Media Contact: 
Neil Grace (202) 418-0506
neil.grace@fcc.gov
Charlie Meisch, (202) 418-2943
charles.meisch@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
SINCLAIR SETTLES FCC INVESTIGATION INTO RETRANSMISSION 
NEGOTIATION VIOLATIONS FOR $9.5M
Company agrees to implement compliance plan 
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2016 – The Federal Communications Commission announced today 
that Sinclair Broadcast Group will pay $9,495,000 to resolve a number of Media Bureau 
investigations, including the Bureau’s investigation of allegations that Sinclair violated its 
obligation to negotiate for retransmission consent in good faith.   
The Commission’s retransmission consent rules, as mandated by Congress, forbid a broadcaster 
to negotiate jointly for one of its stations and for another station in the same market that it does 
not control.  In its investigation, the Media Bureau found that, over the course of seven months, 
Sinclair negotiated retransmission consent on behalf of dozens stations that it did not control at 
the same time that it was negotiating for its own stations in the same markets. 
“As Chairman Wheeler made clear just this month, the Commission will not hesitate to take 
enforcement action where broadcasters or pay TV providers violate their good faith obligations,” 
said Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake.  “Today’s action demonstrates our strong commitment to 
vigilantly enforce our retransmission consent rules when necessary.”
In addition to agreeing to pay $9,495,000, Sinclair has agreed to implement a compliance plan 
aimed at ensuring no similar violations in the future. Today’s action is the first of its kind to 
enforce the Commission’s long-standing retransmission consent rules.
The settlement also resolves a number of other issues that had been pending for Sinclair-owned 
stations, and the Bureau has agreed to grant all pending Sinclair renewal applications as part of 
the settlement terms.    
The Consent Decree with Sinclair Broadcasting Group is available at:
https://www.fcc.gov/document/sinclair-bad-faith-negotiation-settlement.
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Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Twitter: @FCC
www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order 
constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).