FCC Opens Docket on Gannett/Belo

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The FCC has opened a public docket (No. 13-189) on Gannett's
proposed $2.2 billion purchase of Belo Corp. TV stations.

That followed two petitions to deny/condition the deal filed
last week by various parties including the AmericanCable Association, DirecTV and Time Warner Cable and FreePress and other public advocacy groups and unions.

Opening a docket means that the FCC will collect public
comment online about the proposed station license transfer and requests to
block it.

The FCC has made it a "permit but disclose"
proceeding, which means the FCC will allow interested parties to meet and talk
with commissioners and staff about the merger, but they must disclose those ex
parte meetings publicly.

Oppositions to the petitions to deny are due Aug.
8, replies to those comments are due Aug. 20.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.