Fox And Cox Swap TV Stations In Memphis, Boston, And San Francisco

Fox Television Stations will become a power in the San Francisco Bay area as a result of the television station swap with Cox in Memphis, Boston, and San Francisco.

Fox will pick up San Francisco area affiliate KTVU and independent KICU and give Cox Media Group WHBQ in Memphis and WFXT in Boston -- which will remain Fox affiliates -- the companies say.

Regulators will have to approve the deal. But assuming they do, then Fox “will benefit from both the strong demographics of the Bay area market as well as the alignment with our package of sports rights,” FTS chief Jack Abernethy says. KTVU carries Fox’ broadcasts of NFL games and shares a studio with KICU.

SF is the largest market where Fox didn’t own a station. Cox’s Bill Hoffman says that the Memphis and Boston stations “fit nicely into CMG’s broadcast portfolio” and offer an opportunity to have “a great news presence in these two markets.”