There will be a new player in the Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo DMA once News-Press & Gazette closes on its acquisition of ABC affiliate KEYT there. The station is licensed to Santa Barbara.
The station is coming from Smith Media LLC. The price will be $14.25M cash. The deal includes two low power television outlets and digital television property MyRTV.
David R. Bradley is the head of NPG. He said, “We look forward to operating a top-flight station serving the Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo communities and advancing their interests in this beautiful part of the country.”
Speaking for Smith, station GM and company CEO Michael Granados said, “We have greatly valued the opportunity to serve the communities of California’s Central Coast. Fortunately, this transaction will pass on this great asset and a dedicated group of talented employees to a new owner also committed to local service and broadcast excellence.”
This marks the second acquisition of an ABC affiliate for NPG this year. It earlier announced the acquisition of KMIZ-TV and a related LPTV in the Columbia-Jefferson City MO DMA – that station is coming in a $16M deal with JW Communications.
When both of the pending deals close, NPG will have TV stations in ten markets, along with radio and newspaper assets.
Smith is also still in the TV business, retaining WKTV Utica NY and WFFF Burlington VT.
