Byron Allen continues to make business moves that encourage entrepreneurship in a positive way. Allen’s Entertainment Studios has acquired 11 broadcast TV stations from USA Television that serve nine U.S. markets.
The business moves that Allen makes are increasing ownership in the programming and content space. The Entertainment Studios portfolio now includes broadcast television network affiliates, streaming services, broadcast television syndication, production and distribution of 64 television programs, nine 24/7 HD television networks, theatrical motion picture production, acquisition and global distribution, digital movie acquisition and distribution, and global news publishing. Allen Media Group, a company Allen started from his dining room table 27 years ago, is now one of the largest privately held media companies worldwide.
“Over the past six months we’ve invested nearly $500 million to acquire best-in-class, top-tier, broadcast network affiliates,” said
Allen, founder, chairman, and CEO of Entertainment Studios/Allen Media Group. “We plan to invest approximately ten billion dollars to acquire ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX television stations over the next three years with the goal of being one of the largest broadcast television groups in America.”Among his recent moves: In August 2019, Allen partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group to acquire 21 regional sports networks from Walt Disney/FOX Corporation for $10.6 billion. In July 2019, Allen acquired Bayou City Broadcasting, which included four television stations in Evansville, Indiana (WEVV/CBS & WEEV/FOX), and Lafayette, Louisiana (KLAF/NBC & KADN/FOX), for $165 million. In March 2018, he acquired The Weather Channel.
“I have known Byron Allen for decades and we are delighted that these television stations will now be part of his amazing company,” said USA Television CEO Robert S. Prather Jr. in a press release. “These stations are dedicated to their local communities and this transaction will enable them to become even stronger on both their broadcast and digital platforms.”
Listed below are the stations acquired by Entertainment Studios:
|
DMA Rank |
City of License |
Station(s) |
Affiliation |
|
79 |
Huntsville – Decatur – Florence, AL |
WAAY WAAY-D2 |
ABC – ION |
|
104 |
Ft. Wayne, IN |
WFFT |
FOX |
|
123 |
Eugene, OR |
KEZI KEZI-D2 KEZI-D3 |
ABC – ION – METV |
|
132 |
Chico-Redding, CA |
KNVN* KNVN-DT2* KHSL KHSL-D2 KHSL-D5 |
NBC – TELEMUNDO – CBS – CW – ION |
|
133 |
Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, MS |
WTVA WLOV* WTVA-D2 |
NBC – FOX – ABC |
|
135 |
Medford-Klamath Falls, OR |
KDRV KRDV-D2 |
ABC – ANTENNA TV |
|
154 |
Rochester, MN – Mason City, IA – Austin, MN |
KIMT KIMT-D2 KIMT-D3 |
CBS – MYTV – ION |
|
158 |
Terre Haute, IN |
WTHI WTHI-D2 WTHI-D3 |
CBS – FOX – MYTV – CW |
|
188 |
Lafayette, IN |
WLFI WLFI-D2 WLFI-D3 |
CBS – CW – ION |
|
*Operated through joint sales and services agreement |
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