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Lawmakers Call for FCC Chair to Recuse Himself on Sinclair-Tribune

Nov 15, 2017  •  Post A Comment

A group of 15 senators led by Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., ratcheted up pressure on Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, calling on him to recuse himself from actions involving the proposed merger of Sinclair Broadcasting and Tribune Media.

TVNewsCheck reports that the group is requesting that the FCC’s inspector general open an investigation into the panel’s review of the proposed deal.

In a letter to FCC Inspector General David Hunt, the group wrote: “We have strong concerns that the FCC’s ongoing review of the proposed merger of Sinclair Broadcasting and Tribune Media may be tainted by a series of actions and events that raise questions about the independence and impartiality of the FCC.”

The letter cites what it calls “a disturbing pattern of a three-way quid pro quo involving Sinclair, the Trump Administration and Chairman Ajit Pai.”

One Comment

  1. I am THOROUGHLY disgusted that Tribune is attempting to merge with Sinclair and not for the obvious reasons either. First, WGN-TV and WGN Radio are synomonuous with Chicago and iconic brands. At one time, these stations, along with the Chicago Cubs were owned by the Wrigley Family/Corporation. They produced quality programs like the original “Bozo’s Circus.”

    It appears as though the people who run Tribune in its current state are selling out for big money for their share holders while not caring about a) Their employees and b) What this sort of merger means for the Broadcast Industry as a whole.

    One company “should not” be allowed to control a large piece of the market unless of course they either own, or creating a single network like Fox did when ithey so brilliantly launched their network in 1986.

    This does not bode well for local competition as it further removes the presence of a LOCAL owner.

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