Sinclair Launches Substack Video Podcast "The National Press"

Sinclair Broadcasting Group launched a new Substack publication, The National Press, this week, repurposing content from its 178 local news stations into a daily, 30-minute video podcast. The publication aims to present top stories reported by Sinclair's approximately 1,200 journalists to a wider audience. The program is hosted by Lyndsay Keith, a former anchor for Newsmax and Christian Cable Network, who synthesizes the day's featured stories and conducts interviews with the local journalists who initially broke them. The video format features Keith seated at a desk with a microphone, against a dimly lit backdrop that includes two American flags in a mug, a presentation style described as reminiscent of true-crime YouTube podcasts. The National Press is a collaboration with New Media, the company behind Bari Weiss's The Free Press, and shares a visual and platform similarity due to both publications utilizing Substack. New Media will contribute to content creation, website maintenance, and will receive a share of Sinclair's Substack revenue, as reported by Axios. While currently accessible for free, The National Press offers paid subscription tiers starting at $5 per month or $50 annually, which provide benefits such as ad-free viewing, access to community chat features, and merchandise. As of its launch, the publication's initial five posts have garnered between seven and 14 likes each. One of the featured episodes delves into Michigan's reconsideration of lifetime sentences for individuals sentenced between the ages of 18 and 20, while another addresses ongoing debates in Congress regarding AI regulation, drawing upon reporting by Capitol Hill correspondent Ahtra Elnashar. The production style suggests that episodes are not filmed in a single continuous take, unlike traditional television news broadcasts, with host Lyndsay Keith appearing in different attire across segments. Sinclair Broadcasting Group has faced accusations of conservative bias in its local news operations, a characteristic that may influence the editorial direction of The National Press. The partnership with New Media, known for its association with The Free Press, indicates a strategic alignment in content distribution and platform utilization. The subscription model aims to generate revenue through premium content access and community engagement, complementing the free availability of the core video podcast. The focus on repackaging local reporting into a national-level video podcast format represents a new distribution strategy for Sinclair, leveraging digital platforms to extend the reach of its journalistic content.