FCC Dismisses Sinclair, Buckeye Complaints

The FCC has dismissed the complaints filed by Sinclair and Buckeye Cablevision, ending the Washington wrangling that accompanied their months-long retransmission consent impasse.

Both sides signaled they would withdraw the complaints after they finally struck a two-year deal last week.

Sinclair's WNWO-TV had been off Buckeye's system since December 16 after the previous retrans deal expired without a new one.

Sinclair had filed a complaint alleging that Buckeye had failed to provide WNWO with network nonduplication protection, while Buckeye countered with a retrans complaint alleging WNWO did not negotiate in good faith, which the FCC is authorized to enforce.

The two jointly asked the FCC to dismiss the complaints with prejudice, essentially meaning they could not be refiled and case closed.

The FCC concluded that dismissing the complaints was in the public interest because it "promoted private resolution of disputes" and because the FCC—and the parties—would not have to expend any more time and resources on it.

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.