Broadcasting company looks to sell 28 TV stations, including two in Alabama
Allen Media Broadcasting is currently exploring the sale of its 28 broadcast television stations, two of which are located in Alabama.
“Six years ago, Allen Media Group began the process of investing over one billion dollars to acquire big four network-affiliated television stations,” Chief Executive Byron Allen said in a recent release.
“We have received numerous inquiries and written offers for most of our television stations and now is the time to explore getting a return on this phenomenal investment.”
“We are going to use this opportunity to take a serious look at the offers, and the sale proceeds will be used to significantly reduce our debt,” he continued.
Last year, CNBC reported that Allen Media Group had been “consistently late in making payments to its network owners, in some cases as much as 90 days past due, with the payments totaling tens of millions of dollars throughout the year.”
Representatives for Allen Media Group declined to address the reason for the lateness when the outlet reached out, according to their reporting.
The group operates across 21 U.S. markets, with affiliates major networks like Disney’s ABC, Paramount Global’s CBS, Comcast’s NBC and News Corp’s Fox.
Allen Media Group is also the parent company to WAAY in Huntsville and WCOV in Montgomery, and was the subject of statewide controversy earlier this year before it nixed the decision to have The Weather Channel provide local weather coverage, potentially saving jobs in Alabama and across the country.
Allen Media Regional Vice President Dan Batchelor previously told the West Kentucky Star that the company reversed course on the decision “based on viewer and advertiser reaction.”
Allen Media Group has not addressed how the sale might impact its stations or employees.
Efforts to reach representatives for WAAY and WCOV were not immediately successful.