21 Wyoming TV Stations to be Sold in 3 Transactions
Three deals announced this week would see 21 Wyoming television stations sold to three different limited liability companies.
In each transaction, a contract has been signed and an application is being filed with the Federal Communications Commission, according to Kalil & Co., Inc., which brokered the deals. Prices were not disclosed.
The first transaction would see five stations pass from Mark III Media, led by Mark Nalbone, to Michael Hogan's Big Horn Television LLC:
- KGWC-TV in Casper, Channel 14 & 14.2, an ABC affiliate.
- KGWR-TV in Rock Springs, Channel 13, a CBS affiliate.
- KGWL-TV in Lander, Channel 7 & 7.2, an ABC affiliate.
- K16AE-D in Gillette, Channel 16, an ABC affiliate.
- K28KM-D in Clareton, Channel 28, a CBS affiliate.
That group of stations was set to be purchased by Gray Television in early 2018 for $15.7 million, but the Department of Justice rejected the deal, according to Radio and Television Business Report.
Early this year, Gray made major cuts in the news department of its existing stations in Wyoming: KCWY and KGWN, which currently operate together as Wyoming News Now and simulcast some news programs.
Another deal would transfer stations from Silverton Broadcasting Company to Vision Wyoming LLC, headed by Vision Alaska I LLC and Steven C. Brissette. Those stations are:
- KTWO-TV in Casper, Channel 17, an ABC affiliate.
- K17JZ-D in Bondurant, Channel 17, a CBS affiliate.
- K30OU-D, Channel 30, an ABC affiliate.
- K13NZ-D in Shoshone, Channel 13, an ABC affiliate.
- K22CI-D in Lander, Channel 22, an ABC affiliate.
- K26LW-D in Sheridan, Channel 26, an ABC affiliate.
- K30MX-D in Wyodak, Channel 30, an ABC affiliate
- K35CV-D in Shoshone, Channel 35, an ABC affiliate.
- KKTQ-LD in Cheyenne, Channel 16, an ABC affiliate.
Legacy Broadcasting of Wyoming LLC, which is incorporated in Mississippi, had planned to buy the second group of stations in February 2018 for $1.5 million.
Big Horn Television and Vision Wyoming were incorporated less than a month ago in Delaware.
Under the third deal announced this week, Wyomedia Corporation would sell seven stations to Front Range Television LLC, which is run by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company and William A. Fielder, III:
- KFNE, Channel 10, is a FOX affiliate.
- KLWY, Channel 27 & 27.2, is a FOX affiliate.
- KFNR, Channel 9, is a FOX affiliate.
- KFNB, Channel 20 & 20.2, is a FOX affiliate.
- K11RN-D, Channel 11, is an ABC affiliate.
- KWYF-LD, Channel 27, a MeTV affiliate.
- K09XL-D, Channel 9, a MeTV affiliate.
Per Radio and Television Business Report, this group of stations was set to be acquired by Legacy Broadcasting of Wyoming for nearly $3.3 million. The deal, also announced in February 2018, was never finalized.
Following Monday's announcement, there was no immediate word of potential operational changes at the stations involved.