The Associated Press says that Nexstar is selling 19 television stations for $1.32 billion as part of its buyout deal with Tribune Media.
Nexstar currently operates 117 television stations in the U.S., including, 8 Indiana stations, four of which serve southwestern Indiana. Nexstar’s Indiana stations include, WHET and WTWO in Evansville, WTWO and WAWV in Terre Haute, WISH, WNDY, and WIIH in Indianapolis, and WANE in Ft. Wayne.
Nexstar agreed in December to buy Chicago’s Tribune Media for about $4 billion. Part of that agreement requires Nexstar to sell certain television stations in order to comply with the FCC local and national television ownership rules and to get FCC and Justice Department approval of the Tribune Media transaction.
Nexstar Media Group Inc. is selling 11 stations to Tegna Inc. for $740 million and eight stations to E.W. Scripps Co. for $580 million.
Nexstar said Wednesday that it’s still in active talks to sell two stations in Indianapolis. The company said it’ll use proceeds from the sale of the television stations to fund its Tribune deal and to lower debt.
