Toledo Fox-affiliate WUPW will reportedly lay off 63 employees when the station changes ownership this spring.
The Toledo Blade reports that Ohio state officials have been informed of planned layoffs at WUPW when a deal for the station between American Spirit Media and LIN Media is finalized in the coming months.
American Spirit, a Charlotte-based company run by Thomas Henson, who owns a handful of stations across the country, is buying WUPW from LIN for $22 million. LIN has owned and operated the station since 2002.
While WUPW and American Spirit could re-hire at least some of the laid-off employees, it appears the company plans to operate the station under a shared services agreement with Raycom Media, which owns Toledo CBS-affiliate WTOL.
As the Toledo Blade points out, Henson already operates at least three stations with Raycom, including WXTX in Columbus, GA, WSFX in Wilmington, and WUPV in Richmond.