The Desk appreciates the support of readers who purchase products or services through links on our website. Learn more...

Meredith exploring sale of TV stations, report says

(Stock image via Pexels, Graphic by The Desk)

Media giant Meredith Corporation is exploring a sale of its local broadcast television stations and has hired a financial advisor to help the company weigh its options, according to a report.

On Tuesday, financial news outlet Bloomberg broke the story based on information provided by unnamed sources. Officials at Meredith Corporation have not commented on the report, which said the company could sell off its 17 local television stations as part of a shift in focus toward its magazine and digital businesses.

Merdith’s broadcast television stations reach more than 10 percent of the United States. The company owns local broadcast stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon; it does not operate any television stations in California.

Bloomberg said a sale of the stations could help Meredith reduce some of its $3 billion in debt, some of which was acquired as part of the company’s decision to buy Time Magazine from Koch Equity for $1.8 billion in 2018. (Meredith later sold Time to Marc Benioff, the co-founder of Salesforce.com, for a mere $190 million.)

The financial news outlet did not say if anyone had expressed interest in acquiring the stations from Meredith. In recent years, companies like E. W. Scripps, Nexstar Media Group and Fox Corporation have gobbled up local broadcast outlets in a bid to solidify a national footprint of over-the-air television stations, which helps generate advertisement revenue and secure lucrative re-transmission consent agreements from cable and satellite companies

One possible suitor includes Allen Media Group, the broadcast company spearheaded by comedian-turned-media mogul Byron Allen. Earlier this year, the website TV News Check reported Allen had committed $10 billion toward a mergers and acquisitions strategy focused on buying affiliates of the “big four” broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) and was considering a purchase of stations from three companies, including Meredith.

In addition to the television stations, Meredith publishes more than a dozen well-known gossip and lifestyle magazines, including the celebrity-focused People, do-it-yourself publication Better Homes & Gardens, fitness-focused Shape and Martha Stewart Living.

Never miss a story

Get free breaking news alerts and twice-weekly digests delivered to your inbox.

We do not share your e-mail address with third parties; you can unsubscribe at any time.

Photo of author

About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally-recognized, award-winning journalist who has covered the business of media, technology, radio and television for more than 11 years. He is the publisher of The Desk and contributes to Know Techie, Digital Content Next and StreamTV Insider. He previously worked for Thomson Reuters, the Walt Disney Company, McNaughton Newspapers and Tribune Broadcasting. Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn by clicking or tapping here.