Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
Featured Stories
William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
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Settles federal suit charging hospital with refusing to provide reasonable accommodation rights under the ADA
DETROIT - William Beaumont Hospital, a healthcare provider now known as Corewell Health East, will pay compensatory damages and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
The
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
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Settles federal suit charging hospital with refusing to provide reasonable accommodation rights under the ADA
DETROIT - William Beaumont Hospital, a healthcare provider now known as Corewell Health East, will pay compensatory damages and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
TheEEOC's lawsuit alleged Beaumont refused to place a qualified nurse at its Wayne, Michigan location into certain part-time vacancies as a reasonable accommodation for her disability. According to the suit, Beaumont determined she could not work less than 32 hours a week in her position as an accommodation for her medical work restriction. The nurse expressed interest in several jobs she believed she could have performed within her hours restriction and asked to be placed in any of them. However, in April 2019, Beaumont refused to transfer her to a vacant position for which she was qualified, instead forcing her to apply and compete for openings, the EEOC said. After several months of submitting applications, the employee finally landed a position on her own.
"Federal law is clear that employers must make reasonable accommodations for an employee with a disability," said Kenneth Bird, regional attorney for the EEOC's Indianapolis District Office. "In some cases, federal law requires employers to reassign a qualified employee with a disability to a vacant position as a reasonable accommodation. Simply offering the employee an opportunity to compete for a vacant position does not meet employer obligations under federal law."
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to reasonably accommodate qualified employees with disabilities and includes reassignment to a vacant position as a possible accommodation. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. William Beaumont Hospital., d/b/a Beaumont Health System, Civil Action No. 4:23-cv-11560) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to monetary relief, the consent decree signed on Feb. 12 resolving the lawsuit requires compliance-related reporting to the EEOC, training for human resources employees and managers on the ADA and reasonable accommodations and posting of a notice in the workplace informing employees of their rights and the prohibition against disability discrimination.
For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.
The EEOC's Detroit Field Office is part of the Indianapolis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of Ohio.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/william-beaumont-hospital-pay-30000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-lawsuit
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
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Today, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy.
This
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
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Today, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy.
Thispublic inquiry will help the FTC and DOJ with their effort to develop up-to-date guidance to the business community, building on the previous 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors ("2000 Collaboration Guidelines"). The guidelines explain how the FTC and DOJ analyze various antitrust issues raised by such collaborations. The 2000 Guidelines were withdrawn in December 2024.
"In an everchanging economy, businesses need transparency and predictability from enforcers more than ever. These times may require the federal government to update its guidelines. The previous administration decided, at the 11th hour, however, to withdraw the 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors. This decision, made entirely out of spite and resentment, left millions of businesses in the dark."
\- Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson
"Vigorous and effective enforcement can only exist when the rules of the road are clearly outlined. Procompetitive collaborations are not only permissible but also encouraged in a complex and dynamic economic environment. The abrupt withdrawal of the prior guidelines left stakeholders without guidance in this important area. Replacing the withdrawn guidelines is key to promoting certainty, allowing American businesses to work together effectively and lawfully, and enabling the private antitrust bar to enhance compliance in this area."
\- Acting Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Omeed A. Assefi
Many collaborations and joint ventures among competitors are procompetitive and benefit the economy and consumers by allowing expansion into new markets, enabling investment into innovation, and lowering production and other costs. However, some collaborations carry potential risk to competition. The 2024 withdrawal of the prior guidelines left the industry without guidance in this important area.
In recent years, new types of competitor collaborations, joint ventures, and alliances, including those facilitated by new technologies, have led to increased requests for clarity regarding their treatment under the antitrust laws.
Some of the specific areas of inquiry on which the FTC and DOJ are seeking public input and information include:
* What topics would benefit from additional guidance-for example, joint licensing arrangements? Conditional dealing with competitors? Other topics?
* What new technologies and business models would benefit from additional guidance-for example, algorithmic pricing, information and data sharing, or labor collaborations?
