Media General Shops 5 Stations

[jbrothers 0]

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6495533.html

From Broadcasting and Cable. (Link seen above)

 

Media General is exploring the potential sale of five midsized stations in the southeastern United States: WCWJ Jacksonville, Fla.; WTVQ Lexington, Ky.; WMBB Panama City, Fla.; KALB/NALB Alexandria, La.; and WNEG Toccoa, Ga. They’re a mix of The CW, ABC, NBC, CBS and an independent.

 

Richmond, Va.-based Media General owns 23 stations.

 

“The decision to explore the potential sale of five stations is a result of our ongoing analysis of our portfolio,” president and CEO Marshall N. Morton said in a statement. “Any sales would enable Media General to use the proceeds to reduce debt and strengthen our balance sheet.”

 

Morton called the stations “good performers in strong markets.”

 

Media General reported a 3.5% drop in broadcast revenue for the third quarter a few weeks ago, along with a 26% decline in broadcast profit.

 

*Fun Fact*

WCWJ was Media General's second TV station, when they aquired it back in 1982 or 1983. I wonder who will get these stations. Place your bets..... now!

[sctvhound 27]

Well, there could be several good buyers for these stations. Channel 17 in Jacksonville could be good for several buyers, like perhaps Cox, which would strengthen their presence even more there, maybe Barrington, and it is anybody's guess right now.

 

WTVQ could be bought by a company like Belo, who has WHAS, or maybe a local company.

 

WMBB: a good target for Sinclair, or perhaps Nexstar.

 

KALB/WNEG: small market, so perhaps Gray Television, a new buyer, or maybe Barrington, as well.

[Mario500 3]

When I saw the first post on the main page, I wondered if WKRG in Mobile is among the “five midsized stations" in the southeast being considered for sale. Unfortunately, that is not the case this time, as they deserve a better owner than the last two (Spartan and Media General) since 1998.

 

The Giddens family should have looked further into the future before selling TV5, or even their two radio stations WKRG AM and FM back in 1994.

 

If WMBB were to be sold to Sinclair Broadcast Group, the notorious ABC affiliate just west of Panama City would have a new partner in reporting the news for northwest Florida viewers. That would be Sinclair’s WEAR. WKRG has used WMBB’s resources in the past.

[who?cares 253]

When I saw the first post on the main page, I wondered if WKRG in Mobile is among the “five midsized stations in the southeast” being considered for sale.

 

WALA definitely has the best owner, in the Pensacola, Mobile market.

[ProButtonPusher 230]

Raycom already has property here in Panama City (ironicly the station right next door, they use the same microwave tower)...i wonder if they would be a possible buyer?

[tyrannical bastard 3471]

Raycom already has property here in Panama City (ironicly the station right next door, they use the same microwave tower)...i wonder if they would be a possible buyer?

 

Possibly...if they found some loophole (like an outsourcing agreement) There are too few signals in the Panama City market to do a duopoly or LMA.

 

As for Sinclair...it probably wouldn't make much difference in the way MG runs them now (as a bastard stepchild)....except they would probably run the station out of somewhere else (like WEAR).

 

Nexstar might be interesting....they could pool their resources with WDHN (or put DHN out of their misery) I don't want to imagine what they would call the station website. (their sites suck!!!!)

 

Morris Multimedia or New Vision might be another suitor. They've taken WDEF and WIAT respectively. Morris pretty much left WDEF alone yet New Vision is still tweaking WIAT.

 

Southern Broadcasting is another possibility....they already own WTXL in Tallahassee, and could really pour some money into WMBB (and clean out some of the dead wood, as well)...perhaps even start doing HD news!