Gannett Closes on London Six-Pack

Gannett has completed its acquisition of six Texas-based London Broadcasting stations for $215 million. The stations are KCEN Waco-Temple-Bryan, KYTX Tyler-Longview, KIII Corpus Christi, KBMT and subchannel KJAC in Beaumont-Port Arthur, KXVA Abilene-Sweetwater and KIDY San Angelo.

The deal was announced in May. Phil Hurley, London Broadcasting chief operating officer, will continue to oversee the six stations as a senior VP, reporting to Dave Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting. The stations, a mix of NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox affiliates, are expected to generate revenue of approximately $50 million in 2014.

The deal gives Gannett 83% of households across Texas. Its holdings in the state also include WFAA Dallas, KHOU Houston, KVUE Austin and KENS San Antonio. “The company's broadcasting presence in the high-growth state of Texas is further expanded,” Gannett said in a statement.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.