McGraw’s Merit Street Media, which he announced in November, is set to launch on Feb. 26, with Dr. Phil Primetime — a nighttime talk show akin to McGraw’s long-running daytime show — as its flagship program. Trinity Broadcasting, which owns more than 30 TV stations and has has carriage on several large cable and satellite providers, will help Merit Street distribute its programming; the company also plans to operate free, ad-supported streaming channels and embark on other digital media ventures.
It solidifies its position as nation’s largest TV spectrum operator by adding stations in Los Angeles (purchased from Sunbelt Television) and Cleveland, Indianapolis, Columbus and Dayton (from Trinity Broadcasting).