* What significant legal, economic, or technological developments should be considered in any revisions to the prior competitor collaboration guidelines?
The public comments will help enforcers to consider reintroducing guidance, built on the prior guidelines. Such guidance will provide businesses with the predictability and confidence they need to collaborate and grow while avoiding anticompetitive conduct that risks raising prices or stifling innovation. The guidance will help increase antitrust compliance by guiding the market on antitrust law and policy in this important area. An unfettered free market safeguards competition to the benefit of the American people.
Comments, no longer than 18 pages each, can be submitted at regulations.gov and must be received no later than April 24, 2026. The information will be used by the Agencies to consider updated guidance.
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Original text here: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/02/federal-trade-commission-department-justice-seek-public-comment-guidance-business-collaborations
CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
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WASHINGTON -Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig today announced four senior staff appointments in his office.
Brooke Nethercott as Director, Office of Public Affairs
Brooke Nethercott joins the CFTC as director, Office of Public Affairs.
"I'm excited to welcome Brooke to the CFTC as director of public affairs," Chairman Selig said. "Her extensive congressional experience and commitment to advancing
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
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WASHINGTON -Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig today announced four senior staff appointments in his office.
Brooke Nethercott as Director, Office of Public Affairs
Brooke Nethercott joins the CFTC as director, Office of Public Affairs.
"I'm excited to welcome Brooke to the CFTC as director of public affairs," Chairman Selig said. "Her extensive congressional experience and commitment to advancingPresident Trump's vision for making America the crypto capital of the world will be invaluable as we drive innovation forward.
"I also thank Taylor Foy for his service as acting director of the Office of Public Affairs."
"It's an honor to join Chairman Selig's team at this important moment for emerging technologies," Nethercott said. "I look forward to supporting the Commission's pro-innovation agenda and ushering in a Golden Age for our markets."
Nethercott most recently served as deputy communications director for the House Financial Services Committee under Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), having previously been Chairman Hill's communications director. Earlier, she was a senior consultant in strategic communications at FTI Consulting and worked in digital media for WebMD and Pandora Music.
She holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Hartford.
Emma Johnston as Senior Agriculture Advisor
Emma Johnston joins the CFTC as senior agriculture advisor to the Chairman.
"I'm excited to have Emma join our team here at the CFTC," Chairman Selig said. "The U.S. agriculture industry is the foundation of this agency. Emma's expertise will help guide us as we create more efficient and transparent markets for farmers across this great country."
"I'm thrilled to join Chairman Selig's team to advise on agricultural issues in our commodity markets," Johnston said. "It's an honor to serve the Trump Administration and our nation's agricultural producers in this role, especially as the CFTC works to increase efficiency and access to risk hedging tools for the agricultural community."
Johnston joins the CFTC after serving as senior policy advisor to Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), where she managed a portfolio including agriculture, trade, energy, and environment, and supported his work on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She brings nearly a decade of Capitol Hill experience, including roles in the offices of former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21).
A Georgia native, Johnston earned her B.S. in Food Science from the University of Georgia, M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, and M.B.A. from Indiana University.
Meghan Tente as Senior Advisor
Meghan Tente serves as a senior advisor to the Chairman. Tente has served in multiple leadership roles at the CFTC, including most recently as chief of staff to acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham and acting general counsel. She previously served as acting director of the CFTC's Division of Market Oversight.
Tente joined the CFTC in the Division of Clearing and Risk in 2012 and has worked with exchanges, derivatives clearing organizations, swap data repositories, and market participants on issues ranging from registrations and data reporting to international standards and novel derivatives products.
Tente is a graduate of Brown University and Cornell Law School.
Elizabeth (Libby) Mastrogiacomo as Senior Advisor
Libby Mastrogiacomo serves as a senior advisor to the Chairman. Mastrogiacomo previously served as senior counsel to former CFTC Commissioners Summer Mersinger and Dawn Stump. In those roles, she advised the commissioners on agency rulemakings, enforcement actions, litigation, proposed legislation, examinations of registered entities, and registration applications.
