Sinclair Broadcast Group is reportedly interested in collaborating with former White House staffer and Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
According to the Financial Times, Sinclair Executive Chairman David Smith is an admirer of Bannon’s.
After his ouster from the Trump administration last week, Bannon resumed his role as chairman of conservative news and opinion website Breitbart.
Of course, hiring a former Trump staffer is not outside the realm of possibility for Sinclair. Earlier this year, Sinclair hired Boris Epshteyn, who previously served as special assistant and campaign adviser for President Donald Trump, as its new chief political analyst.
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“Over a year ago, we made a commitment to provide additional political content that goes beyond the podium to provide a true point of difference with additional context,” said Scott Livingston, vice president of news for Sinclair Television Group, in a statement. “We understand the frustration with government and traditional institutions. Mr. Epshteyn brings a unique perspective to the political conversation and will play a pivotal role in our mission to dissect the stories in the headlines and to better inform and empower our viewers.”
Despite the reports of trying to lure former Trump staffers that would likely increase Sinclair’s appeal to Trump’s Republican base, the company has said it has no plans to take on reigning conservative cable news network Fox News.
In an interview with Variety, Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley said that after Sinclair acquired Allbritton Communications in 2014, his company “looked hard” at launching a national cable news channel but ultimately decided against it.
“Our strength is local news. The market for national cable news is very well served,” Ripley told the publication.