Sinclair Closes On Barrington Acquisition

Sinclair Broadcast Group today closed on the purchase of 18 TV stations owned by Barrington Broadcasting Group for $370 million announced in February and entered into agreements to operate or provide sales services to another six stations. The 24 stations are located in 15 markets and reach 3.4% of the U.S. TV households. The acquisition was funded through cash on hand.

As previously discussed, due to FCC ownership conflict rules, Sinclair sold its station in Syracuse, N.Y., WSYT (Fox), and assigned its local marketing agreement and purchase option on WNYS (MNT) in Syracuse, N.Y., to Bristlecone Broadcasting. The company also sold its station in Peoria, Ill., WYZZ (Fox) to Cunningham Broadcasting Corp.

In addition, the license assets of three stations were purchased by CBC (WBSF in Flint, Mich., and WGTU/WGTQ in Traverse City-Cadillac, Mich.) and the license assets of two stations were purchase by Howard Stirk Holdings (WEYI in Flint, Mich., and WWMB in Myrtle Beach, S.C.) to which Sinclair will provide services pursuant to shared services and joint sales agreements.

Following its acquisition by Sinclair, WSTM (NBC) in Syracuse, N.Y., will continue to provide services to WTVH (CBS), which is owned by Granite Broadcasting, and receive services on WHOI in Peoria, Ill., from Granite Broadcasting. Sinclair has, however, notified Granite Broadcasting that it does not intend to renew these agreements in these two markets when they expire in March of 2017.

The Barrington stations covered by the transaction are:

WEYI NBC Flint/Saginaw/Bay City/Midland, MI DMA 68

WBSF CW Flint/Saginaw/Bay City/Midland, MI 68

WNWO NBC Toledo, OH 76

WACH FOX Columbia, SC 77

WSTM NBC Syracuse, NY 85

WTVH CBS Syracuse, NY 85

WSTQ CW Syracuse, NY 85

KGBT CBS Harlingen/Weslaco/Brownsville/McAllen, TX 86

KXRM FOX Colorado Springs, CO 89

KXTU CW Colorado Springs, CO 89

WPDE ABC Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC 102

WWMB CW Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC 102

WHOI ABC Peoria/Bloomington, IL 117

WPBN NBC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI 119

WGTU ABC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI 119

WTOM NBC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI 119

WGTQ ABC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI 119

KVII ABC Amarillo, TX 130

KVIH ABC Amarillo, TX 130

KRCG CBS Columbia/Jefferson City, MO 138

WFXL FOX Albany, GA 151

KHQA CBS Quincy, IL/Hannibal, MO/Keokuk, IA 170

WLUC NBC Marquette, MI 180

KTVO ABC Ottumwa, IA/Kirksville, MO 201