Before joining the CFTC, Mastrogiacomo practiced law in the derivatives group of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. There, she counseled CFTC-registered trading platforms, clearing organizations, swap dealers, and swap data repositories, as well as banks, asset managers, pension funds, and end users of derivatives.
She holds a B.B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.
-CFTC-
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Original text here: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9184-26
FCC Denies Siskiyou Telephone Waiver Request in Connect America Fund Order
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission denied a petition from Siskiyou Telephone Co., Etna, California, to exceed federal limits on monthly per-line support, according to an order released Feb. 20, 2026. The decision addresses the "Connect America Fund: A National Broadband Plan for our Future High-Cost Universal Service Support" (WC Docket No. 10-90) and maintains a strict $200 per-line monthly cap on universal service funding.
Siskiyou Telephone Company, which serves approximately 3,500 lines in rural Northern California, sought a waiver of the cap established under section
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission denied a petition from Siskiyou Telephone Co., Etna, California, to exceed federal limits on monthly per-line support, according to an order released Feb. 20, 2026. The decision addresses the "Connect America Fund: A National Broadband Plan for our Future High-Cost Universal Service Support" (WC Docket No. 10-90) and maintains a strict $200 per-line monthly cap on universal service funding.
Siskiyou Telephone Company, which serves approximately 3,500 lines in rural Northern California, sought a waiver of the cap established under section54.302(a) of the commission rules. The company argued that devastating wildfires in 2020 and 2022 destroyed hundreds of homes and caused service disconnections, pushing its per-line costs above federal limits due to the reduced subscriber base. Between 2020 and 2022, the Slater, Happy Camp, and McKinney fires resulted in over 200 disconnections. To address this, the company invested $1.3 million to rebuild infrastructure, focusing on underground fiber optic cables to replace damaged aerial lines. The company requested an additional $44,163 per month for three years--totaling nearly $1.6 million--to recover funds excluded by the subsidy cap.
Industry groups like NTCA--The Rural Broadband Association supported the petition, citing the mountainous terrain and the unexpected nature of the fires. However, the Wireline Competition Bureau determined the company did not meet the high burden required for a waiver. The Bureau ruled that waivers are intended to prevent a total loss of service or to ensure rates remain comparable to urban areas. Evidence showed that service remains active and the company confirmed it would not take facilities out of service if the waiver was denied. Furthermore, Siskiyou offers 100 Mbps internet for $44.95, which is significantly lower than the 2026 urban benchmark of $96.46.
In 2025, the company received over $8.9 million in federal support, averaging more than $2,250 per location annually. The Bureau expressed sympathy for the financial harm caused by the fires but concluded that a reduction in support does not alone justify a waiver when consumers are not at risk of losing access to affordable voice or broadband services. Consequently, the request to exceed the support limit was denied.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-176A1.pdf
FCC: Chairman Carr Announces Pledge America Campaign
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on Feb. 20, 2026:
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Chairman Carr Announces Pledge America Campaign
Urges Broadcasters to Air Patriotic, Pro-America Programming in Support of America's 250th Birthday
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Today, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr established the Pledge America Campaign.
This year, we celebrate an historic milestone in our country's history. On July 4, 2026, we will mark 250 years of American independence. In recognition, President Donald J. Trump established the Salute to America 250 Task Force ("Task Force 250"). The
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on Feb. 20, 2026:
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Chairman Carr Announces Pledge America Campaign
Urges Broadcasters to Air Patriotic, Pro-America Programming in Support of America's 250th Birthday
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Today, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr established the Pledge America Campaign.
This year, we celebrate an historic milestone in our country's history. On July 4, 2026, we will mark 250 years of American independence. In recognition, President Donald J. Trump established the Salute to America 250 Task Force ("Task Force 250"). TheWhite House notes:
Under the President's leadership, Task Force 250 has commenced the planning of a full year of festivities to officially launch on Memorial Day, 2025 and continue through July 4, 2026.
