Free Press submitted a petition asking the FCC...
Free Press submitted a petition asking the FCC to deny several transactions related to the proposed $1.5 billion Gannett/Belo merger. It was signed by 1,046 people, according to a filing in docket 13-189 (http://bit.ly/15d8mU1). “These types of deals violate the…
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letter and the spirit of the Commission’s local ownership limits,” said Free Press, referring to proposed transfers to Sander Holdings and Tucker Holdings of Belo stations in Louisville, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., St. Louis and Tucson. Gannett plans to continue to provide services to the stations after the transfer of control through sharing agreements (CD June 17 p15) -- arrangements Free Press called “covert consolidation tactics.” The reply comment period for the transactions ended last week (CD Aug 22 p5). The signatures on the petition are largely from people in the markets affected by the transactions, Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood told us in an interview Monday. It’s not clear whether petitions bearing a multitude of signatures carry more weight at the commission, but it’s “important” for the FCC to hear from people affected by its decisions, Wood said. The FCC Media Bureau and Gannett didn’t comment.