Sinclair-FCC

Dear Sir or Madam:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records: All communications between executives of and lobbyists from Sinclair Broadcast Group (including Rebecca Hanson, Doron Gorsheim, David Dennison Smith, Christopher S. Ripley, Barry M. Faber, David Gibber, John Solomon, and David B. Amy) and the FCC's leadership (including Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, Matthew Berry, Nick Degani, Nathan Leamer, Alison Nemeth, and Brendan Carr), between November 9, 2016 and today.

As a representative of the news media I am only required to pay for the direct cost of duplication after the first 100 pages. Through this request, I am gathering information on the possibility of the FCC altering or waiving media ownership limits. That is of current interest to the public as numerous media reports (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-08/new-tv-rules-under-gop-led-fcc-could-lead-to-m-a-free-for-all, https://www.bna.com/trumps-fcc-expected-n57982082852) have indicated this is likely with the new FCC majority and that Sinclair is seeking such a change.

This information is being sought on behalf of ThinkProgress.org (an online news service) for dissemination to the general public and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I am a reporter with ThinkProgress, an online news site with a national audience seeking these documents entirely for news-gathering purposes.

I would like to receive the information in the following format: electronic.

Please waive any applicable fees. Release of the information is in the public interest because it has a huge interest in who owns media outlets, how those limits are set, and the relationship between corporations and the people making those determinations. In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material. I, of course, reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to deny a waiver of fees.

As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is of timely value, I would appreciate your communicating with me by email or telephone, rather than by mail, if you have questions regarding this request.

Please provide expedited processing of this request which concerns a matter of urgency. As a journalist, I am primarily engaged in disseminating information. The public has an urgent need for information because the FCC is expected to act in the immediate future in response to Sinclair's requests and without transparency, the public will not know who has been lobbying its leadership on this issue and how. News reports indicate action could come "as soon as April."

I certify that my statements concerning the need for expedited processing are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Josh Israel

Dear Sir or Madam:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records: All communications between executives of and lobbyists from Sinclair Broadcast Group (including Rebecca Hanson, Doron Gorsheim, David Dennison Smith, Christopher S. Ripley, Barry M. Faber, David Gibber, John Solomon, and David B. Amy) and the FCC's leadership (including Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, Matthew Berry, Nick Degani, Nathan Leamer, Alison Nemeth, and Brendan Carr), between November 9, 2016 and today.

As a representative of the news media I am only required to pay for the direct cost of duplication after the first 100 pages. Through this request, I am gathering information on the possibility of the FCC altering or waiving media ownership limits. That is of current interest to the public as numerous media reports (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-08/new-tv-rules-under-gop-led-fcc-could-lead-to-m-a-free-for-all, https://www.bna.com/trumps-fcc-expected-n57982082852) have indicated this is likely with the new FCC majority and that Sinclair is seeking such a change.

This information is being sought on behalf of ThinkProgress.org (an online news service) for dissemination to the general public and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I am a reporter with ThinkProgress, an online news site with a national audience seeking these documents entirely for news-gathering purposes.

I would like to receive the information in the following format: electronic.

Please waive any applicable fees. Release of the information is in the public interest because it has a huge interest in who owns media outlets, how those limits are set, and the relationship between corporations and the people making those determinations. In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material. I, of course, reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to deny a waiver of fees.

As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is of timely value, I would appreciate your communicating with me by email or telephone, rather than by mail, if you have questions regarding this request.

Please provide expedited processing of this request which concerns a matter of urgency. As a journalist, I am primarily engaged in disseminating information. The public has an urgent need for information because the FCC is expected to act in the immediate future in response to Sinclair's requests and without transparency, the public will not know who has been lobbying its leadership on this issue and how. News reports indicate action could come "as soon as April."

I certify that my statements concerning the need for expedited processing are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Josh Israel