A final decision may be near in the long-running soap opera known as the Sinclair-Tribune Media Merger. The FCC’s comment period was extended and then the Chairman called for a Administrative review. There was a implication that Sinclair had played fast and loose with the approval process. Some media outlets including the Wall Street Journal have reported that FCC staffers want a criminal investigation. Whatever it does not appear to be the quick and easy Federal review that Sinclair officials had originally and confidently predicted. Sinclair is trying to save the merger by offering to divest more stations such as their Dallas station but it seems clear the cherished Government approval is not coming anytime soon. The original merger agreement gave Tribune Media the right to end the merger if it was not concluded by this August the eighth. The Tribune Media website has not posted a comment since July 19th when they stated their disappointment but did not express much confidence in Sinclair Broadcasting. Why they would want to continue what looks like a continuing morass of controversy is unclear but we await their decision.
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