The FCC has granted regulatory approval to twin filings made by two Sinclair Inc. subsidiaries in mid-November that pave the way for the transfer of control of television stations from an entity led by Eugene Brown.
The Commission on December 31 granted the applications from Sinclair that sought the agency’s OK to purchase WTLF-TV in Tallahassee, Fla., and WFLI-TV in Cleveland, Tenn., from MPS Media.
With Dan Kirkpatrick of Baker Hostetler LLP acting as the seller’s legal counsel, and Miles Mason of Pillsbury Law serving as Sinclair’s legal representative, Sinclair acted on a purchase option agreement forged in April 2007 — through MPS Media related entity New Age Media.
Details regarding the exercise price for each transaction were not included in each of the asset purchase agreements, part of a grander effort by Sinclair to bring in stations it has operated through a shared services agreement with third-party licensees.
WTLF-TV is The CW Network affiliate for Tallahassee, and is operated in tandem with Sinclair-owned WTWC-TV, a dual NBC/FOX affiliate. Here, New Age Media owns Heroes & Icons-affiliated WTLH-TV, and will continue to do so.
WFLI-TV is presently a dual affiliate of The CW Network and MyNetwork TV and is a sibling of WDSI-TV, home to two Sinclair-distributed digital multicast networks. WDSI will remain owned by New Age Media as WFLI becomes a sibling to WTVC-9, a dual ABC/FOX affiliate.
