Commissioner Brendan Carr of theFederal Communications Commission is sounding the alarm over a pending purchase which would allow billionaire Democratic donor George Soros to purchase hundreds of U.S. radio stations.
During a House Oversight Committee hearing last week, Carr objected to a deal that would allow a Soros-backed group to take ownership of 200 stations across 40 markets. He claimed the FCC was deviating from its normal procedure by allowing the purchase to take place.
“I think what’s interesting about it is that the FCC is not following its normal process for reviewing transactions that it has established over a number of years,” Carr warned. “It seems to me the FCC is poised, for the first time, to create an entirely new shortcut.”
The transaction, which was reported by The National Desk in February, would break a rule preventing more than 25% foreign ownership of U.S. radio stations, Carr alleges. Despite this, Carr claimed the agency was expediting its review process.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expedited a decision to allow Democrat megadonor George Soros to obtain a major stake in more than 200 radio stations — a move the House Oversight Committee is investigating amid concerns of "politicization" and interference in the 2024 presidential election.
The FCC seemingly approved a deal that would permit left-wing billionaire George Soros’ acquisition of more than 200 Audacy radio stations across America, irking a Republican commissioner who "objected."
According to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., the FCC expedited a required review of broadcast licenses by bypassing its standard procedures and processes.
Comer and Langworthy penned a letter to FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel requesting documents and communications to understand the FCC’s actions.
Audacy Inc. owns more than 200 radio stations. Soros purchased $415 million in debt in a chapter 11 reorganization of the company.
Audacy, Inc. is an American broadcasting company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1968 as Entercom Communications Corp., it is the second largest radio company in the United States, owning over 220 radio stations across 47 media markets.[3]
In November 2017, the company merged with CBS Radio.
So pay attention to who owns your favorite radio station, you may not be getting the news you need. At Heartland Journal we’re 100% independent, heck I don’t even get paid for it, totally out of pocket, but Audacy isn’t the only one changing this year.
Allen Media Group, WITH THE LARGEST CONTENT LIBRARY IN THE INDUSTRY ALLEN MEDIA GROUP ENTERTAINS, INFORMS AND INSPIRES MILLIONS OF CONSUMERS EVERY DAY. They say… is A Global Media, Content & Technology Company, that delivers a 360 degree experience to our consumers and business partners. Our goal is to entertain, inform and connect with audiences through our multiple platforms, especially our free mobile/OTT streaming APP, LOCAL NOW. On LOCAL NOW consumers enjoy over 8,000 hours of movies, TV shows and LOCAL weather, well not so much weather anymore….traffic and points of interest along with over 400 fast channels. In addition, our suite of HD cable lifestyle channels and multi-platform programming reach more than 200 million consumers everyday. Hopefully not any that ever have a weather emergency…Allen Media Group
who owns and operates 22 local "big 4" television stations across the US, and also coincidentally, The Weather Channel, has decided to cut costs by eliminating the jobs of every local meteorologist at all of their stations. all of them.
WTVA (ABC/NBC) in Tupelo/Columbus, MS, one of the most vulnerable areas in the entire country for deadly tornadoes, will have no local meteorologists starting March, right for southern severe storm season. MS has had 4 EF tornadoes since 2020, killing at least 30 people
KIMT (CBS) in Rochester, MN / Mason City, IA will have no local meteorologists to deliver blizzard forecasts starting in March. Rochester, MN has recorded over 200 inches of snowfall since 2020
KEZI (ABC) in Eugene, OR will have no local meteorologists to bring local expertise to forecasts starting in 2 months. their neighbor KDRV/KDKF in Medford/Klamath Falls, OR will also lose all local weather coverage. this map shows all of the wildfires for this area just in 2024
HSL/KNVN (CBS) in Chico/Redding, CA, another neighbor to the two Oregon stations, is losing all local broadcast meteorology presence. this includes the coverage area for the Park Fire, the 4th largest wildfire in California history. just the fire suppression costs were >$350mil
WTHI (CBS/FOX) in Terre Haute, IN is letting their entire staff of broadcast meteorologists go. an EF3 tornado in southwest Indiana killed at least 5 people in 2023. there will be no local meteorology coverage for events like this beginning in March
their neighbors WLFI (CBS) in Lafayette, IN and WFFT (FOX) in Fort Wayne, IN will also cease employing local meteorologists starting in 2 months. dozens of tornados occurred in northern Indiana in 2024 causing millions of dollars in property damage
WAAY (ABC) in Huntsville, AL will lay off all of the local broadcast meteorologists in just a few weeks. this includes a significant chunk of the area affected by the April 27th, 2011 super outbreak, which produced multiple EF5 tornadoes and caused hundreds of deaths
WEVV (CBS) in Evansville, IN will no longer employ local broadcast meteorologists for daily weather or breaking severe weather coverage heading into this year's severe weather season. several EF2/3 tornadoes affected this media market just last year
ADN (NBC/FOX) in Lafayette, LA will forego having any local meteorologists provide weather coverage starting this March. this one in particular hits close to home, literally, as several hard working people will lose their livelihoods. the utility of this coverage is obvious
KITV/KIKU (ABC) in Honolulu, HI has decided to forego local expertise for daily/breaking weather coverage. a series of sudden wildfires in Maui, within their media market, killed >100 people and caused at least $5.5bil in damages in 2023. many more could've been hurt w/o them
Just in Wisconsin alone, dozens of excellent local meteorologists will struggle to put food on the table, a move which will put people at risk. WAOW (ABC) in Wausau, WQOW (ABC) in Eau Claire, WKOW (ABC) in Madison, and WXOW (ABC) in La Crosse will all cease local weather coverage
WSIL (ABC) in Carbondale/Carterville, IL, serving much of southern Illinois and a tri-state area between St. Louis, MO and Paducah, KY will cease employing local broadcast meteorologists this March. multiple EF2/3 tornadoes occurred in their area just in 2024
WREX (NBC) serving Rockford, IL and much of northern Illinois will also shutter its local meteorology department this spring. this puts nearly a quarter-million people at risk for no/late breaking weather coverage as tornadoes frequent this area as well (this is 2024)
KWWL (NBC) in Waterloo, IA will cut ties with all of its local meteorologists in favor of national weather coverage in March. they also serve Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, & Dubuque, an area hit by 140mph winds from a derecho in 2020, the costliest thunderstorm in US history
WJRT (ABC) in Flint/Saginaw, MI will layoff its entire staff of local broadcast meteorologists this spring. this area routinely still sees severe wind gusts. these are all just from 2024
KVOA (NBC) in Tucson, AZ will opt to force several meteorologists into unemployment so that they can no longer provide local daily/breaking weather coverage. this is a flood-prone area due to the seasonal North American monsoon. two were killed in flash floods near Tucson in 2024
Lastly, WCOV (FOX) in Montgomery, AL will close down its local meteorology coverage starting in March. in addition to the April 27, 2011 super tornado outbreak mentioned above, the combination of severe, tropical, and winter weather coverage is deeply important for this area.
It's very sad to see dozens of good, hard-working people suddenly looking for work after only doing right by the people they work for. Many will be hurting for a while from this, and many hundreds of thousands of people may be unemployed for quite some time.
Right now there is a blizzard in the Gulf of America, formerly knows as Gulf of Mexico, for Florida, Alabama and Missiouri. Weather news may never have been more important at a time weather news is closing.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
