Fox Selling WUTB to Deerfield Media for $2.7 Million

Sinclair works out shared services agreement for Baltimore station

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/29/2012 3:56:08 PM

Fox Television Stations is selling WUTB Baltimore to Deerfield Media, while Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is based in Baltimore, will operate WUTB through a shared-services agreement.

Stephen Mumblow is the sole stockholder in Deerfield.

As a standalone MyNetworkTV station, WUTB wasn't an ideal fit in the Fox-owned portfolio.

In May, Fox and Sinclair worked out a quirky deal as part of affiliation agreements for Sinclair's 19 Fox affiliates, in which Sinclair received "an assignable option to purchase at fair value," WUTB.

That was designed to preserve the Sinclair flagship, Fox affiliate WBFF.

Sinclair also operates CW affiliate WNUV in Baltimore, which is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting.

The WUTB acquisition was previously reported in TVNewsCheck.