Soros Fund Management is taking over the airwaves.
According to a New York Post report, the Federal Communications Commission may be assisting far-left billionaire George Soros by fast-tracking his takeover of Audacy, the nation’s second-largest radio network.
Audacy (previously Radio.com) reaches 165 million listeners a month and includes programs from popular hosts Sean Hannity, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, and Erick Erickson.
Could Soros throttle prominent conservative voices before Election Day? “The idea that George Soros is buying hundreds of local radio stations right before a national election and will keep broadcasting Sean Hannity and other conservative talk radio hosts on Audacy is not credible,” a source with knowledge of the deal says.
Soros used foreign funds to back his Audacy takeover and current FCC rules say a foreign company’s ownership of US radio stations is not allowed to exceed 25%; the radical ideologue is asking for an exception.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr says there shouldn’t be a “Soros shortcut.”
“When it comes to a broadcast station acquisition of this size and magnitude – hundreds of radio stations across more than 45 markets – the FCC needs to run its full and normal review process … the FCC should not be skipping steps or waiving required agency processes.”
In the past two years alone, Soros Fund Management has made major moves into American radio. In addition to the $400 million for Audacy’s 220 stations, Soros spent $60 million on 18 conservative Hispanic radio stations, including popular right-wing destination Radio Mambi.
He also gobbled up liberal podcast network Crooked Media, home of Pod Save America.
Would Soros’ takeover drastically change the programming on Audacy shows? Ask former Radio Mambí host Lourdes Ubieta who quit after Soros gutted all anti-Communist messaging on her station.
“They kept the name Radio Mambi but they made it all soft shows like sports and entertainment,” Ubieta says. “Everything was hard-core anti-Communism politics on Radio Mambi before. That’s all gone now.”
Members of Congress are raising the alarm over Soros’ attempt to fast-track the process. Lone Star Rep. Chip Roy says, “It is imperative that the FCC run a fair and transparent process.”
“The Soros group’s interest in expediency does not obviate the FCC’s obligation to follow the law and protect
the American people,” Roy says.
[h/t The New York Post]
