Sinclair's Hyman Increasing On Air Commentary

Mark Hyman, the face of Sinclair Broadcast Group's provocative "The Point" commentaries from 2002-2006, plans to increase the frequency of his current "Behind the Headlines" on air segments in the coming weeks.

The commentaries air once a week on around 20 Sinclair stations, says Hyman, but he aims to shoot and air perhaps three a week -- and increase distribution in the Sinclair group once the technical aspects are worked out on the heels of Sinclair's recent acquisitions of the Four Points and Freedom station groups.

Shooting some segments in Las Vegas during NAB, Hyman says he's aiming for late spring for the increased frequency of "Behind the Headlines."

Hyman's "The Point" aired from 2002 to 2006-totalling more than 2,000 segments. Since December 2010, Hyman has taken to the air under the weekly "Behind the Headlines" banner (behindtheheadlines.net).

He says "government overreach-fraud, waste and abuse" will be a frequent theme, along with Freedom of Speech and other Constitutional issues. He gives the recent GSA spending scandal as an example of a prime target.

While his Point pieces were often deemed to be ultra conservative, he says the current, and coming, segments are more universal, and more fact-based than opinion. "They're things that I believe cross all political boundaries," says Hyman.

Sinclair owns and operates, programs or provides sales services to 74 television stations in 45 markets, reaching approximately 26.3% of US television households.

Hyman previously held a VP of corporate relations title with Sinclair, but says he now fills more a general role at the company. His NAB badge in Las Vegas said "commentator."

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.