ATLANTA, Nov. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2016,
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST,"Nexstar"), in conjunction
with Mission Broadcasting, Inc. ("Mission") and White Knight
Broadcasting, Inc. ("White Knight") entered the largest multicast
distribution launch in the history of broadcast television.
Nexstar, Mission, White Knight, along with new partners Shield
Media LLC ("Shield"), Tamer Media, LLC ("Tamer") and Vaughan Media
LLC ("Vaughan"), have agreed to add Bounce, Escape, Grit and Laff,
the four leading new generation broadcast networks, on 43 more
channels and has renewed affiliation agreements for 21 current
stations with all affiliations extending well into the next
decade.
Once the new launches are in place, Katz networks will be
available on over 200 channels from these broadcasters across the
country.
The new multi-year agreements cover 52 stations in 41 markets
that are now owned or programmed by Nexstar following its
acquisition of Media General in January
2017. Among the highlights:
- Bounce will be launched in Austin, Albuquerque, Colorado Springs and
Albany, NY (on a station owned by
Shield) with renewals in Indianapolis, Hartford, Norfolk, Grand
Rapids, Providence and four
other markets.
- Escape will be added to 16 stations including in Tampa, Raleigh, Austin and Birmingham and has been renewed in
Grand Rapids, Albuquerque (on a
station owned by Tamer), Dayton
and Topeka.
- Grit will be launched in eight markets including San Francisco, Raleigh and Nashville while being renewed in Hartford, Austin, Grand
Rapids and Albuquerque (on a station owned by Tamer).
- Laff will be carried in 13 new markets including Washington D.C., Columbus, OH and Harrisburg, PA and Birmingham and renewed in Austin, Grand
Rapids, Albuquerque (on a station owned by Tamer) and 10
other DMAs.
The latest distribution gains will drive Bounce to 86 percent of
the United States and 95 percent
of African-American households, while Escape, Grit and Laff will
now reach 89 percent, 87 percent and 90 percent of all U.S. TV
households, respectively.
"Our new distribution agreements with Bounce, Escape, Grit and
Laff will bring new value to our acquired Media General stations as
all four networks have a proven track record delivering exciting
and valued programming to our viewers. Nexstar's top priority is
serving the needs of the people and communities where we operate
and with the launch of these digital multicast networks across the
companies' broadcast platforms, we are delivering more exciting
content to local viewers that is complementary to our stations'
existing high quality, locally originated news and other exclusive
local and network-affiliated programming," commented Brian Jones, Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
"Nexstar has been a terrific partner for Bounce, Escape, Grit
and Laff and we are thrilled to expand and extend our relationship
with them for many years to come," said Jonathan Katz, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Katz Networks.
About Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Nexstar Media Group
is a leading diversified media company that leverages localism to
bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through
its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms. Nexstar
owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to
170 television stations and related digital multicast signals
reaching 100 markets or approximately 39% of all U.S. television
households. Nexstar's portfolio includes primary affiliates of NBC,
CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW. Nexstar's community portal
websites offer additional hyper-local content and verticals for
consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when
and how they access content while creating new revenue
opportunities. For more information please visit
www.nexstar.tv.
About Katz Networks
The Katz networks are targeted,
demo-specific brands leading a new generation of fast-growing
broadcast networks created to serve cord-cutters, cord-nevers
and subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) subscribers. Bounce, seen
in 86 percent of U.S. households and 95 percent of all
target-market, African-American television homes, is the first and
only African-American broadcast network and features a programming
mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures,
specials, live sports and more. Escape, currently in 89 percent of
the U.S., reaches women 25-54 with a brand of programming anchored
in stories of investigation and mystery. Grit, available in 87
percent of U.S. households, targets men 25-54 with a lineup of
western and action movies and series. Laff, covering 90 percent of
the U.S., is the nation's first over-the-air network devoted to
comedy around-the-clock, and presents contemporary off-network
sitcoms and popular movies geared toward an audience of adults
18-49.
Contact: Jim
Weiss
770-672-6504
JWeiss@KatzBroadcasting.com
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SOURCE Katz