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TV 31 expects increased
clout with new owner
TV 31 expects increased
clout with new owner
Listen to this articleWUHF-TV 31, the local Fox network affiliate, will undergo an ownership change in a deal involving 13 television stations–one that could boost the clout of the local station.
Sullivan Broadcast Holdings Inc., which owns WUHF, has entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. in a stock purchase valued at $950 million to $1 billion. The acquisition is subject to Federal Communications Commission approval and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 1998.
The move makes Baltimore-based Sinclair the largest owner of Fox network affiliates. It also increases Sinclair’s coverage of U.S. households to 23 percent, up from 19 percent.
Heather Farnsworth, general manager at WUHF, thinks the change in ownership will benefit her station.
“It’s very exciting for us,” she said. “It’s a great day for WUHF.”
Because Sinclair is one of the largest broadcast groups in the television industry, Farnsworth said it will give WUHF more clout and leverage in program acquisitions.
Once the transaction closes, Sinclair will be the largest broadcast-group owner in the Rochester market, topping Hubbard Broadcasting Inc., which owns WHEC-TV 10; Guy Gannett Communications, parent of WOKR-TV 13; and Sunrise Television Corp., which owns WROC-TV 8.
With the acquisition of the Sullivan stations, Sinclair will own 55 television stations in 37 markets. Hubbard owns eight television stations, Guy Gannett has seven and Sunrise owns five stations.
With Sinclair’s breadth and reach, Farnsworth believes, WUHF will get better deals on television programming as well as on equipment.
WUHF already has a steady track record of growth and solid programming moves. The station has seen sales increases of roughly 20 percent annually in the past five years, Farnsworth said.
The station’s 7 p.m.-to-8 p.m. block, which features “Home Improvement” and “Seinfeld,” is No. 1 in the market with adults 18 to 49 and adults 25 to 54–demographics highly desired by advertisers.
“(Channel) 31 is such a great performer,” said Tom Proietti, a communications professor at Monroe Community College. “(Sinclair) bought a great station.”
It should be interesting to see how bidding for popular programming shakes out, Proietti said, noting that Sinclair should give WUHF more clout when it comes to negotiations.
