A dozen Democratic senators on Thursday demanded that the Federal Communications Commission delay a potential merger between Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Tribune Media Company following reports that Sinclair forced news anchors at local stations across the country to run a script talking about the importance of weeding out “biased and false news.”
Democrats saw that script as a nod to President Trump’s complaint about fake news, and said the FCC should block the merger while it investigates further.
“We are concerned that Sinclair is engaged in a systematic news distortion operation that seeks to undermine freedom of the press and the robust localism and diversity of viewpoint that is the foundation of our national broadcasting laws,” the senators, led by Tom Udall of New Mexico and Maria Cantwell of Washington, wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
“Because of the new facts that have come to light with regard to Sinclair’s misconduct and abuse of the public trust pertaining to its existing broadcast licenses, we believe it is appropriate to pause the pending Sinclair-Tribune merger review and reopen the agency record on the transaction so that the FCC can receive another full round of robust public comments,” the senators added.
The merger would grow Sinclair to 223 TV stations in 108 different markets, an expansion that scares Democrats who believe the company is on a mission to defend President Trump.
Cantwell and Udall also claimed a quid pro quo may be taking place between Sinclair, the Trump administration, and Pai’s office.
“We have strong concerns that Sinclair has violated the public interest obligation inherent in holding broadcast licenses. Sinclair may have violated the FCC’s longstanding policy against broadcast licensees deliberately distorting news by staging, slanting, or falsifying information (traditionally known as the news distortion standard),” the senators wrote.
Five months ago, the two Democratic lawmakers called for a probe into Pai’s review of the proposed merger, alleging that he may have eased government policies to make the process easier of acquiring Tribune for Sinclair.
Sinclair Chairman David Smith has denied claims that the company tried to manipulate news reports and said his actions were no different than how other networks are involved in local stations broadcasts.
“You cant [sic.] be serious!” Smith said in an email. “Do you understand that as a practical matter every word that comes out of the mouths of network news people is scripted and approved by someone?”
The letter was also signed by Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Cory Booker of New Jersey, as well as Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
