Several broadcast television stations that are presently operated by Sinclair Inc. through shared services agreements are being sold to the company led by CEO Chris Ripley, four new regulatory filings awaiting FCC approval have revealed.
In one filing, Sinclair through its “WXBU Licensee, LLC” subsidiary, seeks to acquire WXBU-15 in Lancaster, Pa., the Univision affiliate for the Harrisburg-York-Carlisle DMA.
The seller is the Armstrong Williams-led Howard Stirk Holdings.
Signing off on the filing for Sinclair as its legal counsel is Miles Mason of Pillsbury Law. The filing shows that it was on May 27 that HSH and Sinclair signed off on the deal, which sees the Sinclair subsidiary paying $200,000 for WXBU.
WXBU would become a sibling to WHP-TV in the Harrisburg DMA.
A second transaction awaiting regulatory approval sees “WWMB Licensee, LLC” purchasing WWMB-21 in Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C., from HSH. It is currently airing the Roar digital multicast network owned and distributed by Sinclair. A sum of $540,000 has been agreed upon by the parties. WWMB would become a full-fledged sibling of WPDE-TV, a dual affiliate of ABC and The CW.
While the FCC reviews these two HSH divestments, it is also being asked to approve the sale of WUTB-24 in Baltimore, a Roar affiliate, to Sinclair’s “Chesapeake Television Licensee, LLC” from the Stephen Mumblow-controlled Deerfield Media.
A $775,000 purchase price for WUTB was agreed to, with adjustments taking prorations into account. WUTB is poised to become a second fully-owned station in Baltimore, joining flagship WBFF-45; WNUV-54 would remain a LMA partner.
Lastly, Sinclair Sr. VP and Chief Accounting Officer David Bochenek on May 6 informed Roberts Media of Spokane, Wash., in a formal letter that Sinclair has decided to execute an option agreement forged in November 2012, allowing it to purchase stations it has been running through shared services arrangements.
This would give Sinclair ownership of KMTR-TV in Eugene-Springfield, Ore.; KMCB-TV in Coos Bay, Ore.; and KTCW-TV in Roseburg, Ore., in addition to a trio of low-power TV translator stations. KMTR, KMCB and KTCW are presently shared services agreement partners. And, KMTR would join KVAL-13 in Eugene, along with semi-satellite partners KCBY-11 in Coos Bay and KPIC-4 in Roseburg.
That transaction also involves Pillsbury Law’s Scott Flick, representing Roberts. And, as part of the Roberts-to-Sinclair filing, a request for a failing station waiver for KMTR has been submitted along with a satellite waiver ask for the station, too.
