiotic dynamic at work.
Here is Sinclair's “Bottom Line with Boris” segment that was posted on May 30: