The Coalition to Save Local Media issued the following statement in response to Chairman Pai’s plan to weaken local media consolidation rules and today’s House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Communications and Technology’s FCC Oversight hearing:
“Rather than weakening existing media consolidation rules, the FCC should seek further answers from Sinclair-Tribune on how they plan to comply with current law and how their proposed mega-merger is in the public interest. During today’s hearing, many Members asked important questions and raised issues that deserve scrutiny by the FCC, Department of Justice, and other parties before any decision can be made on the merger.
“Thus far in this process, Sinclair-Tribune has utterly failed to prove their proposed merger is in the public interest and have only provided vague promises, incomplete answers, and unpersuasive evidence. This merger should be denied.”