Standard Media to Acquire Nine Network-Affiliated Television Stations in Five States

The transaction includes the following network-affiliated stations: FOX & NBC affiliate WGBC-TV in Meridian, Miss.; FOX affiliate WHPM-LD in Hattiesburg, Miss.; NBC affiliate WNBJ-LD in Jackson, Tenn.; FOX and CBS affiliate KJNB-LD and KJNE-LD in Jonesboro, Ark.; FOX and NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, along with ABC affiliate WPBY-LD, both in Lafayette, Ind.; as well as FOX affiliate WYDC-TV and MyNet affiliate WJKP in Elmira/Corning, NY.

As part of the transaction, Standard Media is also acquiring Waypoint’s news production operations located in Little Rock, Ark., as well as a combination of 15 FM and AM radio stations in three markets owned by Star City Broadcasting in Lafayette, Ind., and Sound Communications LLC in Olean and Elmira/Corning, NY. They are WAZY-FM, WBPE-FM, WYCM-FM and WSHY-AM in Lafayette; WGGO-AM, WMXO-FM, WOEN-AM, WQRS-FM and WZKZ-FM in Olean; and WENI-AM/FM, WENY-AM/FM, WGMM-FM and WKPQ-FM in Elmira/Corning.

“This is the second acquisition Standard Media has announced in 2019, and we are looking forward to adding these stations to our expanding broadcast group,” said Deb McDermott, Standard Media’s CEO. “We are also excited to begin working with the talented teams in each of these markets. Waypoint and Vision have been successful in building these station groups, and our focus will be on continued growth with a focus on quality news.”

The Pillsbury team included Communications partner Scott Flick in Washington, DC, along with Jessica Nyman, Lee Petro, Russell DaSilva, Lauren Lynch Flick, Gloria Kim, Warren Kessler, Justin Bintrim, Joe Cohen and Simone Wood.