station trading

Gray gets the go-ahead to buy the NBC affiliate and operate it with the ABC affiliate it already owns in the South Dakota market. The action, in essence, constitutes a waiver of the FCC’s local ownership rules barring ownership of two stations in small markets and of two top-rated stations (typically network affiliates) in all markets.

The sale of KGBY-TV & K36LM-D Grand Junction, Colo., by Chang Broadcasting to Ventura Broadcasting tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

The sale of KDMD-LD Tacoma, Wash., by Denver Digital Television to Seattle 6 Broadcasting tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

According to a statement released by the station group, Apollo has proposed first acquiring Tegna and later merging it with Cox Media Group. Apollo struck a deal to acquire Cox in February, but that deal has not yet closed.

The sale of KCOS El Paso, Texas, by El Paso Public Television Foundation to Texas Tech University tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Gray Television’s deal to buy KDLT Sioux Fall, S.D., and create a precedent-setting affiliate duopoly in the market has been hung up at the FCC for 15 months without any explanation. For the sake of buyers and sellers, large and small, the FCC needs to act.

The sale of KMBH Harlingen, Texas, by MB Revolution to Entravision tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

The $535 million deal for WTHR Indianapolis and WBNS-AM-FM-TV Columbus, Ohio, closes.

The sale of KTTU Tucson, Ariz., by Tucker Media & Management Consulting II to Tegna tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

An internal email from the GM of Red River Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate in Sioux Falls, S.D., says the Justice Department has signed off on the $32 million sale to Gray Television first proposed in 2018.

The sale of WWEO-LD DeFuniak Springs, Fla., by World Evangelism Outreach to Nichols Broadcasting Group tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

The sale of WBEH-CD Miami by Prime Time Partners to HC2 Holdings tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Prime Time Partners sells WBEH-CD Miami for $4 million and WSPF-CD Tampa for $3.75 million to Philip Falcone’s HC2 Holdings.

The sale of three TV and two radio stations from Dispatch Broadcast Group to Tegna tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

In addition to the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis and CBS affiliate in Columbus, Ohio, it’s also getting WBNS-AM-FM in Columbus.

Those looking for Justice’s decision on whether it has any antitrust issues with Tegna’s purchase of Nexstar spin-off stations will have to wait a little longer. That is because for the sixth business day in a row the Federal Trade Commission has issued no early termination notices on any deal, an unusual hiatus for such announcements.

The sale of KXNU-LD Laredo, Texas, from Faith & Power Communications to Gray Television tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

The sale of two stations from Citadel Communications to Standard Media Group tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Lowcountry Media sells the Georgia multicast affiliate to Phillip Falcone’s HC2 Holdings.

Deb McDermott’s new Standard Media is buying the Providence, R.I., and Lincoln, Neb., ABC affiliates from Phil Lombardo for $83 million and she says she’s looking for more.

The sale of four stations from Bayou City Broadcasting to Allen Media Broadcasting tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

U.S. television station deals reached $4.86 billion in the first quarter, dominated by station consolidations and spinoffs, according to Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The Entertainment Studios CEO’s Allen Media is getting CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates in Evansville, Ind., and Lafayette, La.

Meredith Corp. is preparing to explore a sale of its portfolio of TV stations as it looks to streamline its business, people familiar with the matter tell Reuters. Meredith is discussing its plans with financial advisers and has already received interest in its stations from private equity firm Apollo Global Management, the sources say.

The $521 million deal adds 15 stations in 10 markets to Scripps’ portfolio and bumps up its reach to nearly 21% of U.S. TV households.

The Nexstar CEO says while the FCC’s ownership coverage cap is effectively at 78% now, broadcasters would like the Pai FCC to lock it in at that level so that some future FCC with a Democratic majority cannot easily reset it at 39% by once again repealing the UHF discount.

His company, Apollo Global Management, has scooped up 29 television stations across the country. When Apollo lost a key deal, “they were pretty ripshit.” But the march continues.

The sale of WFHD-LP Ann Arbor, Mich., to Max Henry & Associates tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Marshall Broadcasting Group, owned by Pluria Marshall Jr., has filed suit against Nexstar Broadcasting in the New York State Supreme Court. Marshall alleges that Nexstar sold it three TV stations only to gain FCC approval of other station sales then attempted to “hobble” those stations so it could ultimately re-acquire them at a bargain basement price. “The allegations made by MBG … are spurious and without merit,” said Nexstar in a statement.

The sale of WISH Indianapolis Nexstar Media to Circle City Broadcasting I tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

The agreement with DuJuan McCoy’s new Circle City Broadcasting I marks the completion of Nexstar’s divestiture plan to secure approvals for its Tribune Media purchase. The total gross proceeds from the planned sale of the 21 stations being divested amounts to $1.36 billion.

The FCC has approved the sale of Cordillera Communications TV stations to Scripps plus the sale of one Cordillera station to Quincy. In fact, the sale of the Cordillera stations is contingent on that spin-off of KVOA Tucson. Scripps has also been given permission to continue operating Cordillera’s KBZK Bozeman, Mont., as a satellite of Cordellera’s KXLF Butte.

Dismiss, deny and reject. That was Nexstar and Tribune’s advice to the FCC related to the various parties that petitioned the FCC to block their merger as not in the public interest. They were responding to petitions to deny filed six groups and concerns raised by NCTA—The Internet & Television Association and the American Television Alliance, both of which said that without various conditions the deal should be denied.

Nexstar CEO Perry Sook sacrificed 19 stations to bring his proposed $4.1 billion merger in line with FCC and DOJ ownership limits. There is now no reason why regulators should stand in the way of  the deal, including the transfer of Tribune’s top four duopoly in Indianapolis. Also, here’s a quick review of the winners and losers in Nexstar’s spinoff auction.

The spinoffs reflect Nexstar’s regulatory compliance plan to secure approvals for its Tribune Media deal. Tegna is buying 11 stations in eight markets and Scripps gets eight stations in seven markets.

The sale of WHDC-LP from Western Pacific Broadcast to Jeffrey & Janet Winemiller tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.

Rupert Murdoch’s Fox has decided not to bid for a group of television stations being sold by Nexstar Media Group, according to a person familiar with the situation. The company, which will be spun out of a separate deal with Walt Disney Co. next week, is focusing instead on getting better terms on the deals it has with affiliate stations, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private.

According to FCC filings, Terrier Media, a new company created by an Apollo private equity fund, will pay $3.1 billion for the Cox broadcast stations, but that number will be reduced by the value of the still unspecified amount of equity that Cox will retain in the stations. In the end, the Apollo fund will hold 77% of the Terrier equity, while Cox and Northwest Broadcasting, another station group Terrier is rolling up, will split the other 23%. Terrier will keep current Cox managment and be based in Atlanta.  

The $21 million deal announced in December includes full-power, Class A and low-power television stations serving the Sacramento and Salt Lake City markets.