Demand Progress Wants FCC Inspector General to Investigate Chairman Pai Over Sinclair

Demand Progress, which strongly opposes Sinclair's proposed purchase of Tribune, wants the Federal Communications Commission inspector general (IG) to investigate FCC Chairman Ajit Pai over what it suggests are decisions meant to favor the broadcaster. "From the beginning, chairman Pai has been eager to roll out the red carpet for Sinclair and grease the wheels to enable this merger to happen," Demand Progress said in launching the petition. Among the moves it and others have cited were Chairman Pai's proposal, which was adopted on a party-line vote, to restore the UHF discount, which essentially paved the way for the deal, which would otherwise have translated to stations reaching over 70% of the country when the FCC limit is 39%. Demand Progress also pointed to meetings Pai had had with Sinclair execs.