Sinclair’s ‘Connect To Congress’ Returns, Bringing Local TV Newscasts To Capitol Hill

Sinclair Broadcast Group today announced the return of Connect to Congress, a multimedia initiative that enables members of Congress in Sinclair’s news markets to speak directly to their constituents on a regular basis, through their local Sinclair stations.

Combining broadcast, digital, and social media technologies, Connect to Congress offers Sinclair’s local market viewers new ways to get answers to questions about what matters most to them at home. The initiative, which launched in 2015, has returned after a hiatus in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Each Wednesday when Congress is in session, Sinclair will set up cameras in the Capitol Rotunda, connected via remote to Sinclair’s stations, with anchors and reporters conducting interviews with lawmakers about the key issues affecting constituents. This also offers the hundreds of congressional members in Sinclair’s news markets their own media voice in their home districts.  On average, more than 300 interviews are conducted through Connect to Congress each year.

Steve Chaggaris, Washington bureau chief, said: “At a time when Americans feel increasingly disconnected from their leaders in the nation’s capital, our initiative gives those leaders a unique opportunity to detail to their constituents what they’re working on in Washington and how they’re addressing the pressing issues of the day.”

Scott Livingston, Sinclair SVP of news, said: “Since its launch, we have seen Connect to Congress grow to become a prime media destination for members of Congress to connect directly with constituents in their home districts. Nielsen data shows the reach of Sinclair’s local newscasts far exceeds those of national cable news in the same time periods, reaffirming local stations as one of the best ways to reach an audience.”