Finally, someone in the government has gotten hip to Sinclair Broadcast Group's shell games.
According to NewsBlues.com and DCRTV, the Department of Justice has told Sinclair that it can not proceed with its planned purchase of CBS affiliate WTVR-TV in Richmond, Va. The potential seller of WTVR is Raycom Media, who needed to stay within FCC rules when it purchased NBC station WWBT as part of its acquisition of Lincoln Financial Media's broadcasting properties.
What went wrong? Sinclair also owns Richmond Fox affiliate WRLH-TV, and as the Richmond market is too small for more than one duopoly, the plan was for SBG to spin-off WRLH's license and programming assets to a firm called Carma Broadcasting. However, Sinclair would still own the WRLH real estate and equipment, and would run WRLH and WTVR through a joint sales agreement. That, according to the sources, would run afoul of federal anti-trust laws.
Sinclair's had things their way for sometime now, the News Central debacle not withstanding. They've gotten the FCC to look the other way with their relationship to Cunningham Broadcasting. They've spread pro-Bush, pro-war propaganda. They helped ruined John Kerry's presidential campaign four years ago, and they're trying to do the same with Barack Obama this year. Perhaps, just maybe, the tide is beginning to turn against them.
Meanwhile, what happens now with WTVR? Perhaps Media General will find some way to finally get the TV station they've always wanted in their home city?
According to NewsBlues.com and DCRTV, the Department of Justice has told Sinclair that it can not proceed with its planned purchase of CBS affiliate WTVR-TV in Richmond, Va. The potential seller of WTVR is Raycom Media, who needed to stay within FCC rules when it purchased NBC station WWBT as part of its acquisition of Lincoln Financial Media's broadcasting properties.
What went wrong? Sinclair also owns Richmond Fox affiliate WRLH-TV, and as the Richmond market is too small for more than one duopoly, the plan was for SBG to spin-off WRLH's license and programming assets to a firm called Carma Broadcasting. However, Sinclair would still own the WRLH real estate and equipment, and would run WRLH and WTVR through a joint sales agreement. That, according to the sources, would run afoul of federal anti-trust laws.
Sinclair's had things their way for sometime now, the News Central debacle not withstanding. They've gotten the FCC to look the other way with their relationship to Cunningham Broadcasting. They've spread pro-Bush, pro-war propaganda. They helped ruined John Kerry's presidential campaign four years ago, and they're trying to do the same with Barack Obama this year. Perhaps, just maybe, the tide is beginning to turn against them.
Meanwhile, what happens now with WTVR? Perhaps Media General will find some way to finally get the TV station they've always wanted in their home city?