The White House is engaging and encouraging the entire federal government, state and local governments, the private sector, non-profit and educational institutions, and every citizen across this country to join in this historic celebration.
Task Force 250 invites citizens to have a renewed love of American history, experience the beauty of our country, and ignite a spirit of adventure and innovation that will raise our nation to new heights over the next 250 years.
Chairman Carr is heeding this call by establishing the Pledge America Campaign in support of this historic initiative. Consistent with their longstanding public interest obligations, America's broadcasters play a key role in educating, informing, and entertaining viewers and listeners all across America, and they are particularly well suited to air programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of their local communities. The Pledge America Campaign enables broadcasters to lend their voices in support of Task Force 250 and the celebration of America's 250th birthday by airing patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.
Chairman Brendan Carr issued the following statement:
"On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That revolutionary document set forth our founding principles--including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness--and put America on a collision course with destiny. Over the following centuries, the American story has defined modern history and spread freedom, opportunity, and prosperity across the globe. As America's 250th anniversary approaches, it is important to reflect on the ideals and events that have defined our past while keeping an eye towards our country's bright future.
"The White House is leading our national celebration of this historic event with the Salute to America 250 Task Force, which calls on the federal government, among others, to mark this momentous occasion. As part of this effort, I am calling on broadcasters to pledge to provide programming that promotes civic education, national pride, and our shared history.
"This type of programming is more relevant than ever, as surveys show that civics education is in rapid decline. And classic programming such as Schoolhouse Rock! is now only found in online archives. Broadcasters are uniquely positioned to help address these concerning developments by providing programming that celebrates the remarkable story of American Independence while also tailoring it to the specific needs of their local communities, in furtherance of their public interest obligations.
"That is why I am inviting broadcasters to pledge to air programming in their local markets in support of this historic national, non-partisan celebration. As an example, this could include:
* Running PSAs, short segments, or full specials specifically promoting civic education, inspiring local stories, and American history.
* Including segments during regular news programming that highlight local sites that are significant to American and regional history, such as National Park Service sites.
* Starting each broadcast day with the "Star Spangled Banner" or Pledge of Allegiance.
* Airing music by America's greatest composers, such as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington, or George Gershwin.
* Providing daily "Today in American History" announcements highlighting significant events that took place on that day in history.
* Partnering with community organizations and other groups that are already working hard to bring America's stories of unity, perseverance, and triumph to light.
"I believe in the greatness of our country. And I look forward to broadcasters showcasing its inspiring history by taking the Pledge and fulfilling their public interest mandate to serve the needs and interests of their local communities as America's 250th birthday celebration marches on."
Additional information: Broadcasters can voluntarily choose to indicate their commitment to the Pledge America Campaign and highlight their ongoing and relevant programming to their viewing and listening audiences.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-418890A1.pdf
FCC Issues Letter on Subsidiaries of Sinclair
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following letter (No. DA 26-177) on Feb. 20, 2026:
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To: Sinclair, Inc., c/o Miles S. Mason, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
HSH Flint (WEYI) Licensee, LLC, c/o Colby M. May, Law Offices of Colby M. May, P.O. Box 15473, Washington, DC 20003
Traverse City (WGTU-TV) Licensee, Inc. and Deerfield Media (Rochester) Licensee, LLC, c/o Scott R. Flick, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
DIRECTV, LLC, c/o
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following letter (No. DA 26-177) on Feb. 20, 2026:
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To: Sinclair, Inc., c/o Miles S. Mason, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
HSH Flint (WEYI) Licensee, LLC, c/o Colby M. May, Law Offices of Colby M. May, P.O. Box 15473, Washington, DC 20003
Traverse City (WGTU-TV) Licensee, Inc. and Deerfield Media (Rochester) Licensee, LLC, c/o Scott R. Flick, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
DIRECTV, LLC, c/oMichael Nilsson, HWG LLP, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Re: Applications for Assignment of Licenses from
HSH Flint (WEYI) Licensee, LLC
LMS File No. 0000277992;
Traverse City (WGTU-TV) Licensee, Inc.
