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posted by Fnord666 on Saturday February 17 2018, @08:16AM   Printer-friendly
from the you-don't-say dept.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mb53jn/fcc-inspector-general-investigation-ajit-pai-corruption

FCC boss Ajit Pai is being investigated by his own agency over potential corruption allegations.

The already-unpopular agency boss has been on a tear in recent months gutting decades old media-consolidation rules designed to protect consumers and the nation's media markets from any one broadcaster becoming too powerful.

Pai's efforts arrived, not coincidentally, at the same time Sinclair Broadcasting Group is attempting to acquire Tribune Media as part of a $3.9 billion dollar megamerger. It's a deal a bipartisan chorus of critics say would demolish media diversity, resulting in Sinclair owning more than 230 local stations across 72 percent of the United States.

Given criticism of Sinclair for its often distorted and inaccurate news reporting, consumer advocates say the deal would have a profoundly negative impact on the quality and diversity of media discourse, as well as already dwindling competition in the space.

Without Pai's assistance on this front, the Sinclair merger would have been impossible.

Now the New York Times indicates that the FCC's Inspector General has launched an investigation into whether Pai acted inappropriately as he rushed to dismantle media consolidation rules.

Also at CNN, Gizmodo and The Verge.


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  • (Score: 3, Touché) by Thexalon on Saturday February 17 2018, @01:53PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Saturday February 17 2018, @01:53PM (#639334)

    Poe's Law is very much in force.

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Touché=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Touché' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3