Sinclair, ViacomCBS Sign Affiliation Renewals

ViacomCBS and Sinclair Broadcast Group today announced multi-year agreements across 13 CBS network affiliations for Sinclair stations, including four top-50 market affiliates, WKRC Cincinnati; WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla.; WWMT Grand Rapids, Mich.; and WHP Harrisburg, Pa. The 13 markets combined reach about 5% of the U.S. audience serving nearly six million television households.

Sinclair is one of the largest operators of CBS affiliates, reaching 8% of the U.S. and serving 10 million households spanning 23 markets. Sinclair’s CBS affiliates will remain locally available to subscribers of CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Sinclair that covers several early renewals,” said Ray Hopkins, president, U.S. networks distribution, ViacomCBS. “We look forward to providing our best-in-class news, sports and entertainment programming to millions of households in Sinclair markets through our valued and long-standing partnership.”

Barry Faber, president, distribution and network relations for Sinclair, said: “We are happy to have reached agreement to continue to offer our viewers CBS content, including primetime and sports programming, which complements our stations’ valuable local news and syndicated content. The renewal is testament to the symbiotic relationship between a network and its affiliates.”

The agreement consists of renewals for the following CBS affiliates: WRGB Albany, N.Y.; KBAK Bakersfield, Calif.; KFDM Beaumont, Texas; KBOI Boise, Idaho; WKRC Cincinnati; KDBC El Paso, Texas; KVAL Eugene, Ore.; WWMT Grand Rapids, Mich.; WHP Harrisburg, Pa.; KTVL Medford, Ore.; KPTH Sioux City, Iowa; WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla.; and KIMA Yakima, Wash.