Freedom Communications Expected to Declare Bankruptcy

By Andrew Gauthier 

TVSpy

According to several reports, Freedom Communications Inc,. the owner of 33 daily newspapers, including the Orange County Register , as well as eight television stations, will declare bankruptcy this week.

Freedom Communications becomes the most recent media company to seek bankruptcy protection in the last several months, joining a group that includes Tribune Co., Young Broadcasting, and ION Media. According to The Wall Street Journal , Freedom has annual revenue of about $700 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization–an important measurement for leveraged companies–have declined about 75% over the past five years to about $50 million.

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The company has been owned by the Hoiles family for over 70 years. Among the television stations that Freedom owns, WPEC, a CBS affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida, operates in the largest DMA. Here’s a list of Freedom stations…

WPEC, West Palm Beach, Florida

WWMT, Grand Rapids, Michigan

WRGB, Albany, New York

WCWN, Albany, New York

WTVC, Chattanooga, Tennessee

WLAJ, Lansing , Michigan

KTVL, Medford, Orgeon

KFDM, Beaumont, Texas

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