LMS File Nos. 0000277961;
and
Deerfield Media (Rochester) Licensee, LLC
LMS File No. 0000277940
to Subsidiaries of Sinclair, Inc.
Dear Counsel:
The Video Division, Media Bureau, has before it the three above-captioned applications (collectively, Applications) seeking consent to the assignment of the licenses of broadcast television stations to subsidiaries of Sinclair, Inc. (Sinclair). The first application seeks consent to the assignment of the license of WEYI-TV, Saginaw, Michigan, from HSH Flint (WEYI) Licensee, LLC (HSH), to Sinclair subsidiary WEYI Licensee, LLC./1 The second application seeks consent to the assignment of the license of WGTU(TV), Traverse City, Michigan, from Traverse City (WGTU-TV) Licensee, Inc., a subsidiary of Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation (Cunningham), to Sinclair subsidiary WGTU Licensee, LLC./2 The third application seeks consent to the assignment of the license of WHAM-TV, Rochester, New York, from Deerfield Media (Rochester) Licensee, LLC (Deerfield) to Sinclair subsidiary WHAM Licensee, LLC./3 DIRECTV, LLC (DIRECTV) filed a single, consolidated petition to deny the Applications./4 For the reasons set forth below, we deny the Petition and grant the Applications.
Applications. Grant of the Applications would result in Sinclair owning more than one station ranked among the top four in certain Nielsen Designated Market Areas (DMAs), as follows:
* Flint-Saginaw-Bay City. Sinclair currently owns WSMH-TV, Flint, Michigan, and would acquire WEYI-TV, Saginaw, Michigan.
* Traverse City-Cadillac. Sinclair currently owns WPBN-TV, Traverse City, Michigan, and its satellite station WTOM-TV, Cheboygan, Michigan, and would acquire WGTU(TV), Traverse City, Michigan./5
* Rochester. Sinclair currently owns WUHF(TV), Rochester, New York, and would acquire WHAM-TV, Rochester, New York.
Consistent with the Local Television Ownership Rule/6 in effect at the time the Applications were filed, the Applicants submitted showings contending that the proposed combinations would warrant approval under the Commission's case-by-case approach to the Local Television Ownership Rule./7 Nevertheless, they assert that they do not believe a case-by-case market analysis remains necessary in light of Zimmer Radio's invalidation of the Top-Four Prohibition./8
Background. At the time the Applications were filed, the Local Television Ownership Rule provided that an entity may own two television stations licensed in the same DMA if: "(i) The digital noise limited service contours of the stations . . . do not overlap; or (ii) At the time the application to acquire . . . the station(s) is filed, at least one of the stations is not ranked among the top-four stations in the DMA, based on the Sunday to Saturday, 7 AM to 1 AM daypart audience share ratings averaged over a 12-month period immediately preceding the date of the application, as measured by Nielsen Media Research or by any comparable professional, accepted audience ratings service."/9 The Commission, in its 2018 quadrennial regulatory review, tightened application of the latter provision--the Top-Four Prohibition--by amending Note 11 to the Local Television Ownership Rule to prohibit, in relevant part, new station combinations in a single DMA involving top-four affiliated program streams on a full-power station's multicast channel, or low power television stations with top-four affiliated program streams, as well as the assignment or transfer of such pre-existing combinations./10 For all transactions implicating the Top-Four Prohibition, the Commission, at the request of the applicants, would consider showings that the Top-Four Prohibition, including Note 11, should not apply due to specific circumstances in a local market or with respect to a specific transaction on a case-by-case basis./11
On July 23, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (Eighth Circuit), issued its decision in Zimmer Radio, holding that, in the 2018 Quadrennial Review Order, the Commission had sufficiently justified "retention of the Two-Station Limit"/12 of the Local Television Ownership Rule, but that it "arbitrarily and capriciously retained the Top-Four Prohibition . . . and improperly tightened Note 11."/13 The court therefore vacated and remanded both the amendment to Note 11 and the Top-Four Prohibition, but it withheld for 90 days issuance of its Rule 41(b) mandate as to the Top-Four Prohibition./14 It provided this delay to allow the Commission "an opportunity . . . to identify--in the existing record-- adequate evidence to support any of its articulated justifications for retaining" the Top-Four Prohibition./15 The Commission did not submit an additional filing to the court, and the court issued its mandate on October 23, 2025./16
