Acquisition of WPRI-12’s Parent Co. Has New Twists & More Media News
Wednesday, December 07, 2016
The mega-merger between Nexstar Broadcasting and Media General was scheduled to be completed by now. Late last week, WPRI-12’s parent company, Media General, extended the deal, but now it has additional complexities.
In October, GoLocal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice approved the $4.6 billion takeover by Nexstar Broadcasting of Media General. Media General is the owner of WPRI-12 and if the final FCC approval is granted, this will be WPRI’s third owner in less than two years.
For years, WPRI was the flagship station of LIN Media which was headquartered in Providence, but then two media mergers in a row have made WPRI-12 just another station among dozens of cities and media holdings.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe deal also faces a spectrum sale complexity.
Last week, the American Cable Association asked the FCC to block the request by Nexstar and Media General for a waiver of the FCC's Prohibited Communications Rule — the rule that so far has blocked FCC action on Nexstar's proposed purchase of Media General.
Media General has told Wall Street and regulators that it plans to participate in the auction, creating a complexity for regulators.
For WPRI, their importance may decline to its parent company. When it was owned by LIN Media, it was the flagship as the corporate headquarters were located in Providence, but two mergers later things may be more complex. Nexstar claims that after the merger they will hold 171 television stations in 100 markets "reaching 38.9% of all U.S. TV Households.”
Related Slideshow: Media Changes in December, 2016
Related Articles
- Top Democratic Leaders Have Paid WPRI Pollster More than $153,000
- WJAR 10 Crushes WPRI 12, Rolling Stone Fallout, and Projo Moving - Moore News
- Mega TV Merger Will Have Big Impact on WJAR-10 and WPRI-12
- Listen: Mega TV Merger Will Have Big Impact on WJAR-10 and WPRI-12
- NEW: Karen Rezendes Named News Director at WPRI
- Will You Trust Projo/ WPRI Polls if Conducted by a Democratic Consultant?
- Exclusive: Dan Doyle Threatens to Sue WPRI 12 for Libel
- WPRI Reporter Calls Out Providence Journal for Plagiarism - 2nd Time in 10 Days
- RI Media: Cascione Leaves ABC6, Patch Loses Its Editor and More
- TV: WJAR Dominates Ratings, Big Loss of Young Viewers, and Kalunian Goes to WPRI
- Moore: Trump’s Carrier Deal Reveals Media Bias
- Moore: Is Election 2016 the End of The Mainstream Media?
- Former WPRI-12 Sports Anchor Battles Back from Brain Aneurysm
- Media in Chaos - WPRO’s Parent Co. Stock Plummeting, NYT Print Rev Down 19%, and More
- Gawker Media Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
- 5 Reasons Why 2016 May Be the Most Chaotic Year Ever in Media
- Will the Battle for the Presidency Be Decided on Social Media
- Seven Things to Watch in Media in New England and Across the Country
- WPRI-12’s Parent Co. Closer to Mega-Media Takeover - Providence Implications Are Concerning
- Margie O’Brien Takes State House Slot, Chantee Lans Leaves WPRI for Boston
- Horowitz: Social Media Continues Growth as a News Source
- Susan Hogan Leaving WPRI, Black Journalists at Brown, New Biz Pub Coming
- NBC 10 Claims Big Ratings Victory Over WPRI 12
- Dan Doyle Sues WPRI, Former 12 Sportscaster Calls Station’s Actions “Unethical”
