The FCC should disregard Spartan-TV’s “informal objection” to...
The FCC should disregard Spartan-TV’s “informal objection” to the transfer of control of one of the TV stations involved in the Media General/Young Broadcasting merger, Young said in an opposition filing Tuesday (http://bit.ly/16trYqV). The merger includes shared service agreements, and…
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Spartan -- which is the licensee of a station involved in an SSA with Young -- criticized the broadcaster for misusing SSAs (CD Aug 12 p9). Spartan’s objection is a “frivolous pleading” and an attempt to “coerce” Young into extending its SSA with Spartan’s station WHTV(TV) Jackson, Mich., Young said. Its SSA with Spartan is to expire at the end of the year, Young said. Spartan’s allegations that another Lansing station involved in an SSA with Young -- and sharing space with Spartan -- doesn’t have an independent management structure are untrue and aren’t backed by evidence, Spartan said. Young also said Spartan’s complaints that one of the stations involved in the SSA with Young doesn’t have a website are irrelevant. “The commission does not require that stations have a website at all,” Young said. The commission should “return Spartan’s Informal Objection without consideration,” Young said. Spartan did not comment.