Denali Media buys CBS, NBC affiliates in Alaska

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DealDenali Media Holdings, a subsidiary of cable MSO General Communication, is buying three Alaska broadcast stations: CBS affiliate KTVA-TV of Anchorage and NBC affiliates KATH-TV in Juneau and KSCT-TV of Sitka, AK.


Denali will purchase KTVA-TV from Alaska Broadcasting Company/Media News Group of Denver. Affiliates KATH-TV and KSCT-TV will be purchased from North Star Broadcasting based in Juneau, AK.

GCI President Ron Duncan says that Denali Media Holdings and the station purchases are part of GCI’s strategy to add value to its media enterprise. “Our intention is to invest our resources and transform KTVA, KATH and KSCT into a news and entertainment leader unparalleled in Alaska. 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.”

Denali also announced that former KTUU News Director, John Tracy will be the lead consultant in the rebuilding and rebranding of the news departments. Tracy served as news director at KTUU-TV from 1989 to 2008, when he left to become a partner in Bradley Reid & Associates, an Anchorage-based advertising and PR firm.

Closing is expected in Q1.

GCI is Alaska’s largest telecommunications company. GCI’s cable plant, which provides voice, video, and broadband data services, passes 80% of Alaska households.