The purchases of two Chico-Redding, Calif. TV stations—KHSL by California TV and Maxair Media by KNVN—are completed.
The parent company of California TV is Heartland Media, where former Gray Television president and COO Bob Prather serves as president and CEO.
“KHSL TV has a great local broadcasting legacy in the Chico-Redding areas with more than 60 years of service,” Prather said. “This station is a natural complement to our operations in the adjacent Eugene and Medford markets.”
CBS affiliate KHSL, which was bought from GOCOM Media of Northern California, operates KNVN, the NBC and Telemundo affiliate formerly owned by K4 Media Holding.
“Maxair is excited to enter the Chico-Redding market and looks forward to continuing to provide KNVN's viewers with quality news, entertainment and community service," said Maxair’s Dan Modisett, a broadcasters with 40 years in the business.
Peter O’Brien, KHSL VP and general manager, will continue at the helm of the station, which also airs The CW on a multicast channel. Don Fisher, who had been station manager at the KNVN/KHSL Redding office, will serve as general manager of KNVN.
“We’re at a great place now, but we plan on taking this station to the next level so we can continue to serve our viewers with the best programming and local news in the North State,’’ O’Brien said. “In the first week of ownership, Heartland has added resources that will double the ‘live’ reporting capabilities of our news organization.”
