Despite heat from President Donald Trump, FCC chairman Ajit Pai isn’t backing down from the action that doomed Sinclair Broadcast Group’s acquisition of Tribune Media (including WGN-Channel 9 and WGN 720-AM). “I stand by our decision,” Pai told the House Energy and Commerce Committee at a hearing Wednesday. “So long as I have the privilege of serving as the chairman of the FCC, I’m going to find the facts, I’m going to follow the law and I’m going to call them like I see them.” On Tuesday, Trump blasted the Republican-dominated FCC, tweeting: “So sad and unfair that the FCC wouldn’t approve the Sinclair Broadcast merger with Tribune. This would have been a great and much needed Conservative voice for and of the People. Liberal Fake News NBC and Comcast gets approved, much bigger, but not Sinclair. Disgraceful!”
I have to admit, I'm stymied by this FCC decision to block the Tribune/Sinclair merger. I'm happy about it, don't get me wrong, but I can't figure out the angle. Were they really that blatant in trying to break the rules (by "giving" stations to people like car dealers and barbers as long as they could still put their right-wing commentary on them)? That would be enough for me, but this is the FCC that banned Net Neutrality when the entire country disagreed. This is the FCC that encouraged further deregulation despite the fact that previous deregulation nearly crippled the industry. This is the FCC that has been beholdin' to President Trump every step of the way. Maybe I'm just being cynical. But I suspect there's something going on here that is not being said, and I'd love to know what it is.
