Nothing succeeds like failure when trying to create a television duopoly pairing in a market generally too small to support such a combination. The FCC is allowing Terry London to combine a CW affiliate with its CBS outlet in the Tyler-Longview TX DMA. The request failed to attract any objections.
London Broadcasting Company Inc. is seeking to buy the station for a total 948K, with an SSA in place until closing. The seller is Charles Chatelain’s Estes Broadcasting Inc.
London is taking on more of a financial burden than just the purchase price. The additional investment of an estimated $470K will be necessary to get the station’s digital facilities up and running.
The FCC found that KCEB easily qualified as a failing station, lacking both a substantial audience and positive net income. It also noted that London was the only buyer to come forward, that London promised to improve the station’s local programming, and that absent the deal, the station would likely go dark.
On top of that, there was absence of any objections. The FCC decided that the grant of a failed station waiver was in the public interest.
