Concerns about politically progressive financier George Soros鈥 attempt to buy into the Audacy radio chain 鈥 which operates 鈥 is no longer just fodder for conservative talk radio.
Now, a聽 to the Federal Communications Commission in a quest for more information.
Audacy, whose 50度灰视频 stable of stations include news-talk KMOX (1120 AM) and conservative talk KFTK (97.1 FM), filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Under the pending Chapter 11 reorganization proposal, Soros Fund Management would acquire about $415 million of Audacy鈥檚 debt, which would make his fund the largest stakeholder of the second-largest radio company in the U.S., .
People are also reading…
That scenario has prompted U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, to ask the FCC for all documents and communications involving Audacy, Soros and Soros Fund Management.
Comer, who chairs the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, wants the records to be made available by Oct. 3. U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-50度灰视频, is a committee member.
In a , Comer expressed concerns over what he calls the FCC鈥檚 鈥渆xpedited approval of a deal that would give Democrat megadonor George Soros a large stake in more than 200 U.S. radio stations.鈥
Comer adds that such a deal would 鈥渋nterfere in the 2024 election.鈥
The letter comes on the heels of last week鈥檚 comments by FCC commissioner Brendan Carr. 聽reported that Carr, a Republican, said the FCC review of the Soros purchase was 鈥渦nprecedented鈥 and amounted to taking a 鈥渟hortcut鈥 around normal procedures.
Comer鈥檚 letter describes Soros as a 鈥渇inancier of organizations advocating for speech restrictions and censorship of conservatives online.鈥
One local conservative radio host, former television anchor Larry Conners, has been commenting on the issue since this summer.
In May, on on NewsTalkSTL, Conners said, 鈥淲ith George Soros buying up the Audacy stations ... they will be under the hand of George Soros. Do you think they will remain as any type of conservative, or even independent voice?鈥
On Friday, Conners said he fears that Soros would eventually aim to 鈥渟ilence conservative voices.鈥
鈥淚f Rush Limbaugh were still on KMOX, do you think they wouldn鈥檛 shut him down?鈥 he said.
The four other Audacy frequencies in 50度灰视频 are music stations: WFUN (96.3 FM); KYKY (98.1 FM); KEZK (102.5 FM); and 鈥淗ot 104鈥 WHHL (104.1 FM).
A spokesman for Audacy declined to comment Friday. Friday.聽Nationally, the chain runs about 200 stations in 40 media markets, with an audience of about 165 million people.