CBS Austin KEYE is "Setting the Record Straight" on its website regarding a viral video from the weekend in which multimedia journalist Vinny Martorano appears to challenge his bosses not to cover a pro-President Trump rally after "Operation Epic Fury" in Iran.
Here is how the Sinclair Broadcast Group station (a company that is often painted as conservative-leaning) responded to the social media storm:
On Saturday, February 28, our CBS Austin crew was assigned to cover local reaction to the U.S. strikes in Iran, including activity at the Texas State Capitol. Shortly before a scheduled live shot, an additional rally formed nearby. In real time, station management directed the crew to follow our standard protest and rally safety and coverage guidelines: remain on the perimeter, gather necessary content, complete the live shot, and move to a safe location. There was no directive to avoid or de-emphasize any particular perspective. The guidance was focused on safety, logistics, and ensuring comprehensive coverage in a rapidly evolving situation. The safety of our teams is always a top priority.
The narrative suggesting we ignored or avoided this story is false.
This situation began with an inaccurate post from an online influencer. Rather than verify the facts, several outlets amplified the claim without basic due diligence. Social media posts are not subject to the same editorial standards or regulatory obligations as licensed broadcasters, and that often leads to a lack of accountability and accuracy on social media. This makes verification even more important before repeating or evaluating unsubstantiated claims on social. It is especially disappointing that organizations such as the New York Post and The Daily Mail chose not to review our clearly documented coverage before publishing their versions of events.
The text message referenced from a “boss” had nothing to do with story selection or editorial decisions. It was about standard safety protocols, something any responsible newsroom prioritizes.
After the influencer’s post, both our reporter and the station publicly responded to set the record straight. That response was readily available. Yet many of the same outlets that rushed to report the accusation failed to report our response or correct the record.
We stand by our coverage. We reported the facts. We showed the protests and the celebrations. We documented the story across platforms.
BREAKING - A CBS reporter in Austin, Texas, is being massively praised after refusing to follow a text message from his superior telling him not to focus on a massive crowd praising President Trump’s actions in Iran.
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) March 1, 2026
“They don’t want us to focus on this.”
“Well, I am.” pic.twitter.com/Pll2AJgXjp
