By Casey Harper (The Middle Sq.)
The U.S. Home Oversight Committee is investigating why the Federal Communications Fee fast-tracked a deal that allowed a billionaire Democratic donor to purchase a large swath of American radio stations simply weeks earlier than the presidential election.
The foremost radio firm Audacy Inc. fell into monetary straits, however by way of a fancy enterprise deal Democratic mega donor and billionaire George Soros has gained management of the stations. Offers of this measurement require FCC approval, however on this case the FCC expedited the approval course of.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr raised considerations concerning the deal at a Congressional listening to, telling lawmakers that “… the FCC is not following its normal process for reviewing a transaction.”
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“We have established over a number of years one way in which you can get approval from the FCC when you have an excess of 25 percent foreign ownership, which this transaction does,” Carr mentioned. ““It seems to me that the FCC is poised to create, for the first time, an entirely new shortcut.”
Home Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., despatched a letter to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel Friday elevating considerations concerning the deal.
“Despite the unprecedented nature of this action, the FCC majority has apparently decided to approve licenses on an accelerated timeframe for a company in which George Soros has a major ownership stake, and with stations in 40 media markets reaching ‘more than 165 million Americans,’” the letter mentioned. “By all appearances, the FCC majority isn’t just expediting, but is bypassing an established process to do a favor for George Soros and facilitate his influence over hundreds of radio stations before the November election.”
Critics of the deal say it offers an excessive amount of energy to a closely political, and liberal, billionaire simply earlier than the election.
“I have no idea why Soros would do this unless it was to manipulate the thinking of Americans and the information they listen to,” creator and former member of the George W. Bush administration Mike Gonzalez instructed The Middle Sq..
“Conservative talk radio is huge, and there is no left wing talk radio because it’s just not interesting,” mentioned Gonzalez, who’s now on the Heritage Basis. “Conservative talk radio is one of the few communications that conservatives have not a monopoly on but have a strong handle on, and he has bought stations that have Mark Levin and Sean Hannity and Dana Loesch and Glenn Beck.”
Critics additionally level out that Soros’ enterprise companions within the deal embrace important funding from sources abroad.
“The Audacy, Inc. deal, which will lead to Audacy, Inc. being partially ‘directly or indirectly controlled’ by foreign individuals or entities holding ‘more than one-fourth of the capital stock’ will require FCC approval to determine whether ‘the public interest will be served by the refusal or revocation of such license,’” the letter mentioned. “In carrying out this statutory mandate under the Communications Act, FCC has years-long established processes and procedures for adjudicating broadcast licenses in such situations, most recently updated in 2016.”
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Different rich media homeowners have confronted scrutiny for potential abuse of their possession energy, corresponding to billionaire Jeff Bezos when he bought the Washington Publish. Nonetheless, Soros’ affect over so many radio stations could have much more affect over the nation than one of many main papers, which People normally see as having a sure political leaning.
Soros is likely one of the most strategic and prolific funders of liberal organizations within the U.S.
“I don’t know why else he would plunk a pile of money this size unless it was to try to have influence over the thinking of Americans,” Gonzalez continued, including that “this guy is committed to left-wing causes.”
Syndicated with permission from The Middle Sq..
