Sinclair to Buy Allbritton Stations for $985 Million

By Kevin Eck 

Sinclair Broadcasting has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy the stock of Perpetual Corporation and equity interest of Charleston Television, LLC, both owned by Allbritton for an aggregate purchase of $985 million.

Allbritton owns seven ABC affiliates including WJLA in Washington, D.C. and KATV in Little Rock, AR, as well as NewsChannel 8, a 24 hour cable news network covering Washington, D.C.

David Smith, the President and CEO of Sinclair, says he is “especially excited” about adding Albritton’s 24-hour news channel to Sinclair. “We are especially excited to acquire the NewsChannel 8 local news channel, not only for the content it can provide our existing news stations, but moreover because their regional cable presence provides the perfect platform should we decide to expand it into other markets, especially given the amount of local news we produce across our entire portfolio.”

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If approved by the FCC, which should occur by the end of the year, Sinclair will own or provide sales and programming services to 149 television stations in 76 markets across the country.

You can see the list of Allbritton’s stations after the jump.

Station

Affil.

Market

DMA(1)

WJLA ABC Washington, DC

8

WBMA ABC Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston, AL (2)

42

WCFT ABC Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston, AL(2)

42

WJSU ABC Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston, AL(2)

42

WHTM ABC Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA

43

KATV ABC Little Rock/Pine Bluff, AR

56

KTUL ABC Tulsa, OK

59

WSET ABC Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA

68

WCIV ABC Charleston, SC

98

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