Denali Media Holdings, a subsidiary of General Communication
Inc. (GCI), has agreed to acquire three Alaska broadcast stations: CBS
affiliate KTVA Anchorage and NBC affiliates KATH Juneau and KSCT Sitka. Alaska
Broadcasting Company/Media News Group is selling KTVA, while North Star
Broadcasting is selling KATH and KSCT.
Terms of the deal were not revealed. It is subject to FCC
approval, which is anticipated to come in the first quarter.
GCI is a telecommunications giant in Alaska.
"Our intention is to invest our resources and transform
KTVA, KATH and KSCT into a news and entertainment leader unparalleled in
Alaska," said Ron Duncan, GCI president. "We look at these purchases
as the first step toward providing a new statewide platform for news and
information, as well as providing unique content and value for GCI's video
subscribers."
John Tracy will be the lead consultant in the rebuilding of
the news departments. Tracy was news director at KTUU Anchorage from 1989 to
2008.
KTVA Anchorage is the ratings and revenue runner up to
Schurz's KTUU in DMA No. 145.
"This is not unfamiliar territory," said Tracy.
"Denali Media Holdings is committed to investing significant resources to
provide Alaskans with a new choice for quality news programming and
high-definition offerings. I welcome the challenge of helping restore KTVA to
the community leader it once was and building on KATH and KSCT's
reputations."
