Sinclair Broadcast Group announces retirement of Jerald Fritz

Jerald “Jerry” Fritz, Executive Vice President for Strategic and Legal Affairs at ONE Media Technologies, LLC, a subsidiary of Sinclair, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBGI), has announced his retirement. After an illustrious career spanning more than 55 years in and around the broadcast and communications industries, Fritz will step down on July 1.

For the past decade, Fritz has been responsible for the long-term strategic planning and public policy for ONE Media, supporting the adoption and deployment of the broadcast industry’s groundbreaking NextGen Broadcast (ATSC 3.0) transmission standard. Throughout his tenure, Fritz also played a critical role in shaping ONE Media’s and Sinclair’s national and international spectrum use and intellectual property positions. His work on the adoption of ATSC 3.0 as a global digital broadcast standard was recently recognized by the North American Broadcasters Association with its prestigious International Achievement Award.

“No one knows broadcast television better than Jerry. He brings a unique blend of legal expertise, policy know-how, and technical facility that has made him instrumental in the industry’s advancement of ATSC 3.0,” said Patrick McFadden, Senior Vice President Global Public Policy and Communications. Added Mark Aitken, ONE Media’s President, “We honor the incredible legacy of Jerry, one that has impacted our entire industry. His wisdom and contributions will be deeply missed, but his influence will continue to inspire and guide future generations.”

Fritz joined ONE Media from Allbritton Communications Company and POLITICO where he served as General Counsel and Director of Strategic Affairs for nearly 30 years. Previously, he served as the Chief of Staff to FCC Chairman Mark Fowler, where he was a key member of the team that pushed to deregulate the broadcasting and telecommunications industries including abolishing the Fairness Doctrine, dramatic loosening of station ownership rules, implementing the AT&T divestiture, approving the first cellular phone service, and deregulating long distance rates. He had a hand in helping to form multiple new ventures including the nation’s first local cable news channel and launching POLITICO. Prior to joining the Chairman’s staff, Fritz was in private practice at Pierson Ball & Dowd specializing in communications law, held several staff positions at the FCC and taught on the adjunct faculty at George Mason University Law School.

Fritz has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, where he chaired the NAB-X.com Task Force, served on the Digital Television Implementation Team and the EEO and Copyright Committees. He is a past Governor of the ABC Affiliates Association and was former chair of its Government Relations Committee. Fritz is also a former Governing Committee member and Division Chair of the American Bar Association’s Communications Law Forum and a past co-chair of the Pre-Publication Review Committee for the Media Law Resource Center. He has been a mainstay on the NAB’s Broadcast Leadership Training Program’s faculty for a quarter century.

The teams at ONE Media and Sinclair extend their deepest gratitude for his years of dedicated service and pioneering contributions to the industry. StreetInsider