Pleadings. DIRECTV asserts in its Petition that it has standing to file, basing its claim primarily on allegations of direct economic harm due to higher input prices that it will have to pay as a result of the transactions./17 With regard to the applicable standard governing Commission review of the Applications in the wake of Zimmer Radio, DIRECTV contends that "[n]othing in Zimmer Radio alters the Applicants' affirmative obligation to show that the proposed license transfers are in the public interest."/18 DIRECTV further argues that the evidence shows that local television consolidation gives broadcasters more leverage to charge higher retransmission fees, which leads to higher bills for multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) customers./19 With regard to the public interest benefits articulated by the Applicants, raised in the context of the case-by-case market analysis, DIRECTV contends that the Applicants only provide vague and non-measurable assertions, and that simply stating that "synergies" will enable Sinclair to invest in the acquired stations and expand programming does not meet the requisite Commission standard of transaction-specific, measurable, and verifiable benefits./20
The Applicants jointly respond in their Opposition that they have demonstrated that the proposed transactions are in the public interest./21 They argue that the Commission "has historically considered compliance with its rules to demonstrate that a proposed broadcast transaction is prima facie consistent with the public interest, and has granted countless assignment applications on that basis alone without requiring a separate 'public interest' showing."/22 The Applicants further contend that DIRECTV's retransmission consent arguments, including the potential for increased retransmission consent rates, do not implicate cognizable or public interest harms./23 In addition, they argue that Zimmer Radio's vacatur of the Top-Four Prohibition undermines DIRECTV's standing to raise a retransmission consent-related challenge, since denial of the Applications would not prevent Sinclair from acquiring the top-four network affiliations of the stations being assigned./24
In reply, DIRECTV concedes that while "[b]roadcasters may have chosen not to make [a public interest] showing in routine, uncontroversial assignments, as Applicants suggest, and the Media Bureau may have even granted such routine applications, especially when unopposed," such a practice "does not mean that broadcast transaction review--and only broadcast transaction review--constitutes an analysis-free zone even when a petition to deny has been filed challenging the public interest benefits of the transaction."/25 DIRECTV further argues that there is no "retransmission consent exception" to the Commission's transaction review; the Commission's public interest analysis must address DIRECTV's contention that the transactions would allow the Applicants to raise retransmission consent rates./26
Standing. Under section 309(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), only a "party in interest" has standing to file a petition to deny./27 In addition to containing the necessary factual allegations to support a prima facie case that grant of the application would be inconsistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity, a petition to deny must contain specific allegations of fact demonstrating that the petitioner is a party in interest./28 The allegations of fact, except for those of which official notice may be taken, must be supported by an affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury of someone with personal knowledge of the facts alleged./29 In general, a petitioner in a transfer or assignment proceeding also must allege and prove that: (1) it has suffered or will suffer an injury in fact; (2) there is a causal link between the proposed assignment and the injury in fact; and (3) that not granting the transfer or assignment would remedy or prevent the injury in fact./30 In the broadcast regulatory context, standing is generally shown in one of three ways: (1) as a competitor in the market subject to signal interference; (2) as a competitor in the market subject to economic harm; or (3) as a resident of the station's service area or regular listener of the station./31 In the case of viewer standing, the petitioner must allege that he or she is a resident of the station's service area or a regular viewer of the station./32 An organization can establish standing on behalf of its members if it provides an affidavit or declaration "of one or more individuals entitled to standing indicating that the group represents local residents and that the petition is filed on their behalf."/33
We find that DIRECTV has demonstrated that it meets the requirements for standing with regard to the Applications. In its Petition, DIRECTV claims that grant of the transaction will have specific, negative effects on it, specifically related to retransmission consent fee negotiations, and that those harms can be cured by dismissal or denial of the Applications./34 Based on these claims, and consistent with precedent, we find that DIRECTV has met the requirements for standing./35
