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How deregulation could change what you see on local news
A pending deal for Sinclair Broadcasting to buy Tribune Media means fewer overall owners of TV stations across the country. Sinclair is a right-leaning news organization that forces its stations to air certain conservative segments.
By Michael Schneider • • 4m ListenDeregulation in broadcast news ownership has been happening for years, but an even bigger shift is coming with Sinclair's upcoming purchase of Tribune Media. This is a deal that might have been rejected by the FCC in previous years, but under a new head and a president who is very friendly to deregulation, the deal will likely go through. Sinclair is a very right-leaning organization and with the large number of stations under its control, it could rival Fox News for conservative viewership. With stations losing viewers to streaming services, they need all the help they can get, but many may not be thrilled about being forced to run conservative commentaries, taking up time that could otherwise be spent on local news.