Womp Womp: Sinclair Denied A Merger And Being Sued, Too

By Frances Langum — August 9, 2018

ABOVE: Local news anchors turned Sinclair Media employees read propaganda about "fake news" on air as directed by national headquarters. Compilation via Deadspin

Sinclair Media, that awful conservative blob that has eaten local news stations and spit out right wing garbage at unsuspecting viewers who just want sports and weather?

Yeah they were all set to merge with Tribune Media in another megolith combination that would make Trustbuster Teddy Roosevelt spin in his grave.

But the bride ran away because the groom was a manipulative, nasty douche.

My opinionated summary. Tribune is quitting the merger AND suing Sinclair for being a greedy, manipulative, lying, cheating company so brazen in its tactics that it couldn't get this deal through the most accommodating FCC in history with a President hungry for it to happen. https://t.co/AxYuV1BOao

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) August 9, 2018

Just to get the flavor for what kind of company Sinclair is. Here they are "selling" three stations they had to pretend to part with to a (black) conservative stooge figure for about $50 million less than market value so they can keep ideological control. https://t.co/U2dtdlWpHS

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) August 9, 2018

This was a three-point-nine BILLION dollar deal. If successful, Sinclair would have reached 71% of American households. It's bad enough that without the merger, 40% of households have a Sinclair-owned "local" station reading centrally-directed right wing propganda or losing their jobs.

Bust the media trusts.

Tribune-Sinclair merger is off, and Tribune is suing Sinclair for breach of contract. reminder: Trump really wanted this merger. https://t.co/zDv7JjhmVB pic.twitter.com/PvUmFLoaj5

— Daniel Roberts (@readDanwrite) August 9, 2018

It may be that Fox doesn't like the competition? Hmm.

This was an odd change of position by FCC Chair Pai. It happened the week after Sinclair said they would launch a free streaming app to compete with Fox News. But I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. https://t.co/K4OKOons3C

— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) August 9, 2018

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