Sinclair, which owns 173 local TV stations, many in rural areas, will buy Tribune Co.'s 42 stations - Entrepreneur Generations

Sinclair Broadcasting, which predominately owns small market television stations in rural areas, and has shown evidence of conservative bias, said it "will pay $3.9 billion to buy Tribune Media Company and its 42 local television stations," Todd C. Frankel reports for The Washington Post. Sinclair, which already has 173 local news stations, "will create the largest-single group of local TV stations." Sinclair beat out 21st Century Fox to land the deal.

"Tribune Media said in a statement that it expects Federal Communications Commission’s rules on ownership and antitrust regulations may result in Sinclair selling some stations," Frankel writes. "Current FCC rules limit the national TV audience that any single owner can reach at 39 percent. Regulations also prohibit any owner from running more than two stations in most markets."

"But FCC Chairman Ajit Pai—who was elevated to his post by President Trump earlier this year—has indicated in speeches that he wants to loosen the TV ownership rules," Frankel reports. "Last month, Pai’s FCC reinstated a rule that helps station owners get around the national audience cap. The so-called UHF discount allows stations to count just 50 percent of its audience from UHF stations toward the audience cap. Last fall, the FCC, under President Obama, revoked the UHF cap. Now, with its return last month, stations have more room to stay under the cap."

from The Rural Blog http://ift.tt/2qnDOFP Sinclair, which owns 173 local TV stations, many in rural areas, will buy Tribune Co.'s 42 stations - Entrepreneur Generations

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