Firm Clears Path for Sinclair's $985M Allbritton Purchase

Hughes Hubbard assisted Sinclair Broadcast Group in securing antitrust clearance for its $985 million acquisition of eight television stations from Allbritton Communications Co. after Sinclair agreed to relinquish some stations.
 
Under the transaction's terms, Sinclair will acquire seven ABC affiliates in top-100 markets spread across the East Coast and South, plus a local cable news channel serving more than 2 million households in the Washington metropolitan area.
 
On July 15, 2014, the U.S. Justice Department and Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane filed a settled complaint approving the acquisition on the condition that the broadcasters sell their interest in the ABC affiliate, WHTM-TV, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Federal Communications Commission then approved the transaction on Friday, July 25.
 
Sinclair said on June 23 it will sell WHTM to Virginia-based Media General Inc. The transaction closed on July 30.
 
"We are thrilled to add the Allbritton properties to our growing portfolio and national footprint," said David Smith, Sinclair's president and CEO.
 
Bill Kolasky represented Sinclair.