FCC Approves Merger of Gray TV & Raycom Media

The Federal Communications Commission has before it applications in the attached appendices that: (1) seek consent to the assignment of certain television broadcast licenses held by subsidiaries of Raycom Media, Inc. (Raycom) to a subsidiary of Gray Television, Inc. (Gray) (jointly, the Applicants), and to the transfer of control of subsidiaries of Raycom holding television broadcast licenses to Gray (the Applications); and (2) seek consent to divest certain stations necessary to bring the post-transaction Gray into compliance with the Local Television Ownership Rule. DISH Network L.L.C. 

As a result of the divestitures proposed in the Applications, the Bureau finds that Gray, following consummation, will be in compliance with the Local Television Ownership Rule in nine markets. In addition, in the Amarillo (TX) and Honolulu (HI) markets, where Gray proposes to own two top-four ranked stations, we find that application of the Local Television Ownership Rule’s Top-Four Prohibition is not warranted based on the unique facts and circumstances of the stations at issue. Lastly, we grant continued authority to operate four stations pursuant to the satellite exception to the Local Television Ownership Rule. As discussed herein, we find that grant of the Applications would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.