What happens to local news when the familiar faces—and the people behind the scenes—begin to disappear?

After the Good Morning Maryland anchors said goodbye to viewers, I started looking into changes at WMAR and its owner, the E.W. Scripps Company. Scripps says its new approach will put more resources into local reporting. But what happens to the connection between a newsroom and its community along the way?

I’m joined by video journalist and producer Casey Mendoza, who spent years working for Scripps. We talk about anchorless newscasts, layoffs, centralized production, AI, and the parts of journalism that technology can’t replace. And for journalists facing an uncertain future, we ask what it could mean to build something new.

Additional resources:
Scripps CEO Adam Symson’s LinkedIn article
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/refounding-scripps-future-adam-symson-bxymc

Questions I sent to Scripps
https://bit.ly/4hrW4VA

Casey Mendoza on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/caseymdoza

Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2025/dnr-executive-summary

unscriptedwithsunny.com
#QuestionEverything

Hours after I announced Unscripted and posted about media manipulation, an unsolicited email arrived in my personal inbox.

It didn’t challenge my reporting, dispute my facts, or question my ideas. It criticized my accent, the pitch of my voice, and whether my voice was appealing to men. The sender even suggested that an audio technician lower it by an entire octave.

In this episode, I examine the email line by line and break down the pattern hidden beneath its “constructive criticism”:

• Praise and flattery
• Preemptive framing
• Personal attacks
• Gendered criticism
• Justification and deniability
• A final layer of praise

I also address what happened afterward: the censorship of the first Unscripted episode, my decision to leave the network, and the false rumor that this email frightened me into leaving—even though only five former colleagues knew it existed.

I cannot prove who sent the email, whether the sender saw my Unscripted post, or whether there was any connection to the network. I can show you the evidence, explain what I experienced, and encourage you to reach your own conclusions.

Because if someone can convince you to silence yourself, they never have to censor you.

READ THE EMAIL THAT TRIED TO CENSOR MY VOICE:
https://bit.ly/3T7EttJ

READ THE MESSAGE I POSTED WHEN I LEFT:
https://bit.ly/4gmnhK7

WATCH MORE UNSCRIPTED:
https://unscriptedwithsunny.com

Unscripted is independently owned and operated by Sunny Gault. It is not owned, produced, distributed, or affiliated with United Network.

#UnscriptedWithSunny #MediaManipulation #Censorship

Are you consciously creating your reality—or allowing outside authorities to create it for you?

We are surrounded by information designed to influence what we believe, fear, expect, and ultimately create. It comes through the news, healthcare, organized religion, spiritual teachers, and nearly every major institution in society. But what happens when we stop automatically accepting those narratives?

In this episode, I share personal experiences involving a predicted Southern California hurricane, illness during COVID, and my journey from organized religion into the world of spiritual teachers. Each experience revealed another way we can surrender our power—even when we believe we’re fully awake.

I explore:
• How information directs our attention
• Why fear is such a powerful tool
• The difference between receiving guidance and surrendering your discernment
• How we can escape one belief system only to become trapped inside another
• How intuition can protect us before our conscious mind understands what’s happening
• Why standing in your power changes everything

This isn’t about rejecting every expert, teacher, or source of information. It’s about questioning the narratives we’re given and recognizing when guidance becomes authority.

Because no one outside of you should have the power to define your reality.

WATCH MORE UNSCRIPTED:
https://unscriptedwithsunny.com

This episode reflects my personal experiences, beliefs, and commentary. It is intended for informational and conversational purposes and should not be considered medical advice.

#UnscriptedWithSunny #QuestionEverything #ReclaimYourPower

For years, I worked inside television news. I followed the scripts, repeated the talking points, and trusted the system.

Over time, I began to recognize how both mainstream and alternative media can manipulate narratives, influence what we believe, and convince us to surrender our own discernment.

In this episode, I share:
• How I found my way into broadcast journalism
• What I witnessed inside local television news
• Why news anchors across the country are often given the same scripts
• How fear, repetition, and carefully crafted narratives shape public opinion
• Why I walked away from the traditional media system
• My vision for news built around firsthand perspectives—not approved talking points

Unscripted is about questioning narratives, examining evidence, speaking directly with the people involved, and trusting ourselves to decide what is true.

No approved talking points. No blindly following the script. And now—no network controlling the conversation.

Because the truth doesn’t need a script.

WATCH MORE UNSCRIPTED:
https://unscriptedwithsunny.com

SUNNY'S PROJECTS
https://sunnygault.com

#UnscriptedWithSunny #QuestionEverything #MediaManipulation

⚠️ IMPORTANT UPDATE: This episode was censored by United Network before publication, which led Sunny Gault to leave the network and continue Unscripted independently. Unscripted is owned and operated by Sunny Gault. United Network does not own, produce, distribute, or have any affiliation with the show. Any references in this episode to the United Network website, app, or chat room are outdated and no longer apply.