isn't this a common thing to do when two TV or Radio broadcast companies merge into one bigger company.
Old news in some cases. Some of these divestitures were announced months ago
WHY YOU KNOW THE COMPANY: Richmond-based Media General Inc. operates or services 71 television stations in 48 U.S. markets, reaching about 23 percent of U.S. TV households.
The company has been undergoing a transformation over the past few years as the U.S. broadcasting industry has consolidated to sustain revenue in a competitive advertising market and to gain leverage in negotiations over cable retransmission fees.
Media General agreed in January to be acquired by Texas-based Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc. in a $4.6 billion deal.
WHAT’S NEW: Nearly a year after the Nexstar deal was announced, it is still awaiting regulatory approval by the Federal Communications Commission.
Media General and Nexstar already have cleared antitrust requirements by divesting some television stations as part of the deal.
The companies had expected to complete the merger in the fall, creating a company that would own or operate 171 television stations in 100 markets across the nation.
The companies have extended some deadlines for the deal completion while awaiting FCC approval.
The delay could be related to an ongoing auction of broadcast spectrum being conducted by the FCC, according to Multichannel News, a publication that covers the broadcasting and cable industries.
The decision also could be delayed if the FCC plans to put conditions on the deal relating to whether Nexstar can apply its retransmission agreement to stations it acquires in markets where it already has deals, Multichannel News said.
Officials with Media General and Nexstar did not return phone calls or emails seeking comment about the delay.
Once the deal is completed, the headquarters of the combined company will be in Texas — not Richmond. Media General was founded here in 1969 as a holding company for its newspapers and television properties.
Media General has not said what will happen to its corporate office on East Franklin Street in downtown Richmond when the merger is completed.
— John Reid Blackwell
FCC Approves Nexstar-Media General Merger
The FCC's Media Bureau has approved the Nexstar-Media General merger. That came in an order published on the FCC website Wednesday.
Both broadcasters had asked the FCC to waive its rule preventing a decision on the deal while the spectrum auction was still in progress.
The commission agreed and at the same time approved the merger.
Citing the proposed spin-offs to make the merger comply with local and national ownership rules, the FCC concluded that the merger is OK, and it would waive the prohibition on completing the deal during the auction.