Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FCC Vote Likely Dooms Sinclair-Tribune Merger (engadget.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cease-and-desist dept.

FCC commissioners unanimously voted on a Hearing Designation Order (HDO) to send the proposed sale of Tribune Media properties to Sinclair to a judge, where the merger is expected to cease. Engadget reports: Earlier this week, FCC chairman Ajit Pai raised "serious concerns" about Sinclair's selloff of 21 stations it had proposed in order to remain under station ownership limits post-merger. Had Sinclair declined to sell off some stations, its 173 broadcast stations in 81 markets, combined with Tribune's 42 stations in 33 markets would reach 72 percent of U.S. TV households. The FCC's National TV Ownership rule "does not limit the number of TV stations a single entity may own nationwide so long as the station group collectively reaches no more than 39 percent of all U.S. TV households." But the rule is more flexible for stations that broadcast using UHF frequencies. Pai, who has been accused of aiding the merger by relaxing the ownership regulations, said Monday that Sinclair's plan would allow the company "to control those stations in practice, even if not in name, in violation of the law." He noted that, "When the FCC confronts disputed issues like these, the Communications Act does not allow it to approve a transaction."

37 comments

  1. What is that bizarre feeling? by ZorinLynx · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Oh wow, yeah! It's the feeling of the federal government actually doing a good thing. It feels like this hasn't happened in quite some time.

    I hope it's the start of a trend, but I have my doubts.

    1. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by youngone · · Score: 1

      Must be opposite day today.
      I didn't get the memo, but there's no other explanation.

    2. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't worry we have a major political party whose repeated belief is that the Govt can't do anything right.
      They will be compelled to fuck this up just so it doesn't conflict with their ideology.

    3. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Narcocide · · Score: 1

      This is nothing more than a public announcement by Pai that he is increasing his price. They'll slide him some money and he'll publicly announce a reversal of opinion.

    4. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He only cares about sucking off ATT & Verizion. just watch where he lands after his gimmick as FCC head.

    5. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Oh wow, yeah! It's the feeling of the federal government actually doing a good thing.

      Not so fast. It depends upon which federal judge the case gets referred to. If it's one of Trump's recent federal bench nominations, it could very well go before an extremist judge who has never tried a case before. I mean, there are some real winners.

      This could also be a way for Ajit "Cream" Pai and the FCC to pretend they had nothing to do with a merger by kicking the can down to a court. Absolutely nothing that this federal government does should be trusted. Just ask Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats who had to find out from a reporter today that his boss invited Vlad Putin, a guy who attacked the United States, to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    6. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, if you consider that the administration is making changes to allow them to select which judge gets which case, then YES this is just kabuki theater while the forgone conclusion is that Sinclair will get the win.

    7. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's funny that you probably don't even realize that you base all of your arguments on false premise.

    8. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by youngone · · Score: 1

      it could very well go before an extremist judge who has never tried a case before

      That is a very odd way to run a country.

    9. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      cite or stfu

    10. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nah, you couldn't be further from the truth. the republicans on the commission are just as crooked as always. shitpile just knows there's a target on his back, possibly even mueller-related. so instead of voting for it as he wants, or against it as he should.... he's deferring it to a judge.. one who likely has already been briefed on which way the 'ruling' is supposed to go.

    11. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by snapsnap · · Score: 1

      The problem is that no President before Trump has stood against news consolidation. This is a problem on both sides of the aisle. I am disappointed with local Internet monopolies. Trump has talked about helping with that, but hasn't done anything yet. Under Clinton, Bush, and Obama, cities and counties have been allowed to grant local monopolies with telcos or cable companies. Where I live in Seattle, Comcast has the local monopoly for my neighborhood but doesn't offer service to all of the streets, like my own that's a deadend with the Burke-Gilman bike trail at the dead end, so it's hard for them to offer service. CenturyLink has gigabit less than half a mile away, but due to over fifty year-old wiring and the distance to their CO, we can't get DSL to work at all. I'm fortunate that work pays for a T1 line to my house so I can work from home, but that is more expensive than most people are willing to spend.

    12. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Where I live in Seattle...

      The Internet has destroyed Seattle's culture. We used to be a great cultural place far from the rest of the US with great music. Now with the Internet, we're now as bad as anywhere else. I agree with the city council here that is trying to limit Internet access.

    13. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem is that no President before Trump has stood against news consolidation.

      Trump isn't against news consolidation. He is against news itself, accurate reporting, truth, etc, etc. Trump talks about a lot of things. His words are meaningless.

