The National Association of Broadcasters is telling the Federal Communications Commission to get a move on and approve the merger between Nexstar and Media General.
In a letter, NAB’s general counsel and evp Rick Kaplan told the FCC that since the Department of Justice has approved the merger, “the Commission has well exceeded its 180-day shot clock for reviewing major transactions.”
The NAB says the FCC shouldn’t follow its own rules about not approving transactions during the incentive auction and move on the announced merger since both parties are known to the commission and the ownership changes are “clearly identified.”
“As the auction moves forward with no fixed end date, Nexstar and Media General are frozen in place while they wait for the Commission’s determination,” writes Kaplan. “The FCC’s delay in acting upon the proposed merger also has created ongoing and unnecessary uncertainty regarding associated transactions for divestitures that, if consummated, will increase female and minority ownership of television stations and result in the sale of other stations to small, independent broadcasters.”
The two announced their $4.6 billion planned merger last January.