Maintaining diversity in broadcasting

[Commentary]  The Federal Communications Commission’s sudden halt to Sinclair Broadcasting’s effort to dominate local television is far from an example of an overbearing regulatory state. The FCC and its Chairman, Ajit Pai, are deeply conservative and pro-business. That Pai has expressed “serious concerns” about Sinclair’s $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Co.’s local television stations, after leading the charge to give private companies control over internet access and pricing, indicates just how the bad the merger would be for local broadcasting.

Sinclair was shocked that Pai referred the case to an administrative law judge for a review and hearings, largely because Pai had helped steer the merger to near completion. Whatever his reason for reversing course, Pai has better served the public interest by attempting to maintain the limited degree of diversity that remains in local broadcasting.

[The Citizens' Voice is a compact newspaper published daily in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.]