A CBS Austin reporter was seen on a live Facebook stream appearing to get a directive from a superior to steer away from a pro-Israel, pro-US and pro-Trump protest behind him — and then refusing to go along with the instruction on camera.
Vinny Martorano was outside the Texas Capitol on Saturday covering dueling demonstrations in the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran when a crew member handed him a phone with a message from an unnamed boss.
After reading the screen, the reporter asked out loud, “What does that mean?”
An off-screen staffer answered, “It means they don’t want us to focus on this.”
“Well, I am,” Martorano shot back, continuing his coverage.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns CBS Austin, insisted Martorano had not been instructed to avoid certain perspectives.
“[S]tation 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,” a Sinclair spokesperson told The Post in an email.
“There was no directive to avoid or de-emphasize any particular perspective,” the spokersperson added. “The guidance was focused on safety, logistics, and ensuring comprehensive coverage in a rapidly evolving situation. The safety of our teams is top priority.”
The moment was clipped down to roughly 35 seconds and quickly went viral as it got reshared by conservative social media accounts.
The exchange was seen as evidence the media were trying to bury a show of support for President Trump and the military action.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the United States’ airstrikes on Iran:
The video is split-screen, showing a large crowd on the left and Martorano, dressed in a navy blazer, on the right as he appears to prepare for a live shot.
In footage described on the livestream, Martorano is surrounded by demonstrators waving Iranian flags and chanting, “Thank you, Trump” and “Thank you, Bibi,” a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The crowd appears to include members of the Iranian diaspora waving pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” Iranian flags, along with US flags.
Several people were seen holding posters of Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran.
Sinclair runs dozens of local affiliates around the country. The Post has sought comment from the station.
Celebrations broke out in the wake of news that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed during the opening phase of large-scale, coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday.
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