Tribune, Media General Add Grit, Escape, Laff

Katz Broadcasting signed major distribution agreements today that it says significantly expand the footprints of the company’s three emerging multicast networks Grit, Escape and Laff.

Media General will carry all three networks in multiple markets, covering 16 individual homes, as follows:

• Grit: Indianapolis (WNDY), Hartford, Conn. (WCTX), Grand Rapids, Mich. (WOTV), Austin, Texas (KNVA), Albuquerque, N.M. (KWBQ).

• Escape: Grand Rapids (WXSP), Albuquerque (KASY), Dayton, Ohio (WDTN), Topeka, Kan. (KTMJ).

• Laff: Austin (KBVO), Grand Rapids (WOOD), Albuquerque (KWBQ), Providence, R.I. (WNAC), Albany, N.Y. (WXXA), Knoxville, Tenn., (WATE), Youngstown, Ohio (WYFX).

Tribune Media will launch Escape in:

• Seattle (KCPQ)

• St. Louis (KTVI)

• Oklahoma City (KAUT)

• New Orleans (WGNO)

These individual, multi-year agreements are the first for Katz Broadcasting with both companies and come with considerable cable carriage for the networks locally.

Katz Broadcasting also announced even further distribution expansion:

• Grit and Laff are both now seen in Salt Lake City on KTMW (Serestar Communications).

• Escape and Laff are on the air in Norfolk, Va., on WSKY (Lockwood Broadcasting).

• Escape is now carried in Knoxville by WBXX (Lockwood Broadcasting).

All this growth — 25 launches combined — boosts the penetration of Grit to 86% of the United States (97 million homes), Escape to 68% and 77 million households and Laff to 64% and 72.4 million homes, according to Katz.

“The addition of these powerful stations in so many strong markets widens our already robust and expansive market coverage for our three young networks,” said Jeffrey Wolf, chief distribution officer for Katz Broadcasting. “We are thrilled to welcome Media General, Tribune and others as our distribution partners.”