Price Fixing Lawsuits Against Sinclair, Other Broadcasters Transferred to Federal Court in Chicago

Two of the lawsuits against Sinclair, Tribune, Gray and other large broadcasters over advertising price collusion (see 1807310054) were consolidated and transferred to U.S. District Court in Chicago, said an order (in Pacer) Thursday from the U.S. District Court judicial panel on multidistrict litigation. The potential class-action lawsuits were filed after reports emerged DOJ was investigating the broadcast groups for conspiring to fix ad prices. Though the order transferred only cases filed in Maryland and Illinois, the plaintiffs expect 15 similar cases in other districts to be transferred to the same court, they said in a filing Thursday. “These actions involve common questions of fact, and that centralization will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation” the panel said. Friday, the companies didn’t comment.