When Sinclair purchased WJLA in DC from Allbritton, it also picked up the company's cable news station NewsChannel 8.

NewsChannel 8 seems to be what Sinclair is most excited about.

CEO David Smith has hopes of growing NewsChannel 8 from a local cable operation to a national cable channel that can take on Fox News.

Word is that, NewsChannel 8 will be shifted to a have a much more conservative slant and the cable station will have impact on Sinclair stations across the country.

Sources tell FTVLive, that part of Sinclair's plans are to replace overnight network newscasts on the Sinclair station in favor of a NewsChannel 8 produced conservative newscast. Plans are to have NewsChannel 8 content aired in other day parts on the Sinclair O&O's as well.

Sources say that Sinclair will also use Cable carriage for NewsChannel 8 in retrains negotiations across country with local Sinclair stations.

Smith's dream is to have a cable channel that can go head to head with Fox News and the others.

Stay tuned....