RICHARD J. DURBIN 
ILLINOIS 
DEMOCRATIC WHIP tinitrd ~tatrs ~rnatr 
~ashington, il<t 2051 o-no1 
April 16, 2018 
The Honorable Ajit Pai 
Chairman, Federal Communications Commission 
"445 12th Street SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Pai: 
COMMITIEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
COMMITIEE ON THE JUDICIARY 
COMMITIEE ON RULES 
AND ADMINISTRATION 
I am concerned following recent and disturbing reports that Sinclair Broadcast Group (Sinclair) 
required local news anchors at Sinclair-owned television stations across the country to deliver a 
scripted promotional message on-air. If approved, the proposed merger between Sinclair and 
Tribune Media Company (Tribune) would allow the combined company to influence 
programming reaching 72 percent of households nationwide. In making its determination 
. whether the proposed merger serves the public interest, I urge the FCC to carefully consider 
Sinclair's conduct and the significant harm it poses to local news organizations and the diverse 
interests of the viewers that they serve. 
While recent reports served as a stark example, this is not the first time Sinclair has required 
local news anchors to deliver corporate-scripted messages, in some cases, reportedly while under 
the threat of employment consequences. Further, Sinclair's troubling history of mandating 
content does not end with Sinclair-owned stations. By constructing purchase agreements that 
allow it to remotely control stations, Sinclair has been able to exploit media ownership limit 
loopholes to dictate content to divested stations. Of special concern, Sinclair already has 
announced such a purchase agreement for WON-TV Chicago as part of its proposed merger with 
Tribune. 
The interests of local audiences cannot help but be harmed when their trusted local reporters are 
required to deliver corporate-scripted messages-at times without providing a disclaimer of their 
source-or forgo covering salient local news to deliver mandated national content. 
Unfortunately, this is Sinclair's record. 
711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1304 
(202) 224-2152 
VRS (202) 540-9782 
230 SOUTH DEARBORN, 38TH FLOOR 
CHICAGO, IL 60604 
(312) 353-4952 
525 SOUTH EIGHTH STREET 
SPRINGFIELD, IL 62703 
(217) 492-4062 
durbin.senate.gov 
1504 THIRD AVENUE 
SUITE 227 
ROCK ISLAND, IL 61201 
(309) 786-5173 
PAUL SIMON FEDERAL BUILDING 
250 W. CHERRY STREET 
SUITE 115- D 
CARBONDALE, IL 62901 
(618) 351-1122 
293
In making its determination whether the proposed merger to allow a single company to reach 72 
percent of U.S. television households serves the public interest, I urge the FCC to carefully 
consider Sinclair's conduct and the significant harm it poses. 
Sincerely, 
~~ ICardT Durbin 
United States Senator 
CC: Mignon Clyburn, Federal Communications Commissioner 
Jessica Rosenworcel, Federal Communications Commissioner 
Michael O'Rielly, Federal Communications Commissioner 
Brendan Carr, Federal Communications Commissioner