Sinclair, Inc. is selling five of its local broadcast television stations to an industry executive who once oversaw advertising sales for the company’s line-up of Bally Sports-branded regional networks.
The executive, Todd Parkin, is now the principal owner of Rincon Broadcasting Group, which is listed as the buyer of the five TV stations being divested by Sinclair as noted in documents submitted with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday.
The five stations Sinclair is parting ways with include:
- KHQA (Channel 7, ABC & CBS) in Quincy, Illinois
- KTVO (Channel 3, ABC & CBS) in Kirksville, Missouri
- WICS (Channel 20, ABC) in Springfield, Illinois
- WICD-TV (Channel 15, ABC) in Danville, Illinois
- WVTV (Channel 18, CW Network) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The sales include the transfer of broadcast licenses from Sinclair to Rincon, which require the approval of the FCC. The agency is not expected to block the transaction. It was not immediately clear how much Rincon will pay for the stations. A spokesperson for Sinclair has not yet returned a request for comment.
In addition to being the principal owner of Rincon Broadcasting, Parkin serves as the Managing Director of Media and Vice President of Growth at Atlanta-based Think Consulting. A career description for his job title says Parkin is in charge of helping media companies “uncover new revenue streams, enhance operational efficiencies, and boost productivity,” and to help media firms “successfully navigate today’s dynamic and ever-changing landscape.”
He is no stranger to Sinclair, having served as the Vice President of Ad Sales and Strategy for its Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks from February 2020 to April 2022, when he took on the new title of Senior Vice President of Sports Operations. The joint venture that operated the Bally Sports networks, Diamond Sports Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2023 and emerged from bankruptcy last year. The company is now known as Main Street Sports and the naming rights to its channels have long transferred from Bally Sports to FanDuel Sports; Sinclair is no longer involved in the regional sports operation.
