Nexstar Broadcasting is poised to buy Communications Corp. of America, TVNewsCheck reports. The company has signed a letter of intent and is in the process of conducting due diligence on “12 stations in smaller markets”:

CCA stations are in markets ranging Shreveport, La. (DMA 82), to Alexandria, La. (DMA 179). Nexstar’s portfolio ranges from Washington (DMA 8) to St. Joseph, Mo. (DMA 201). Most are in mid-size to smaller markets.

The acquisition would boost Nexstar’s station count to roughly 84, bump up its duopoly count by at least one and enhance its already strong presence in Louisiana and Texas.

TVNewsCheck reports the two companies hope to make a formal announcement by April 6.

Oak Hill Capital Partners is putting the Local TV station group up for sale, according to Broadcasting & Cable.

Local TV owns or operates 21 stations, including WDAF in Kansas City, KDVR-KWGN in Denver, WJW in Cleveland and KTVI-KPLR in St. Louis. B&C reports staffers are being alerted to the sale and instructed “to go about their business as usual” until the process is completed, which may take up to a year.

Nexstar Broadcasting and Mission Broadcasting has completed the purchase of WFFF and WVNY, the Fox and ABC affiliates in Burlington, Vt.-Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Nexstar bought the two stations from Smith Media, LLC for $16.9 million. Nexstar and Mission have entered into a local services agreement for Nexstar to provide sales and other services to WVNY.

“This transaction is consistent with our acquisition criteria as it further diversifies our operations, expands our scale, creates another new duopoly market and is financially accretive,” Nexstar chairman and CEO Perry A. Sook said in a statement.

Sinclair Broadcast Group is purchasing 18 stations from Barrington Broadcasting Group for $370 million, the company announced Thursday. As part of the agreement, Sinclair will operate or provide sales services to an additional six Barrington stations.

The 24 stations are located in 15 markets and reach 3.5% of the U.S. TV households. The transaction is subject to FCC approval and antitrust clearance, and Sinclair estimates the deal will close in the second quarter of 2013.

The Barrington stations, along with five stations Sinclair is buying from Cox Media, will make up Sinclair’s Chesapeake TV group, which will focus on stations in smaller markets. Sinclair has announced Steve Pruett as the chief operating officer of Chesapeake TV. Pruett was most recently CEO of Communications Corporation of America’s 25-station group.

Due to FCC ownership conflict rules, Sinclair will sell WSYT in Syracuse and WYZZ in Peoria as it acquires Barrington’s stations. The stations will be purchased by Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation and Howard Stirk Holdings, a new entity formed by Armstrong Williams, a political commentator and CEO of The Graham Williams Group.

After the jump, see a list of the stations involved in the sale. Read more

In an effort to focus on larger markets, Cox Media Group has agreed to sell five stations in small markets to Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Sinclair will acquire KFOX in El Paso, WJAC in Johnstown, Pa., WTOV in Steubenville, Ohio, and KRXI-KAME in Reno. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“All of these media locations are valued brands with talented professionals who are committed to their audiences, advertisers and communities,” Cox Media president Doug Franklin said in a statement.  “We wish all of the employees well and know they will continue to work hard to produce quality entertainment, news and information for their customers and new owners.”

Nexstar Broadcasting has completed its acquisition of three California stations from Newport Television: NBC affiliate KGET and Telemundo affiliate KKEY in Bakersfield and CBS affiliate KGPE in Fresno.

The $34.5 million transaction will create duopolies for Nexstar in both Fresno and Bakersfield, Calif. Nexstar announced plans to acquire NBC affiliate KSEE in Fresno last month.

“This transaction is consistent with our acquisition criteria as it further diversifies our operations, creates new duopoly markets and is financially accretive,” Nexstar president and CEO Perry A. Sook said in a statement.

Six employees, including primary anchor Ann Hughes (pictured), were laid off at Albany Fox affiliate WXXA this week, the Albany Times Union reports.

The layoffs come as WXXA continues to merge news operations with WTEN, the ABC affiliate. In addition to Hughes, sports anchor Kristian Read, chief photographer Barry Sanders and three non-news employees were let go. More layoffs may be on the way as the merge continues, according to the Times Union.

“As we consolidate our resources we had to make staffing decisions,” WTEN general manager Andy Alford said.

WXXA eliminated its 5 and 11 p.m. newscasts last month. Hughes, who joined the the station in 1998, anchored the 11 p.m. alongside John Gray.

Fox Television Stations is acquiring two Charlotte stations — CW affiliate WJZY and MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYT — from Capitol Broadcasting Company.

“We are delighted to expand our portfolio of stations and return to North Carolina,” Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy said in a statement. “WJZY and WMYT are both well run stations that provide us with a unique opportunity in a growing top-25 market.”

Broadcasting & Cable reports that no terms of the sale, which is pending FCC approval, were divulged. But an affiliation switch is likely now that Fox will own two stations in the market. Current Fox affiliate WCCB is owned by Bahakel communications.

>Update: TVNewsCheck reports WCCB will lose its Fox affiliation. “Obviously we’re disappointed with the news,” Bahakel EVP Jim Babb said. “But we’re determined to find a way to be successful going forward, and we’re already exploring various options.”

OTA Broadcasting has agreed to buy WLWC in Providence from Sinclair Broadcast Group, according to TVNewsCheck.

WLWC is the CW affiliate in Providence. It will be sold to OTA Broadcasting, which is owned by Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell, for $13.75 million.

Sinclair bought WLWC as part of a seven-station deal from Four Points Media last year. [h/t NewsBlues]

Fisher Communications is exploring “potential strategic alternatives,” including a sale, the company announced Thursday.

“The Company has not made a decision to pursue any specific strategic transaction or any other strategic alternative, and there is no set timetable for the strategic review process,” Fisher said in a statement.

Fisher is the owner of 13 stations across the Pacific Northwest. Reuters reports the sale is being explored “under pressure from billionaire investor Mario Gabelli.”