Scripps Buys Up Mid/Small Market Stations

Scripps says they are buying 15 television stations from Cordillera Communications for a purchase price is $521 million.

Quincy Media Inc. is buying KVOA in Tucson, Arizona from Cordillera.

The stations Scripps is acquiring are:

WLEX, the NBC affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky

KOAA, the NBC affiliate in Colorado Springs, Colorado

KATC, the ABC affiliate in Lafayette, Louisiana

KSBY, the NBC affiliate in Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo, California

KRIS, the NBC affiliate, and KAJA, a Telemundo affiliate, in Corpus Christi, Texas

KPAX and KAJJ, a CBS affiliate in Missoula, Montana

KTVQ, a CBS affiliate in Billings, Montana

KXLF/KBZK, the CBS affiliate in Butte-Bozeman, Montana

KRTV, the CBS affiliate, and KTGF, the NBC affiliate, in Great Falls, Montana

KTVH, the NBC affiliate, and KXLH, the CBS affiliate, in Helena, Montana

The 10 Cordillera markets have about 700 employees. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019.

The acquisition grows the Scripps local television station footprint to 51 stations in 36 markets with a reach of nearly 21 percent of U.S. TV households.