Great piece. You probably should have included more examples just to bring home what’s going on behind the headlines. The major example right now is the announced Tribune-Sinclair merger which is now subject to a notice and comment period at the FCC. The key point is that Sinclair, which already owns over 200 stations, is proposing to acquire the second-largest broadcaster and thereby create a stranglehold on local media content distribution. Sinclair, owned by David Smith, is a major Trump supporter and right wing propagandist. Even more importantly, Sinclair was able to persuade the Trump administration to appoint broadcast-favorable commissioners to the FCC, including as chairman. That regime is likely to overlook and under-enforce media concentration rules that had been long-standing bulwark against corporate control of the media, especially local news, which still drives advertising and viewership. They are also unlikely to continue the spectrum reallocation process begun under Obama to allow cable and internet companies to access spectrum that has been hogged by broadcasters. The opposition to this fundamental reshaping of America into a true ‘company town’ also mirrors the Supreme Courts Citizens United ruling, which essentially broke a hundred years of tradition to allow corporations unfettered spending power to influence elections. This is terrible for democracy, no matter what your political affiliation may be. First step — oppose the Trubine-Sonclair merger, and propose an alternative option that preserves authenticity and diversity of viewpoints at the local level.
