Sinclair to Launch National Morning Show as Initial Phase of New Service

Sinclair Broadcast Group plans to launch a new national morning news program in early 2021 on its CW and MyNetworkTV-affiliated stations.

The company announced Wednesday that the program will air from 6 to 9 a.m. and be simulcast on Sinclair’s STIRR app. Sinclair CW affiliates in the region include WUCW/23.1 (Minneapolis), WVTV/18.1 (Milwaukee), and WCWF/14.1 (Suring-Green Bay).

Sinclair is referring to the launch as the “initial phase” of a headline news service. It is hiring 25 people for the new service; it’s not immediately clear where they will be based.

Unlike the chatty national morning shows on the major broadcast networks, Sinclair’s new program will be hosted by a solo anchor who will pitch to another anchor for some coverage of breaking news. It will use content from Sinclair’s dozens of existing newsrooms around the country.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the demonstrations occurring across our country has reminded us of the important, invaluable role that local news plays in our communities,” said Chris Ripley, president and CEO of Sinclair, in a news release. “Every national story has its roots in local communities and with this new platform, we will ensure that more voices and stories are elevated to the attention of viewers everywhere. This headline news service is part of our ongoing commitment to connect more viewers with more content everywhere.”

The news release says the new service will be “commentary-free.” The company had received criticism for its past practice of requiring its stations to run conservative commentaries within their local newscasts.

Sinclair already produces another national program, the half-hour Sunday political program “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”

Sinclair is not the only ownership group launching its own national newscast. Nexstar is in the process of launching a three-hour news block that will run on WGN America beginning this fall, while Gray TV recently launched a half-hour late-night newscast hosted by news veteran Greta Van Susteren to go along with her existing Sunday show.