Frequency Forward Files FCC Petition to Block Sinclair Broadcast License Transfers for Five Stations

April 14, 2025 at 10:30 AM EDT

--News Direct--

Today, Frequency Forward filed a Petition to Deny, urging the Federal Communications Commission to block the proposed transfer of broadcast licenses currently held by Sinclair, Inc. to Rincon Broadcasting Group. The complaint alleges that Sinclair has systematically used shell corporations to evade the Commission’s multiple ownership rules and has repeatedly misled regulators about the extent of its control over local television stations. Frequency Forward contends that Sinclair’s repeated misrepresentations and ongoing deception are disqualifying and that the FCC should hold a hearing into whether Sinclair and its shell companies are qualified to remain broadcast licensees.

The filing argues that Sinclair’s long-standing use of sidecar companies, including Cunningham Broadcasting and Deerfield Media, amounts to de facto control of stations it cannot legally own under FCC rules. The petition further details how Sinclair concealed key financial and operational relationships, failed to disclose its consolidation of these entities as Variable Interest Entities (VIEs), shared legal counsel across all three companies, and made material misrepresentations in previous FCC proceedings.

“Sinclair has spent decades building a shadow network of fake licensees to skirt federal ownership limits,” said Arthur Belendiuk, attorney for Frequency Forward. “These companies are not independent broadcasters; they’re fronts for Sinclair. Chairman Brendan Carr has said he’s committed to treating all broadcast licensing matters fairly and balanced, and we hope he approaches this case with the same urgency and determination he’s shown in his first months as Chair.”

The petition is critical of the FCC’s 2020 $48 million consent decree with Sinclair, outlining in detail why the consent decree was an inappropriate substitute for a full investigation into misconduct that strikes at the heart of the public interest standard. This includes new evidence obtained via Freedom of Information Act request, which shows Sinclair continued to misrepresent material facts to the Commission while under investigation by the Media Bureau. The Media Bureau entered the 2020 consent decree relying on Sinclair’s misrepresentations, which the petition claims “adds another layer of deceit to its growing list of false statements, concealments and misrepresentations.”

The license transfers being challenged include five Sinclair stations: KHQA in Quincy, Illinois, KTVO in Kirksville, Missouri, WICS in Springfield, Illinois, WICD in Danville, Illinois, and WVTV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The FCC must review and rule on the Frequency Forward petition before the sale of these stations can proceed.

“The FCC’s job is to ensure that the public airwaves are used by companies that operate with honesty and integrity,” said Belendiuk. “Sinclair has shown a consistent pattern of deception—concealing ownership structures, misleading regulators, sharing lawyers, and evading accountability. These are not minor infractions. They go to the core of whether Sinclair deserves the privilege of holding broadcast licenses. The Commission must not look the other way.”

A copy of the Frequency Forward’s Petition to Deny is available here.

Frequency Forward: Frequency Forward is a public-interest organization and consumer advocacy watchdog dedicated to promoting greater transparency and accountability at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Our mission is to ensure the agency serves all Americans and is not beholden to entrenched corporate power. Additional information is available at frequencyfwd.com.