No Policy Shift on M&A Seen at FCC in Wake of Letter to Sinclair on LMAs

摘要

An FCC Media Bureau letter pointing out problems with some sharing arrangements involved inrnSinclair’s deal to buy Allbritton probably doesn’t represent a policy shift in the commission’s stance onrnmergers and acquisitions, said industry attorneys and an analyst in interviews. But public interest officialsrnsaid questions about Sinclair’s financial arrangements that were raised in the letter (CD Dec 9 p5) —afterrnthey were pointed out by Free Press and others — might point to a stricter stance on ownership rules.rn“Asking about financial relationships is significant,” said public interest attorney Andrew Schwartzman,rnwho consults for Free Press. The FCC’s stance though could be “deal-specific,” he said.