Sinclair strikes again: buys Barrington group

3

SBG / Sinclair Broadcast Group
The television stations in the new smaller market group that Sinclair Broadcast started with the acquisition of Cox Media stations will not have a chance to feel lonely – the company has announced another deal bringing in 18 stations owned by Barrington Broadcasting and six more it has business relationships with.


The total of 24 stations are in 15 different markets, and come with a price tag of $370M.

Sinclair also announced that Steve Pruett, the TV exec who just left Communications Corporation of America, will run the smaller-market TV group, to be known as Chesapeake TV.

Sinclair’s David Smith said, “The Barrington stations are an important part of that strategy, providing meaningful scale to the group. Including synergies, we believe the Barrington stations can generate approximately $71.0 million of cash flow, on average. When combined with the COX stations, we expect our expertise and resources to create approximately $29.0 million in synergistic, incremental cash flow, equating to approximately $232.0 million of added equity value or $2.85 per share.”

Pruett said, “The competitive environment for local affiliate television is changing rapidly. Chesapeake TV represents a tremendous opportunity to build scale and efficiency and to strengthen competitive positioning in small markets by applying
Sinclair s resources, discipline and management systems, which in my observation are world class. Our vision is big, and with the backing of Sinclair, we have what it takes to execute it.”

The stations include:
WEYI NBC Flint/Saginaw/Bay City/Midland, MI
WBSF CW Flint/Saginaw/Bay City/Midland, MI
WNWO NBC Toledo, OH
WACH FOX Columbia, SC
WSTM NBC Syracuse, NY
WTVH CBS Syracuse, NY
WSTQ CW Syracuse, NY
KGBT CBS Harlingen/Weslaco/Brownsville/McAllen, TX
KXRM FOX Colorado Springs, CO
KXTU CW Colorado Springs, CO
WPDE ABC Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC
WWMB CW Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC
WHOI ABC Peoria/Bloomington, IL
WPBN NBC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI
WGTU ABC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI
WTOM NBC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI
WGTQ ABC Traverse City/Cadillac, MI
KVII ABC Amarillo, TX
KVIH ABC Amarillo, TX
KRCG CBS Columbia/Jefferson City, MO
WFXL FOX Albany, GA
KHQA CBS Quincy, IL/Hannibal, MO/Keokuk, IA
WLUC NBC Marquette, MI
KTVO ABC Ottumwa, IA/Kirksville, MO

3 COMMENTS

  1. Sinclair ought enter a JSA/LMA/SSA with KDBC and move all of KDBC operations into KFOX studios completely away from KTSM with Deerfield Media running KDBC in El Paso, Texas and also buy KPTM with Deerfield running KXVO in Omaha, Nebraska, KPTH with Deerfield running KMEG in Sioux City, Iowa, KMPH and KFRE in Fresno, California, and Deerfield running WCWG in Greensboro, North Carolina to keep those stations alive. Chesapeake TV gets KPTM/KXVO, KPTH/KMEG, and KDBC and Sinclair gets KMPH/KFRE, and WCWG. Sinclair may see KDNL getting CW in Saint Louis, and WXLV getting FOX and WCWG keeping CW in Greensboro-High Point while ABC moves to WGHP in Greensboro-High Point, ABC moves to KTVI and FOX moves to KPLR in Saint Louis and FOX moves to KWGN and CW moves to KDVR in Denver with Tribune for KPLR and KWGN and Local TV LLC for WGHP, KTVI and KDVR in a side deal unrelated to a Sinclair owned and or operated TV station. Sinclair ought to send KABB in San Antonio, and WMYV in Greensboro-High Point over to Cunningham while sending WSMH to Deerfield Media. I would favor Nexstar/Mission grabbing WPMI/WJTC, WHP/WLYH, WSYT/WNYS, WYZZ, KRCG, KHQA, KTVO, and KBTV from Sinclair with Sinclair grabbing KLRT/KASN, and WUHF from Nexstar/Mission. I would favor Raycom/American Spirit Media grabbing WFXL. I would favor London Broadcasting grabbing KGBT, and KVII/KVHI. I would favor Gannett buying WTTA to merge with WTSP, WUCW to merge with KARE, and KDNL to merge with KSDK.

  2. Wow, I don’t know where you come up with all of this, is this your fantasy television league? I live in the St. Louis area, and ABC is not moving to Channel 2, KTVI, and Fox is not moving to Channel 11, KPLR. That would give Local TV two of the top four stations in one market. Per FCC rule, no company can own two of the top four stations in any given market.

  3. Agreed with Kevin, This fantasy TV league is not happening anytime soon because of the duopoly rules that are in effect.

Comments are closed.