Nexstar Adds 4 Katz Diginets On 43 New Chs.

Nexstar Media Group, Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting, along with new partners Shield Media, Tamer Media and Vaughan Media, have agreed to add Katz Networks’ Bounce, Escape, Grit and Laff multichannel networks on 43 more channels and has renewed affiliation agreements for 21 current stations with all affiliations extending well into the next decade.

Once the new launches are in place, Katz networks will be available on more than 200 channels from these broadcasters across the U.S.

The new multi-year agreements cover 52 stations in 41 markets that are now owned or programmed by Nexstar following its acquisition of Media General in January 2017. Among the highlights:

• Bounce will be launched in Austin, Texas; Albuquerque, N.M.; Colorado Springs; and Albany, N.Y. (on a station owned by Shield), with renewals in Indianapolis, Hartford, Conn.; Norfolk, Va.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Providence, R.I.; and four other markets.

• Escape will be added to 16 stations in markets including Tampa, Raleigh, N.C.; Austin and Birmingham, Ala.. and has been renewed in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Albuquerque, N.M. (on a station owned by Tamer); Dayton, Ohio; and Topeka, Kan.

• Grit will be launched in eight markets including San Francisco, Raleigh and Nashville while being renewed in Hartford, Austin, Grand Rapids and Albuquerque (on a station owned by Tamer).

• Laff will be carried in 13 new markets including Washington, Columbus, Ohio; Harrisburg, Pa.; and Birmingham, Ala.; and renewed in Austin, Grand Rapids, Albuquerque (on a station owned by Tamer) and 10 other DMAs.

The latest distribution gains will drive Bounce to 86% of the United States and 95% of African-American households, while Escape, Grit and Laff will now reach 89%, 87% and 90% of all U.S. TV households, respectively.

“Our new distribution agreements with Bounce, Escape, Grit and Laff will bring new value to our acquired Media General stations as all four networks have a proven track record delivering exciting and valued programming to our viewers,” said Brian Jones, Nexstar EVP-COO. “Nexstar’s top priority is serving the needs of the people and communities where we operate and with the launch of these digital multicast networks across the companies’ broadcast platforms, we are delivering more exciting content to local viewers that is complementary to our stations’ existing high quality, locally originated news and other exclusive local and network-affiliated programming.”

“Nexstar has been a terrific partner for Bounce, Escape, Grit and Laff and we are thrilled to expand and extend our relationship with them for many years to come,” said Jonathan Katz, president-CEO of Katz Networks.