FCC Report: No 'Impropriety' On Proposed Sinclair Deal

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s inspector general said there was no evidence of impropriety relating to the proposed, and now defunct, merger of Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Co, concluding FCC Chairman Ajit Pai had not shown bias in favor of the deal.

Reuters reports the results released on Monday, the Office of Inspector General said there was “no evidence, nor even the suggestion, of impropriety, unscrupulous behavior, favoritism toward Sinclair, or lack of impartiality related to the proposed Sinclair-Tribune merger.”

U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings and Frank Pallone, Democrats, asked the FCC inspector general last November to probe whether Pai was biased in favor of Sinclair, which had sought approval of a $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune. Sinclair announced on May 8, 2017, that it wanted to buy Tribune’s 42 television stations in 33 U.S. markets and cable network WGN America.

Cummings and Pallone cited FCC decisions that benefited Sinclair, the largest U.S. television broadcast group, and a 2016 Politico news report that Donald Trump’s presidential campaign had struck a deal with Sinclair for favorable media coverage.

Pai said in a statement on Monday that he was pleased with the finding, adding that the suggestion that he favored any one company was “absurd.” He could not immediately be reached for comment beyond the statement.

The Sinclair deal was scuttled this month after the Republican-led FCC expressed opposition to the deal, questioning Sinclair’s candor over the planned sale of some stations.