Sinclair Scratches the Back of Nexstar

Sinclair has officially filed comments backing Nexstar’s acquisition of Tegna, a move that reveals a clear strategy of media giants scratching each other's backs to secure future deregulation. While the filing frames the support as a defense of local journalism against market pressures, Sinclair’s incentive lies in setting a regulatory precedent: by helping Nexstar bypass ownership caps now, Sinclair clears the path for its own similar deals currently looming before the FCC.

Dismissing critics as “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” Sinclair argues that the FCC’s current regulations are “hopelessly outdated” and ignore the dominance of unregulated tech giants like YouTube and Netflix. The broadcaster insists that the Commission has the authority to modernize ownership rules immediately, warning that failing to allow this consolidation will ultimately destroy local news by preventing broadcasters from achieving the scale necessary to compete in the digital age.