8 things you need to know about Sinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair Broadcast Group has been on a remarkable shopping spree for television stations across the United States. The moves have brought increased attention -- and scrutiny -- including a sharply critical report from media watch group Free Press on how Sinclair circumvents Federal Communications Commission rules to operate several stations in many markets.

Here are eight eye-popping facts about Sinclair included in the report:

1. In the last two years, Sinclair has closed or announced deals that would increase its holdings from 58 TV stations to 161.
2. During that time, Sinclair has expanded its reach from 35 US markets to 78.
3. If all of Sinclair's pending deals close, the company would have access to 38.8 percent of the nation's TV households.
4. Sinclair in 2012 generated $1.5 billion in local TV ad revenue, according to SNL Kagan.
5. Sinclair owns 36 Fox affiliates, 29 ABC affiliates, 27 CBS affiliates, 24 CW affiliates, 23 My Network TV affiliates, 15 NBC affiliates, 5 Univision affiliates and two other stations.
6. Sinclair directly owns 115 stations and operates 46 others through "marketing, services, sales and/or operating agreements," according to Free Press.
7. Between 1991 and 2002, Sinclair increased its holdings from four TV stations owned or controlled to 62. That number actually declined to 58 by the end of 2010.
8. Sinclair's first TV station was WBFF-TV (Channel 45) in Baltimore.