Sinclair to buy Tribune Media, expanding its local TV reach

NEW YORK -- Sinclair Broadcast Group, the nation's largest local TV station operator, wants to be even bigger.

The company announced Monday it will pay about $3.9 billion for Tribune Media and its 42 stations, which includes KTLA in Los Angeles, WGN in Chicago and WPIX in New York.

Chicago-based Tribune also owns stakes in the Food Network and job-search website CareerBuilder.

Sinclair has 173 stations, including KUTV in Salt Lake City, KOMO in Seattle and WKRC in Cincinnati. The Tribune deal, plus other pending acquisitions, will give it a total of 233 stations, putting distance between it and rival Nexstar Media Group, which has 170.

Sinclair also owns KDNL in St. Louis, WDKA in Paducah, Kentucky, and KBSI in Cape Girardeau.

Sinclair said it may have to sell some stations to comply with Federal Communications Commission rules, although the FCC recently has loosened rules related to media ownership.

Sinclair also is buying Bonten Media Group, which owns 14 stations, for $240 million.

In all, Sinclair said its stations will reach 72 percent of all U.S. households with a TV once the Tribune and Bonten deals close.

Public-interest groups opposed the deal. Public Knowledge, which typically is against media consolidation, said Monday the deal will reduce "viewpoint diversity" and contribute to the "homogenization of broadcasting."

It asked the Department of Justice and FCC to reject the deal.