Sinclair Broadcast Group says three of its digital networks signed new affiliate deals that will help those channels reach more than 2.4 million homes across the country this year.
The channels — Comet, Charge! and TBD — reached carriage deals with local station owners Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television and Entravision that will see some of those networks land in markets like San Francisco; Phoenix; San Diego and Hartford, Connecticut.
TBD broadcasts shows that rely on user-generated video clips, along with syndicated programming like “Fear Factor,” as part of an attempt to reach younger viewers who are more likely to consume content on their phones and tablets than traditional television. The network recently signed a distribution agreement with Gray-owned KPHO (Channel 5, CBS) in Phoenix as well as Entravision’s KBNT-CD (Channel 17, Univision) in San Diego and a station in Odessa, Texas.
Comet offers programming rooted in science fiction, including “The X-Files,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and classic films like “Godzilla.” The network inkeda deal with Entravision’s KGHB-CD (Channel 27, Unimas), a low-power broadcast outlet in Colorado Springs.
Charge! is all about crime drama and action shows and movies, and serves up re-runs of “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: New York,” “Without a Trace” and “Chips” along with movies along the same genres. Charge! is now available on Nexstar’s San Francisco independent station KRON (Channel 4), Entravision’s KVSN (Channel 48, Univision) in Colorado Springs and WWAX-LD (Channel 27) in Hartford.
“These affiliate additions are a continuation of the distribution and ratings momentum that began in 2022, as we moved into new DMAs or upgraded coverage within the networks’ existing local broadcast affiliate footprints,” Adam Ware, the senior vice president of growth at Sinclair, said in a statement on Monday. “As viewers continue to watch less cable TV, we’re excited Comet, Charge! and TBD will be available to an additional 2.4 million viewers across the country.”
TV viewers who don’t live in areas with a Comet, Charge! or TBD affiliate can stream those networks for free on Sinclair’s own service, STIRR, which is available across a wide variety of Internet-connected TV platforms.
