RICHARD E. NEAL 
fiRST DISTRICT, MASSACHUSETTS 
AT· LARGE WHIP 
Chairman Tom Wheeler 
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Jlllusltiugtnu, f!lQt 20515 
March 20, 2014 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW, Room 8-C445 
Washington, DC 20554-0004 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS 
RANKING MEMBER, 
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT 
REVENUE MEASURES 
DEMOCRATIC LEADER, 
FRIENDS OF IRELAND CAUCUS 
I understand from press reports that the Commission intends to effectively prohibit joint sales agreementa 
(JSAs) among local television stations. While I certainly support the Commission's goals of competition, 
localism, and diversity, I write today to encourage you to take a measured approach when reviewing JSAs 
that were formerly filed with and passed upon by the Commission. 
I am aware of the benefita to localism and diversity brought to our communities by LIN Media, which has 
a station located in my district. They provide local news in both quantity and quality - adding hours of 
news and investigative teams. I believe LIN has followed the rules. They filed all four of their JSAs with 
the FCC in long form transactions and made substantial investmenta in small marketa based on the JSAs 
which were approved in those transactions. This investment has added local content, local jobs, and local 
opportunities for businesses. 
I encourage you to consider grandfathering JSAs that were filed with approved long-form FCC 
applications and to make that grandfathering transferable. Investments in smaller markets have been 
made based on the prior FCC grants;·and I would hope the Commission would respect those investments 
in the public interest. 
CC: Commissioner Mignon Clyburn 
Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel 
Commissioner Ajit Pai 
Commissioner Michael 0 'Rielly 
2208 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515 
12021 225-5601 
Sincerely, 
Richard E. Neal 
Member of Congress 
300 STATE STREET 
SUITE 200 
SPRINGFIElD, MA 01105 
1413_1785-0325 
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 
®~11 
SILVIO 0. CONTE fEDERAL BUILDING 
78 CENTER STREET 
PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 
(413)442-0946