Missouri Legislators Ask That JSAs Be Grandfathered

In a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, the Missouri congressional delegation -- seven Republicans, two Democrats -- said they "fully expect" the FCC to grandfather existing joint sales agreements. In addition, they want any deals in the pipeline -- Sinclair/Allbritton, Media General/Young Broadcasting, and Tribune/Local TV -- should also be considered under the old rules.

The legislators said that there is evidence in their state of the benefits of sharing arrangements. They said that through a series of such arrangements -- they did not identify whether they were joint sales, shared services or shared news services, or a combination of all -- a company was able to expand ad sales, reduce "redundant costs" and invest, helping a struggling station become an Edward R. Murrow award winner for best newscast. They pointed to a JSA that allowed for the upgrade of Doppler radar, a system that saved lives during a 2011 tornado, and said sharing agreements can benefit diversity.