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Boston Globe

Owner of Major NBC Affiliate: Network Is ‘Trying to Steal Our Station’

Dec 23, 2015  •  Post A Comment

The owner of a large-market NBC affiliate was apparently underwhelmed by the network’s offer to buy the station. The Boston Globe reports that Ed Ansin, the billionaire owner of Boston NBC affiliate WHDH-TV, said of negotiations with the network: “They are trying to steal our station.”

The report notes that it’s general knowledge that NBC wants to create an O&O in Boston, the country’s No. 8 DMA.

“Ansin said NBC officials told him in September that they would not extend his affiliation agreement, which expires at the end of 2016,” the Globe reports. “Without shows like ‘The Voice’ and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ WHDH’s value would drop substantially, but Ansin was told the Peacock Network would buy his license and broadcast facility for about $200 million.”

According to Ansin, the figure is about $300 million too low. “Ansin said NBC is threatening to move its programming to another area station it owns, WNEU-TV, which currently broadcasts Telemundo,” the story reports, adding that Ansin “said he wouldn’t consider selling unless the network ponies up more than $500 million and WLVI-TV (Channel 56), another Boston station he owns, is included in the deal.”

WHDH-NBC-7-Boston

One Comment

  1. Get real Ed. The cash flow multiples come nowhere near justifying a 500 million dollar price. NBC isn’t trying to steal your station, You’re trying to rob NBC.

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