Updated at 9:30am Eastern on September 15, 2025
Sinclair Inc. has moved forward with a plan to create a duopoly in Southern New England by acquiring the non-licensed assets of the station branded as “ABC6,” in Providence, R.I. from Soo Kim-controlled and Deb McDermott-led Standard Media.
A Sinclair spokesperson shared a statement on Friday with RBR+TVBR that outlines how Sinclair and Standard Media agreed to terms on both a Joint Sales Agreement and a Shared Service Agreement. This puts Baltimore-headquartered Sinclair in control of WLNE-TV … sort of.
Sinclair says that it has “has acquired all of the station assets other than the licensed assets (with the option to purchase the licensed assets)” — something that appears to go one step further as the company will likely seek a waiver ahead of FCC rule changes to create a duopoly in the Rhode Island market.
However, the spokesperson was adamant to state that Sinclair did not assume “control” of WLNE. Rather, “They did acquire the non-licensed assets and will provide services to WLNE, but Standard Media retains controls of the station.” For now.
The transaction giving WLNE operational rights to Sinclair closed this morning, pairing it with WJAR-10, the NBC affiliate in Providence owned outright by Sinclair. Sinclair also owns WYCN-LD and WRIW-CD, low-power stations that serve as simulcast partners for “Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra” in the Providence market.
The arrangement that allows Sinclair to provide services to WLNE pursuant to a services agreement comes as the company is in the midst of a strategic evaluation of its entire Broadcast division. This has seen Sinclair snap up a variety of stations it has operated via shared services agreements with companies seen by detractors of SSA/JSA arrangements as “sidecar” businesses, such as Deerfield Media and Howard Stirk Holdings.
Commenting on the WLNE arrangement, Sinclair says it is “committed to producing distinctive content that delivers value and strengthens the connection to the local communities we serve. WJAR and WLNE represent the best of local broadcasting in the region, and we look forward to building on that legacy to continue to serve viewers across Southern New England.”
WLNE has had a complex ownership history over the last 20 years. From 1983 until 2007, it was owned by Freedom Communications, the Irvine, Calif.-based operation known in that era as the owner of The Orange County Register. In March 2007, in a deal brokered by Kalil & Co., Freedom sold WLNE to Global Broadcasting LLC — a locally based operation headed by Kevin O’Brien and Robinson Ewert.
Under Global, WLNE would endure the “Great Recession” and a severe downturn in the American economy due to a home mortgage crisis. By July 2010, the $14 million acquisition of WLNE became untenable, with declining ratings and revenue leading Global to turn the station over to a receiver — local attorney Matthew McGowan. This act was equivalent to a bankruptcy.
By February 2011, Citadel Communications — the licensee linked to iconic media industry figure and Broadcasting Foundation of America Chairman Emeritus Phil Lombardo — emerged as a “stalking horse” bidder for WLNE. Citadel snagged the station for a mere $4 million.
Under Lombardo, WLNE would grow. And, when it came time to sell it in May 2019, Citadel cashed out with a big payout as Standard Media would agree to purchase WLNE and KLKN-8 in Lincoln, Neb., for $83 million.
The WLNE arrangement comes after Sinclair and Standard General in July signed off on an asset purchase agreement that allows Sinclair regain control of WDKA “My 49” and KBSI “FOX 23 in Paducah, Ky.-Cape Girardeau, Mo. — with an option to acquire them at a later date.
As such, Standard Media Group will no longer control any broadcast television stations as Soo Kim will now focus his efforts on MediaCo Holdings and its radio and TV assets, which include WBLS & WQHT in New York and the Estrella Media operation.
This is a developing news story. Further details will appear shortly at RBR.com
