ATVA Proposes Retrans Condition for Standard/Tegna

The FCC should impose a merger condition on the Standard/Tegna deal that would bar all employees of the combined company involved in retransmission consent from viewing or accessing “in any form” any retrans agreement to which a Cox Media Group station is a party, said the American Television Alliance in calls Friday and Monday with Media Bureau Chief Holly Saurer, an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, and Media Bureau staff, according to an ex parte filing in docket 22-162. Cox Media is owned by Apollo Global Management, which is also one of the deal's financiers. The condition’s language comes from a consent decree reached with Deerfield Media and other broadcasters associated with Sinclair Broadcast over retrans negotiations, ATVA said (see 2107280068). Along with the prohibition on accessing Cox retrans agreements, ATVA wants the FCC to require the combined company to designate a compliance officer and create a compliance plan, and be subject to regular reporting requirements. “These conditions should last so long as Cox/Apollo holds a financial interest (attributable or not) in New TEGNA,” ATVA said. A representative for ATVA member Altice also had a call with Saurer Monday, said another ex parte filing. Altice urged the Media Bureau to request additional information from Standard to “better explain the structure of the proposed transaction with respect to use of the applicants’ ‘after-acquired’ and ‘divested’ station clauses."