Exclusive: Months after Mission Broadcasting announced it would not proceed with the purchase of WADL-TV, Detroit media mogul Kevin Adell says he is selling all of his business-related assets and plans to retire.
The decision to dissolve the purchase agreement with Adell Broadcasting comes about a month after the FCC conditionally approved the deal.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the agency’s decision to conditionally approve Mission’s purchase of WADL exceeded its authority.
The FCC has conditionally approved Mission Broadcasting’s purchase of WADL-TV in Detroit, according to an order obtained by The Desk on Tuesday.
The broadcaster says the agency acted outside the scope of its authority and broke with long-standing precedent concerning local marketing agreements.
Faith-based community and the Rainbow Push Coalition have encouraged the FCC to approve the station’s sale to Mission Broadcasting.
Kevin Adell said he is not convinced the $75 million transfer of WADL to Mission will ever be approved by the FCC, drawing on concerns raised during his latest meeting with the agency.
It will be the fifth time Kevin Adell has met with FCC officials over the proposed sale to a Nexstar-controlled entity.
The FCC has ordered a clean sale of WPIX to Nexstar or an unrelated third party; a Nexstar executive said the company is willing to battle the order in court.
The agency said Nexstar walked back certain promises made when it sought approval to merge with Tribune, and exerted too much control over WPIX when its license was transferred to Mission.
In a letter sent to the FCC’s top commissioner, the activist said it was beyond time for the agency to act on the matter.
Nexstar Media Group has appealed a $150,000 fine imposed against it over contract negotiations with Comcast concerning carriage of WPIX-TV two years ago.