In early March, the FCC’s Video Division Chief, Barbara Kreisman, gave the green-light for Carolina Christian Broadcasting Inc. to upgrade its WGGS-16 in Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., from VHF Channel 2 to UHF Channel 29. This has led the non-secular broadcast licensee to spin off a low-power sibling that moved to Spartanburg from Hendersonville, N.C.
The buyer? Look no further than Gray Television.
In a transaction that saw Greg Guy of Tideline Partners LLC represent the seller, Gray is acquiring WDKT-LD in Greenville, S.C. for $950,000.
“We plan to use this LPTV station to provide our FOX affiliate in Greenville with more spectrum for more programming and other flexibility,” Gray SVP/Government Relations & Distribution Rob Folliard tells RBR+TVBR.
WDKT-LD is the former W15EJ-D in Hendersonville, N.C., and it will be used to give WHNS-21, which uses digital channel 17, more firepower in Upstate South Carolina.
Serving as Carolina Christian’s legal counsel is Joe Chautin III of Hardy, Carey, Chautin & Balkin of Mandeville, La.
Representing Gray is Joan Stewart of Wiley Law.
Gray gained ownership of WHNS “FOX Carolina” through its merger with Meredith Local Media, which had obtained WHNS-TV in 1997 through a deal with First Media. Before that, it was owned by television producer Stephen J. Cannell and Pappas Telecasting, which signed on WHNS from the former WANC-TV in September 1979 and sold the station in 1990.
The WHNS call letters stand for Harry and Stella Pappas.
