Sinclair Seeks Insight on Top 4 Review

Sinclair Broadcast Group representatives met with Federal Communications Commission officials to suss out what the agency will consider in reviewing broadcaster ownership of more than one top-rated TV station in a local market.

Sinclair Senior Vice President Rebecca Hanson and outside counsel Miles Mason wanted “a better understanding” of the criteria the commission will use in analyzing ownership of more than one of the four top-rated TV stations in a market, according to an ex parte disclosure detailing the Jan. 22 meeting. Remember, the FCC in 2017 relaxed a ban on ownership of multiple top-rated stations in a local market and created a case-by-case review process for such arrangements. Sinclair, which is seeking to buy 42 Tribune TV stations, has identified 10 markets in which the two companies both own stations.

The FCC paused its 180-day shot clock to review the $3.9 billion merger to give Sinclair time to sort out plans to sell off some stations as well as potentially make the case for ownership of multiple top-rated stations.