FCC Continues to Change the Rules for Sinclair
Elimination of Main Station Rule Latest Gift to Sinclair
WASHINGTON, D.C. – While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially stopped the clock on its review of the merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media, Chairman Ajit Pai’s effort to take down the regulatory barriers in Sinclair’s way continues unabated. The FCC today voted to “eliminate a rule that required broadcast station groups to maintain a physical presence in the community of their primary local coverage area.” If the Sinclair-Tribune merger goes through, Sinclair would reach 72% of U.S. households.
“Under Chairman Pai, every day is like Christmas for Sinclair. Today the FCC once again changed the rules to pave the way for Sinclair’s takeover of Tribune media. Allowing this merger to go through will give Sinclair unprecedented, monopolistic control over local media throughout the country,” said Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress.
He continued, “Without the main studio rule, local news is no longer local. Instead, viewers in Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Oklahoma City and throughout the country can be fed the same biased media coverage from Sinclair’s headquarters.”
To speak with Karl Frisch about the Sinclair-Tribune merger, please contact Annette McDermott at 202-697-4804 or Annette@alliedprogress.org.
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