Sinclair Sells Some Stations to Friendly Foes

Sinclair Broadcast Group has agreed to sell stations to buyers it is very familiar with.

The list includes KKNJ-KCWF, a pair of CBS affiliates in New Mexico, along with another CBS station, KDBC El Paso. The buyer is closely aligned Cunningham Broadcasting Corp., and the price is $21 million. Sinclair provides services to Cunningham stations for a fee.

Sinclair is also selling WABM-WTTO Birmingham, a MyNetworkTV-CW duo, to Stephen Mumblow for $7.35 million. Sinclair also provides services to stations Mumblow has acquired in markets such as San Antonio and Columbus.

Cunningham Broadcasting, meanwhile, is acquiring WWCP Johnstown (PA) from Horseshoe Curve Communications for $12 million. WWCP is a Fox affiliate.

Sinclair has been the most bullish acquirer of TV stations the last couple years, including a recent agreement to pick up the Allbritton group for $985 million.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.