WNWO-TV to be purchased by Sinclair Broadcast Group

3/1/2013

Toledo's WNWO-TV, Channel 24, is one of 18 television stations that will be bought by Sinclair Broadcast Group from Barrington Broadcasting Corp.

The $370 million deal, announced Thursday, calls for Sinclair to operate or provide sales services to six other stations.

Baltimore-based Sinclair said it expected the deal to close in the second quarter of 2013, subject to Federal Communications Commission approval.

The 24 stations are in 15 small-to-medium markets. Toledo, the nation's 76th biggest TV market, is the second biggest among the acquisitions.

But WNWO, an NBC affiliate, has been a ratings laggard for years, trailing the CBS and ABC affiliates. It has seen a long string of staff and management changes.

Barrington bought WNWO and 11 other TV stations in 2006 from Raycom Media Inc. in a $262 million deal. Raycom had purchased the station from Marlite Communications in 1998.

The Toledo station was founded in 1966 as WDHO-TV, with the call letters coming from the initials of founder Daniel H. Overmyer.