In addition to approving Gannett’s purchase of Belo, The FCC also gave the OK for Tribune Company to assume control of broadcast licenses held by subsidiaries of Local TV Holdings paving the way for Tribune to acquire 19 of Local TV’s stations in 16 markets.
“On behalf of thousands of Tribune and Local TV employees across the country, I want to thank the Commission for reaching this decision; we are extremely pleased to move forward with the transaction,” Peter Liguori, Tribune’s President and CEO said in a statement.
As part of the deal, the licenses of WNEP in Wilkes-Barre, PA, WTKR and WGNT in Norfolk, VA, will be will be transferred to Dreamcatcher Broadcasting, LLC, which is owned by Ed Wilson former president of Tribune Broadcasting.
The deal creates the largest combined independent broadcast group and content creator in the US.
Tribune included a handy map of its local TV properties on its website. You can see it after the jump.