Discussion. Section 310(d) of the Act provides that no station license shall be transferred or assigned except upon application to the Commission and upon a finding by the Commission "that the public interest, convenience, and necessity will be served thereby."/36 In making this determination, we first assess whether the proposed transaction complies with the specific provisions of the Act, other applicable statutes, and the Commission's rules./37 If the proposed transaction does not violate a statute or rule, we then consider whether the transaction could result in public interest harms by substantially frustrating or impairing the objectives or implementation of the Act or related statutes./38 For the reasons explained below, we find that the proposed transactions fully comply with the Commission's rules, including the post-Zimmer Radio Local Television Ownership Rule, and there are no issues or potential public interest harms identified in the record that would require further consideration. Notably, while the Commission will consider transaction-specific objections to otherwise rule-compliant transactions, we find that DIRECTV has failed to advance any such objections. Accordingly, we conclude that grant of the Applications will result in public interest benefits and serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.
On February 3, 2026, the Bureau issued the Sinclair-Cunningham-Roberts Letter Order, which addressed and rejected many of the arguments presented by DIRECTV here./39 In that decision, we traced the history of the Local Television Ownership Rule from its initial adoption in the 1999 Television Ownership Order/40 through the Eighth Circuit's vacatur of the Top-Four Prohibition, and recognized that "the Two-Station Limit, without restriction, now is the Local Television Ownership Rule."/41 We also rejected the contention that the Commission must engage in a balancing process pursuant to Section 310(d) of the Act before granting an application, explaining that "[w]here the Commission has adopted a specific, numerical ownership limit, as it has with the Two-Station Limit, an applicant satisfies its initial burden of showing that the transaction is in compliance with the Act and the Commission's rules and policies related to competition and diversity by correctly certifying compliance with that limit."/42
We find that the Applications fully comply with the Two-Station Limit, and DIRECTV has failed to provide any transaction-specific arguments that raise a substantial and material question of fact sufficient to show that grant of the Applications would be prima facie inconsistent with the public interest./43 The Petition focuses primarily on the retransmission consent harms raised by the proposed combinations./44 However, just as we found in the Sinclair-Cunningham-Roberts Letter Order that similar concerns were speculative, we reach the same determinations here./45 And again, as we explained in the Sinclair-Cunningham-Roberts Letter Order, the Commission has found on multiple occasions in the past that issues of broad applicability, such as the effect of common ownership of two top-four stations on the market for retransmission consent, are best handled in a rulemaking of industry-wide effect./46 We emphasize again that we will not consider such issues in an adjudication involving rule-compliant broadcast television duopolies./47
Finally, based on our own review of the proposed transactions, we have not identified any issues or potential public interest harms that would require further consideration.
Accordingly, having reviewed the Applications and the record in this matter, IT IS ORDERED that, for the reasons specified herein, the Applications (LMS File Nos. 0000277961, 0000277992, 0000277940) ARE GRANTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the request for continued operation of WGTQ(TV), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan as a satellite station of WGTU(TV), Traverse City, Michigan, pursuant to the "satellite exception" of Note 5 to section 73.3555 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Sec. 73.3555, IS GRANTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Petition to Deny (LMS Pleading File Nos. 0000280866, 0000280869, 0000280872) filed by DIRECTV, LLC IS DENIED.
These actions are taken pursuant to Sections 0.61 and 0.283 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 0.61, 0.283, and Sections 4(i) and (j), and 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 154(i), 154(j), 310(d).
Sincerely,
David J. Brown, Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau
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Original text plus footnotes here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-177A1.pdf
