Groups join petition to delay Sinclair-Tribune merger review

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A growing number of groups are urging the Federal Communications Commission to delay its review of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s merger with Tribune Media, while a court weighs a recent agency move that would ease the deal's approval. The organizations joining the effort include the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the conservative outlet Newsmax and the telecom trade group NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association. The groups joined a petition first filed in June by Public Knowledge and Common Cause to the FCC. That petition asked the agency to hold off on the Sinclair-Tribune proceeding while the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reviews the FCC’s order allowing broadcasters to buy up more local television stations. “If the Commission’s reinstatement of the UHF discount is vacated by the DC Circuit, Sinclair would have to make significant divestitures — greater than four times the currently-proposed divestitures — to comply with ownership limit,” the groups wrote in a letter to the FCC dated July 9.


Groups join petition to delay Sinclair-Tribune merger review