CHANNEL 3 ON TRIB’S SIDE

Deal with Local TV Holdings is part of 19 station, $2.7B transaction

WREG-TV Channel 3, a ratings juggernaut in Memphis of late, is part of a $2.725B deal in which The Tribune Co. is buying 19 Local TV Holdings stations.

Memphis CBS-affiliate WREG-TV Channel 3, which has dominated local broadcast news coverage during recent sweeps periods, is set to become part of The Tribune Co. in a multibillion-dollar deal.

Describing the move as an effort to create a “content and distribution powerhouse,” Tribune officials on Monday announced a cash deal with Local TV Holdings to acquire 19 Local television stations in 16 markets — including WREG — for $2.725 billion.

The deal adds strong regional performers to Tribune’s network, including the Memphis station that has been a ratings juggernaut for broadcast news in recent years.

WREG was the top-rated television news franchise in the Memphis market during the recent May sweeps period, winning all but one of the local news broadcast slots, and its interactive website attracts more than 544,000 unique visitors each month. The station garnered similar impressive ratings during the February sweeps earlier this year.

In a release posted on Tribune’s website, com- pany president and CEO Peter Liguori said, “This is a transformational acquisition for Tribune — it makes us the No. 1 local TV affiliate group in America, expands the distribution platform for our high-quality video content and extends the reach of our digital products to new audiences across the country. We couldn’t be more excited about Tribune’s fu-