Granting Nexstar Waiver for Buying Media General Would Disrupt Retrans Deals, ACA Says
Granting the waiver request to approve Nexstar buying Media General before the incentive auction could disrupt ongoing retransmission consent negotiations for agreements set to expire at the end of 2016, the American Cable Association told an aide to Commissioner Ajit…
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Pai in a meeting Friday, recounted an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 16-57. Since the deal would activate after-acquired station clauses in the contacts, approval before year-end would be "interfering with on-going market processes with less than 25 days before contracts expire," ACA said. The FCC shouldn't allow Nexstar to use agency processes to advantage itself in a retrans deal, the association said. The $4.6 billion deal could be approved soon, possibly before the auction ends (see 1611300064). The next round of the auction starts Tuesday (see 1612060034).