Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Media Council Hawaii has asked the Federal Communications Commission for an emergency order to block KGMB-TV and KHNL/KFVE-TV from merging news and other operations under a “shared services agreement” announced Aug. 18.
“This merger is not in the public interest,” said Chris Conybeare, president of the group formerly known as the Honolulu Community-Media Council.
The agreement “will harm our community,” Conybeare said. “Broadcasters are granted licenses to use the public airwaves to serve the public interest.”
KGMB is owned by Virginia-based MCG Capital Corp. and KHNL/KFVE are owned by Alabama-based Raycom Media Inc.
The complaint alleges violations of FCC ownership rules and federal antitrust laws and was filed by the Institute for Public Representation of the Georgetown University Law Center on behalf of the media council. More…