Editor’s Note: A first-edition version of this story incorrectly stated that Telemundo Station Group was purchasing ZGS Communications. Telemundo is acquiring all of ZGS’s TV stations but not the company. We regret the error.
NBCUniversal is saying goodbye to its largest affiliate partner for its main Spanish-language network, Telemundo.
That’s because NBCUniversal’s Telemundo Station Group is buying the company’s television assets and, pending FCC and other government approvals, will be welcoming their 13 TV stations in 10 markets fully into the O&O fold.
Telemundo is acquiring the stations owned by ZGS Communications, and the companies will be jointly filing with the FCC several applications seeking consent to the transaction.
The transaction value was not disclosed by Telemundo, which announced the deal following the Closing Bell on Wall Street on Monday (12/4).
“Ronald Gordon, Eduardo Zavala and the ZGS stations have long been an important part of Telemundo’s success. We deeply value our long term partnership,” said Valari Staab, President of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “We are excited to welcome these great stations and talented people to the NBCUniversal family.”
Ronald Gordon, Chairman/CEO of ZGS Communications, added, “Eduardo and I are very excited about this transaction because our stations and teams are finding the perfect home to continue growing and serving the Hispanic community, which has been our mission and privilege for the past 35 years.”
Commenting on the long-standing partnership, Telemundo Station Group President Manuel Martinez said, “ZGS has been an excellent partner to Telemundo for many years. We share a mission of informing and empowering Hispanic communities with local news and entertainment. We look forward to continuing this longstanding mission and extending the resources of NBCUniversal to these stations.”
ZGS currently owns and operates a full power Telemundo-affiliated station in the El Paso, Tex., market: KTDO-48.
It offers Telemundo programming via Class A stations in the Hartford, Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Myers-Naples, Providence, Raleigh, and Washington, D.C., markets, respectively, and via low power stations (LPTVs) serving the Springfield, Mass., and Richmond.
The first set of FCC applications jointly filed by the Telemundo Station Group and ZGS covers the stations serving the El Paso, Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Myers, Richmond and Springfield markets.
In the coming weeks, the parties plan to file applications for the stations located in Washington, D.C.; Hartford; Providence; and Raleigh.
In Washington, WRC-4 has long been NBC’s station in the National Capital region. Now, it will be co-located with WZDC until a channel-sharing agreement for that station with WRC goes into effect; WZDC relinquished its spectrum in the FCC’s incentive auction. In Hartford, WVIT-30 is the NBC O&O that will be co-located with WRDM until a CSA goes into effect.
Neither Telemundo nor ZGS elaborated on the potential issues in Providence and Raleigh, respectively.
