Cowles clears a path into California

The publisher of The Spokane Spokesman-Review also owns television properties in the inland portion of Washington State. It is now taking advantage of Providence Equity Partners' plans to respin some of the Clear Channel television properties, in Santa Barbara and Monterey, it acquired this spring. In the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo market, Cowles is picking up full-power KCOY-TV, a Channel 12 CBS affiliate licensed to Santa Maria, along with low power K44DN-LP Paso Robles (CBS/44) and KKFX-CA, which carries Fox on Channel 24. In Montery-Salinas CA, Cowles gets KION-TV, licensed to Monterey and carrying CBS on Channel 46, along with low power KMUV-LP (Telemundo, Channel 23). The deal also includes an LMA with Seal Rock Broadcasters' KCBA-TV, carrying Fox out of Salinas on Channel 35. According to Kalil & Co., which brokered the deal on behalf of the seller, the price is 41M. Brian Cobb of CobbCorp represented the buyer. In addition to its Spokane newspaper, Cowles owns NBC/6 KHQ-TV, and has two NBC affiliates in the Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick DMA, KNDO-TV 23 in Yakima and KNDU-TV 25 in Richland.

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