The Coalition to Save Local Media issued the following statement on Sinclair’s latest FCC filing:
“Sinclair’s latest FCC filing fails to address the serious concerns laid out by multiple parties about their transaction and related proposed divestitures. Sinclair continues to attempt to skirt the rules through side deals with prospective buyers instead of fully divesting stations. And, the sheer number of times Sinclair has had to correct this deal shows how much it distorts the marketplace.
“Additionally, this latest filing makes clear that Sinclair’s transaction is completely reliant on the reinstatement of the UHF discount, which is currently under review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Without the outdated and unjustified UHF discount, Sinclair and Tribune’s attempted merger will place the combined entity substantially over the national ownership cap, even under their latest proposal. Any action on this transaction is premature until the D.C. Circuit issues its ruling.
“These are the facts Sinclair continues to ignore: this mega-merger will stifle local and independent media voices and put Sinclair’s profits ahead of local viewers, jeopardizing both localism and competition. Nothing Sinclair has put forward in this process has changed the fact that this merger is not in the public interest and should be denied.”