Sinclair Lines up Network Deals

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SBG / Sinclair Broadcast GroupA number of Sinclair local broadcast stations have a secure future in terms of their network feeds. The group has inked long-term affiliation agreements with both CBS and CW.


The CBS deal involves 16 stations; and the CW deal includes 23.

Sinclair’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Barry Faber, who oversees both Sinclair’s relationships with its networks as well as with the multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) who retransmit Sinclair’s television stations, stated, ” The long-term renewed agreements include all of our CBS affiliations expiring in 2015, as well as an early renewal of all agreements expiring in 2016, with terms that reflect the symbiotic relationship between us and our network partner, ensuring our interests are fully aligned. In addition, the new deal provides us visibility on our network programming costs, and therefore positions us to appropriately price our retransmission consent rights in our negotiations with MVPDs as we move towards fully realizing the value of the programming offered by our stations.”

Addressing the CW deal, Faber added, “The CW Network has been successful in broadening their audience and in creating programs with a loyal and passionate fan base.  As the group with the most CW stations, we are pleased to continue our relationship with the Network.”

CBS was pleased with the deal:

“Sinclair is an important and valued local broadcasting partner,” said Ray Hopkins, President, Television Networks Distribution, CBS Corporation. “We are pleased to enter another affiliation agreement with them, and in so doing, realize the full value for the programing we will provide to their stations.”

And so was CW:

“Following our most-watched season in seven years, and the debuts of the hit series THE FLASH and JANE THE VIRGIN, The CW Network is incredibly well-positioned for the future. By extending our long-standing partnership with Sinclair, we look forward to continuing to build on our mutual success into the 2015-16 season and beyond,” said Chris Brooks, Senior Vice President, Network Distribution, The CW.

The agreement includes renewals for 15 Sinclair-owned CBS affiliates: WRGB in Albany-Schenectady, N.Y.; KBAK-TV in Bakersfield, Calif.; KFDM in Beaumont, Texas; KBOI in Boise, Idaho; WKRC in Cincinnati, Ohio; KRCG in Columbia-Jefferson City, Mo.; KDBC in El Paso, Texas; KVAL in Eugene, Ore. and satellites; WWMT in Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, Mich.; WHP in Harrisburg, Pa.; KTVL in Medford, Ore.; KTVO in Ottumwa, Iowa-Kirksville, Mo.; KHQA in Quincy, Ill.-Hannibal, Mo.; WPEC in West Palm Beach, Fla.; and KIMA-TV and satellites in Yakima, Wash. CBS has also renewed its affiliation with KMEG in Sioux City, Iowa, a station to which Sinclair provides sales and other services.

The stations extending their affiliation agreements with The CW include, WUCW in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., WLFL in Raleigh/Durham, N.C., WNUV in Baltimore, Md., WNAB in Nashville, Tenn., WWHO in Columbus, Ohio, KMYS in San Antonio, Texas, WVTV in Milwaukee, Wis., WKRC-D2 in Cincinnati, Ohio, WTVX in West Palm Beach, Fla., WWMT-D2 in Grand Rapids, Mich., KVCW in Las Vegas, Nev., WTTO/WDBB in Birmingham, Ala., KOCB in Oklahoma City, Okla., WLYH in Harrisburg, Penn., KFRE in Fresno-Visalia, Calif., WSWB/WOLF-D2 in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., WCWN in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y., WCWF in Green Bay-Appleton, Wis., WBSF/WEYI-D2 in Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich., KXVO in Omaha, Neb., WHAM-D2 in Rochester, N.Y., WSTQ-LP/WSTM-D2 in Syracuse, N.Y., WBUI in Champaign, Ill., WWMB/WWMB-D2 in Myrtle Beach/Florence, S.C., WTLF in Tallahassee-Thomasville, Fla., KYUU/KBOI-D2 in Boise, Idaho, WHOI-D2 in Peoria-Bloomington, Ill., KTCW-D2/KMCB-D2/KMTR-D2 in Eugene, Ore., KIMA-D2/KEPR-D2 in Yakima, Wash., KVIH-D2/KVII-D2 in Amarillo, Texas, KTVL-D2 in Medford-Klamath Falls, Ore., and KFDM-D2 in Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas.