The FCC Enforcement Bureau doesn’t oppose the termination of the Sinclair/Tribune hearing proceeding or the withdrawal of the assignment applications, said Bureau Chief Rosemary Harold in a response posted in docket 17-179 Friday. “Before the hearing can be terminated, the Chief Administrative Law Judge must dispose of the designated applications,” the filing said. In what Harold called “an oversight,” Sinclair didn’t ask for such relief from the ALJ, but she said that “the Bureau understands from the pleading that it is Sinclair's intention to have the designated applications dismissed with prejudice.” Despite Harold’s endorsement for dismissing the proceeding, it’s possible that issues raised in the hearing designation order could still dog Sinclair, broadcast attorneys said (see 1808090042). Sinclair called on the ALJ to terminate the hearing process in a motion posted Thursday. “Given that the merger agreement has been terminated, and that Sinclair and Tribune are no longer pursuing the transaction and will not seek to re-file the applications, Sinclair requests that the Presiding Judge terminate the hearing,” Sinclair said. Sinclair’s formal withdrawal of the applications “with prejudice” was also posted Thursday. Broadcast attorneys said by withdrawing with prejudice, Sinclair is saying the matter is unresolved. The FCC declined to comment on the matter.

NAB didn’t weigh in on an FCC proposal to limit interference complaints from outside an FM station's 54 dBu contour, in the association’s comments on the FCC’s translator interference NPRM in docket 18-119. Though NAB endorsed the bulk of the FCC’s proposals, including allowing translators to relocate more freely and a six-listener minimum for interference complaints, the association said in a footnote it's deferring comment on the contour issue. “We respectfully reserve the right to address this issue in reply comments,” the filing said. The contour issue was the primary point of contention in the bulk of comments on the NPRM (see 1808070039). NAB also backed a 90-day deadline for interference complaints to be resolved. “Such an approach will make the Commission’s process more efficient, particularly in cases where claimed interference appears indisputable,“ NAB said.

The FCC submitted the text of its incubator order to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday (Pacer link) to meet a deadline established by the court after it denied a stay request against the agency’s media ownership recon order (see 1802070053). Anti-consolidation groups said the court’s request indicated the panel is still considering whether the FCC actions on ownership adhere to its rulings. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said last week she didn’t see how the incubator order addressed the court’s concerns (see 1808020048).

Tribune reached a comprehensive agreement with Fox, renewing the affiliation of eight Tribune stations, Tribune said in a release.

Bonneville International will buy eight radio stations from Entercom, four each in Sacramento and San Francisco, for $141 million, said a Bonneville release. Bonneville has been programing the stations under a local marketing agreement since 2017, the release said. “The transaction is pending regulatory approval, and is expected to close in late 3rd quarter or early in the 4th quarter of this year,” the release said.

BBC Late Night Laugh, a series of nightly radio comedy specials highlighting the talent appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that runs through Aug. 27, launched Friday for smart speakers, including Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod or Google Home devices, said the broadcaster. “Comedy is hugely popular on smart speakers and we love the idea of people asking for a late night laugh,” said Julia McKenzie, BBC Studios head-radio comedy.

The FCC should delete its WPXQ Channel 17 at Block Island, Rhode Island, and substitute Channel 17 at Newport in the DTV table of allotments (see 1806120016), Ion commented in docket 18-153. That “will represent a preferential arrangement of allotments by affording Newport its first local full-power television service in satisfaction of the Commission' s second allotment priority,” Ion said.

Nexstar will buy KRBK Osage Beach, Missouri, and WHDF Florence, Alabama, for a total of $19.45 million, Nexstar said in a news release Thursday. KRBK is being sold by owner KRBK and WHDF by owner Huntsville TV. Under local marketing agreements, “Nexstar began operating WHDF-TV on July 15, 2018 and KRBK-TV on August 1, 2018,” the release said. The deals are expected to close in Q4.

Public media groups endorsed the FCC plan to end rules requiring physical posting of broadcast licenses and other information at stations. “Public Broadcasting is concerned with the outdated Commission rules that continue to impose obligations to post licenses on the premises,” commented America’s Public Television Stations, NPR and PBS, posted in docket 18-121 Wednesday.

Changes creating the FCC online reporting system for emergency alerts take effect Sept. 4, says a Federal Register notice set for Thursday. The reporting system replaces paper filing and is intended to make state EAS plans more uniform and more accessible to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (see 1804100043).