Sinclair: Tribune Deal Does Not Violate FCC Rules

Sinclair was vigorously defending its proposal to buy Tribune's stations against all comers July 5, responding to critics by telling the Federal Communications Commission that it is being asked to make decisions based on subjective disagreements over Sinclair content or views of a marketplace that no longer exists. In its reply to various petitions to deny the deal at the FCC, Sinclair said that critics seemed to think it was still a world with seven TV channels and phones are just phones rather than video access devices. "Sinclair’s acquisition of Tribune will not radically disrupt the media marketplace or impede viewers’ access to quality local news, nor will it violate any FCC rules or policies." And while critics have said Sinclair is trying to skirt the spirit of the FCC rules through sidecar deals that give it continuing relationships with some of the stations it is spinning off, Sinclair says: "The proposed divestitures, including those that contain sharing arrangements, are consistent with the rules and with other transactions previously approved by the Commission."