Four NBC Stations for Sale

[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John M. Higgins & Allison Romano]
Four NBC owned and operated stations are apparently up for sale. The properties are in NBC's smallest markets: Raleigh, N.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Birmingham, Ala.; and Providence, R.I. Together, they constitute about 7% of the NBC and Telemundo stations' total reach of 41.7 million TV homes. They're generally healthy, with each ranked among the top stations in late news. The company is hoping the sales will generate ~$600 million. NBC stations group President Jay Ireland wants to shed smaller markets and concentrate in markets where NBC can own a station duopoly or in markets with strong Hispanic demographics to feed the owned-and-operated stations of NBC's Spanish-language broadcast network, Telemundo. For example, NBC recently bought a station in the increasingly Latino Las Vegas market. The company owns 29 stations, 14 NBC properties and 15 Telemundo affiliates. All NBC's O&Os are being pinched by the steep slide in the parent network's ratings.
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