A total of 11 Class A television stations take the programming of the Bruno Goodworth Network to citizens of Pittsburgh and a wide swathe of the surrounding area, anchored by WBGN-CD Pittsburgh. But there will soon be a new owner.
The buyer is one of the new active investors in more or less fringe television properties. OTA Broadcasting LLC, headed by William Tolpegin and Michael Gerstner, has been investing in both full- and low-power television stations.
This time, it will be spending $7.25M cash for the cluster of stations, which essentially uses the widespread transmitter locations to achieve an over-the-air coverage area greater than could be managed by a single full power station.
Seller BGN is headed by Ronald J. Bruno.
The Bruno Goodworth Network broadcasts four digital streams over its stations, bringing independent selections as well as HSN, Retro TV Net and Live Well programming to its viewers. It’s tagline is “The Family’s All Here.”
All of the stations are within fairly easy driving distance of the Steel City, and a few of them are near other markets as well.
Here’s the list:
WBGN-CD Pittsburgh PA
WNNB-CD Beaver PA
WPCP-CD New Castle PA (not far from Youngstown OH)
WJMB-CD Butler PA
WEMW-CD Greensburg PA
WKHU-CD Kittanning PA
WWLM-CA Washington PA
WWKH-CA Uniontown PA
WMVH-CA Charleroi PA
WJPW-CD Weirton WV (Wheeling-Steubenville DMA)
WVTX-CD Bridgeport OH (Wheeling-Steubenville DMA)
The deal was brokered by Media Venture Partners on behalf of the buyer.
This will add to OTA’s collection of markets, which also include New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Providence RI-New Bedford MA and Nashua NH-Boston.
The seller will see to the completion of the switch-over to digital for the three stations still broadcasting in analog, WWLM-CA, WWKH-CA and WMVH-CA, with the buyer paying all expenses incurred. The same applies to WPCP-CD – the buyer has agreed to begin execution of a CP granted earlier in the year, also on the buyer’s dime.
