WLNE Bid Is Global Broadcasting's First Station Deal

By John Eggerton
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Freedom Broadcasting has agreed to sell WLNE-TV Providence, R.I., to Global Broadcasting, pending FCC approval.

Global is headed by Robinson Ewert and Kevin O'Brien. O'Brien used to run the Meredith stations before exiting in 2004.

The sale would cut Freedom's holdings from nine stations to eight.  It is Global's first station purchase. 

O'Brien put in what appeared to be a good word for staffers, saying in a release that the employees of the stations had "worked hard to strengthen its brand and relevance." O'Brien had something of a stormy tenure at Meredith, replacing general managers and news directors at many of its stations.

The sale was brokered by Kalil & Co.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.