BALTIMORE - Sinclair Broadcast Group has purchased WHAM-TV, an ABC affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., from Newport Television LLC for $54 million plus the option for the license assets. Sinclair will provide sales and other non-programming services pursuant to a shared service and joint sales agreement.
Sinclair said it also closed on the previously announced acquisitions of certain television stations, effective Dec. 1, 2012:
- WTTA, a MNT affiliate in Tampa, Fla., previously operated by Sinclair pursuant to a local marketing agreement.
- KBTV, a Fox affiliate in the Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas market previously owned by Nexstar Broadcasting.
The following stations from Newport:
- WKRC, the CBS in Cincinnati;
- WOAI, the NBC in San Antonio, Texas;
- WHP, the CBS in Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, Pennsylvania;
- WPMI, the NBC affiliate, and WJTC, an independent station, serving Mobile, Ala.;
- KSAS, the Fox afil in Wichita/Hutchinson, Kan.; and
- WHAM, the Rochester, N.Y. ABC station.
Sinclair also acquired Newport’s rights under the local marketing agreements with WLYH, The CW in Harrisburg, Pa. and KMTW, the MNT in Wichita, as well as options to acquire the license assets.
Sinclair also closed on agreements with Deerfield Media Inc., selling Deerfield the license assets of Sinclair’s station in San Antonio CW affiliate, KMYS, and its station in Cincinnati, a MyNetworkTV affiliate, WSTR, as well as the license assets of WPMI and WJTC in the Mobile/Pensacola market and KBTV in Beaumont.
Sinclair will provide sales and other non-programming services to each of these five stations pursuant to shared services and joint sales agreements.
The acquisitions add two new markets and additional stations in four markets where Sinclair already has a presence. The net amount paid at closing, net of any previously paid deposits and sale proceeds, was $459.7 million, which was funded by the issuance of $500 million of 6.125% senior notes due 2022 earlier this quarter.
Sinclair now has 84 TV stations in 46 markets.
CATEGORIES