      News consolidation is a severe problem. You probably have a slightly better chance addressing it with democrats, but generally they are going to treat it like guns and likely be afraid to do anything. That doesn't mean you shouldn't vote for democrats. Right now they are the only chance we have to add a check on the guy in power who, at the absolute minimum is disloyal to this country.

      The problem is people get angry here and there and get motivated, but little of it sticks. Addressing something like this requires the public to want it, and to push for it time and time again until it is fixed. Seeing as the public is so overloaded with crazy crap, it seems unlikely we are going to get the bandwidth to focus on this. I'd sure like to see it done, since I'd rate very highly.

    14. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 0

      It's almost like we shouldn't be depending on the US federal government to do everything for us.

      A government powerful enough to give you everything you want is a government powerful enough to take everything you have.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    15. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 0

      ABC news reported that Paul Manafort pleaded guilty to 5 charges of manslaughter, which is pretty specific, damaging, and completely fake. Is Trump right about ABC news being a "fake news" site?

      Huge list with examples of misleading and false reporting coming from the major media networks. CNN, Washington Post, Fox News, New York Times, RT, Guardian, NBC, ABC, etc.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    16. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your illusions of security from government are so quaint and adorable, now wake up! The US government and pretty much any modern government can easily take everything one of it's citizen or an entire category of citizen's has. This is a repeating theme in the USA, slaves, Native Americans, Japanese internment, etc etc etc. There is no such thing as an effective government that can't affect every citizen's life for the good AND bad. The difference between a good government and a bad government is the people's ability to bend it to their collective best interests and keep it there. Corruption and greed are the root of all evil in government, the governed either collectively agree on a government that serves people and country's best interests or the governed must suffer the failure of doing so. The USA has been failing at that hugely for decades now so we are suffering as a result.

    17. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trump isn't against news consolidation. He is against news itself, accurate reporting, truth, etc, etc. Trump talks about a lot of things. His words are meaningless.

      I think his remarks on Monday and Tuesday show that he is not afraid to take diametrically opposed positions on a single issue.

      Then again, I think that means he just doesn't understand what he is doing. I was reading hitchhikers' guide the other day, and the part about Zaphoid Bebblebrox was... eerily familiar:

      The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.

    18. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your posting links to facts that backup your argument. Too bad it's against the Progressive narrative. Get ready to descend into terrible karma territory, again.

    19. Re:What is that bizarre feeling? by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      News Site Makes Mistake, Corrects and Apologizes, proving All News from Site is Fake!

      News at 11!

      PS: Let's all remember where the term "Faux news" was created.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  2. bad news for abc fox? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    bad news for abc fox?

    1. Re:bad news for abc fox? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe. Trump has long stood for an independent press and against near monopolies, as this shows.

  3. This is extremely dangerous... by Skuld-Chan · · Score: 1

    to our democracy...

    1. Re:This is extremely dangerous... by GumphMaster · · Score: 1

      What is? Referring the matter to a judge, limiting media ownership/control, interfering with "free" market forces, something else?

      --
      Patent litigation: A doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction... in which everyone seems willing to push the button
    2. Re: This is extremely dangerous... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look up GP's entire post + "Sinclair" on YouTube.

    3. Re:This is extremely dangerous... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because you've lived under a rock ;)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fHfgU8oMSo

    4. Re:This is extremely dangerous... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, how dare the oligarch's plans be opposed?

  4. again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you lost, piss off!

  5. Ajit's bosses changed their minds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe the executives at Comcast and AT&T figured out that a Sinclair-Tribune merger might end up competing with them for consumer eyeball time?

  6. Cunt spotted by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > Ajit Pai

    Don't trust that cunt, and Sinclair is in bed with the GOP. Do you really think they will push them over a cliff?

  7. Quick, something benefits conservatives - stop it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FCC chairman received a fresh bag of money - another day another attempt to deplatform.

  8. Universal fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Iâ(TM)ve discussed media topics with politicians before and they have a singular motivation. If their advertising platform can be compromised they will spring into action. Thus, if Sinclair threatens to hold too much dominance in a single market then it could impact their reelection.

  9. The Pai Giveth, the Pai Taketh Away by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sounds like someone missed a kickback payment...

  10. Yes! by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

    Huge middle finger to you, Sinclair. May you rot in hell.

  11. There's a theme here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pai opposes Net Neutrality because it concentrates control of the internet in a government bureaucracy. He opposes this merger because it concentrates control of the press in a corporate bureaucracy. This is utterly consistent. Back in the late 1800s, there was a name for people who opposed concentrations of power in large institutions. They were called Progressives.

  12. What changed? by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    First Pai is doing everything he can to help the merger go forward, and now this happens.

    I'm curious as to what has changed. I have great difficulty believing that Pai had a sudden outbreak of common sense.