For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Hearn
(202) 713-0826
[email protected]
PITTSBURGH, June 21, 2018 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding the trade group’s continued belief, as stated in ACA’s Petition to Deny filed yesterday with the Federal Communications Commission, that because Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Co. have failed to meet their public interest obligations as required by statute, their TV station merger should be rejected by the FCC:
“ACA remains deeply concerned that the Sinclair-Tribune TV station transaction, including the terms of attendant divestitures to Fox and other TV station owners, is contrary to the public interest and should be denied. First, Sinclair-Tribune have not even attempted to show that their proposed divestitures serve the public interest. Second, to the extent the FCC permits divestitures of Tribune Stations, to occur ‘immediately after closing,’ it should require Sinclair and any purchasers to agree that Sinclair does not ‘acquire’ or ‘obtain control of’ the Tribune stations to be divested. What’s this about? It is a necessary clarification because Sinclair’s retransmission consent agreements with ACA members contain ‘after-acquired-station clauses,’ which automatically raise retransmission consent fees for any station that Sinclair acquires. Without such a clarification, the purchasers of former Tribune stations divested by Sinclair might attempt to raise prices under these after-acquired-station clauses, thereby undermining the purposes of the divestiture.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 800 smaller and medium-sized, independent companies that provide broadband, phone and video services to nearly 8 million customers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit: https://acaconnects.org/