Mergers helped local stations stave off coronavirus business woes, report says
Consolidation coupled with a focus on re-transmission agreements have helped local stations weather the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nexstar Media Group ($NXST) is one of the biggest operators of local broadcast television stations in the United States. In addition to more than 160 local stations, Nexstar Media Group operates NewsNation (formerly WGN America), LIN Digital, Zap2It and Antenna TV. The company shares ownership of the Food Network and Cooking Channel with Discovery Networks. Nexstar is based in Irving, Texas.
Consolidation coupled with a focus on re-transmission agreements have helped local stations weather the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mission is known to exercise shared services agreements with Nexstar Media.
Employees at two Nexstar television outlets in California have approached station management in recent days with concerns about a possible mass exposure to the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
The head of the largest owner of local television stations in the country says a viral outbreak of coronavirus in the United States could provide a boon for stations and advertisers.
Several employees at TV stations in Chicago and Seattle have self-quarantined after coming into contact with people who may have contracted the coronavirus.
Leigh White, the general manager of Sacramento’s Fox affiliate, announced her resignation on Tuesday after spending more than four years with the station.
A reporter for a New Mexico TV station was kicked out of a public meeting after lawmakers complained about possible editing techniques.
Disney, a launch partner of the NewsOn app, has pulled its eight channels from the service.
Chicagoland Television, a regional cable news channel that has aired news and public affairs programming to the Chicago metropolitan area, will cease production by the end of next year.
Sacramento’s KTXL FOX40 and San Diego’s KSWB FOX 5 could be sold to Fox Television Stations, according to a Nexstar source.