Sen. McCaskill asks FCC to assess harms of Sinclair-Tribune merger on St. Louis

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) wrote to FCC Chairman Pai asking him to assess the negative impact of the Sinclair-Tribune merger on her local media market. “In the St. Louis media market, the 21st largest in the country and the largest in the state of Missouri, Sinclair currently owns KDNL, the ABC affiliate, while Tribune owns KTVI, the Fox affiliate, as well as KPRL, an affiliate of the CW,” McCaskill wrote in the letter. “If the Sinclair-Tribune transaction is approved as proposed it would leave three stations in the hands of one company, including two of the top four stations in the market.”

The merger’s negative impact on the St. Louis media market is not unique to that location. If the proposed Sinclair-Tribune merger is approved, the combined company would own and operate more than one of the “Big Four” affiliate stations – ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox – in 42 markets across the country. Moreover, the merged company would own or operate more than 220 broadcasting stations across the country, reaching 72 percent of the country. Such massive consolidation in the hands of one company threatens workers in those stations and viewpoint diversity, a vital element of media in a democracy. This merger is bad for workers and consumers.

Sen. McCaskill is not the first public official to raise the dangers of the Sinclair-Tribune merger, a $3.9 billion deal to purchase Tribune, which would result in fewer journalist viewpoints and job loss. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have both voiced their opposition to the deal.  Reps. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD) called for the investigation of FCC Chairman Pai over his favorable treatment of the Sinclair-Tribune merger, which is under review by the agency. An FCC commissioner spoke out against the deal. Attorneys general from Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island said in an FCC filing that the deal “fails to further the public interest by allowing for increased consolidation that will decrease consumer choices and voices in the marketplace.” The public record overwhelmingly opposes the merger.

The Sinclair-Tribune merger would be a disaster for our county. It’s bad for local media, independent journalism, consumers, and workers. It would violate a congressional mandate meant to protect our democracy. It must be stopped.

Links:

McCaskill asks FCC to assess 'negative impact' of Sinclair-Tribune merger in St. Louis (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dec. 5, 2017)

Sen. Durbin speaks out against Sinclair-Tribune merger (Speed Matters, Nov. 3, 2017)

Lawmakers call for investigation into Pai’s treatment of Sinclair-Tribune merger (Speed Matters, Nov. 14, 2017)

Commissioner Rosenworcel decries Sinclair-Tribune merger (Speed Matters, Oct. 13, 2017)