WFFF - TVSpy

Nexstar Completes Purchase of WFFF-WVNY

Merrill Knox — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:22:11 +0000

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.

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Nexstar Acquires Stations in California, Vermont

Merrill Knox — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:00:48 +0000

Nexstar Broadcasting has entered into definitive agreements to acquire three California stations from Newport Television and two Vermont stations from Smith Media, LLC.

Nexstar will pay Newport $35.4 million for KGPE, the CBS affiliate in Fresno; KGET, the NBC-CW affiliate in Bakersfield; and KKEY, the low-powered Telemundo affiliate in Bakersfield. In Vermont, Nexstar will join with Mission Broadcasting to acquire WFFF and WVNY, the Fox and ABC affiliates in Burlington, for $17.1 million.

“These transactions are consistent with our criteria for acquisitions that further strategically diversify our operations, create or present opportunities for virtual duopoly markets and which are financially accretive,” Nexstar chairman Perry Sook said in a statement.

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Kristian Read Joins WXXA as Sports Director

Andrew Gauthier — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:53:08 +0000

Kristian Read has been named sports director at Albany Fox-affiliate WXXA. He comes to the station from WFFF, the Fox-affiliate in Burlington, VT, where he served as sports director.

Read is replacing Rich Becker, who recently left WXXA for a communications job after more than a decade with the station.

“I know that I can’t try to be Rich,” Read told the Albany Times Union. “He was such a force in this market for such a long time. I want to try and be myself, and hope that people like it.” continued…

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Meteorologist Chelsea Ingram Joins WFFF-WVNY

Andrew Gauthier — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:09:39 +0000

Chelsea Ingram, a former Miss North Carolina pageant contestant and trained operatic singer, is beginning her TV career with WFFF-WVNY, the Smith Media-owned Fox-ABC duopoly in Burlington, VT.

WFFF-WVNY announced this week that Ingram is joining their team as a weekend meteorologist. Her first day is today.

“Chelsea is an up-and-coming weather anchor and we are very pleased to work with her as she begins her on-air forecasting career,” WFFF-WVNY news director Tracy Davis said, announcing the hiring. continued…

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Former WLNE Boss Tapped to Oversee Smith Stations in New England, New York

Andrew Gauthier — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:28:01 +0000

Steve Doerr, who most recently served as vice president and general manager of Providence’s WLNE, has been named VP-group manager of Smith Media‘s New York/New England region.

The Vermont-based company announced the appointment today, stating that Doerr will oversee WFFF and WVNY in Burlington and WKTV in Utica, NY.

“Steve is an exceptional individual and a seasoned broadcast executive with diverse expertise in all key facets of television station management,” Smith Media VP-CEO Michael Granados said, in announcing the move. “We are confident in Steve’s passion and experience in the television industry will take our Vermont and NY based properties to new levels in the communities they serve.” continued…

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Vic Vetters Tapped for VP-GM of Providence’s WJAR

Merrill Knox — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:44:09 +0000

Vic Vetters, a 28-year veteran of the local news industry, will take over as vice president and general manager of Media General’s WJAR, the NBC affiliate in Providence, on October 3.

Vetters will join WJAR after four years as vice president and group manager of three Smith Media stations: WFFF and WVNY in Burlington and WKTV in Utica, where he spent the bulk of his career in local news.

He joined WKTV in 1994 as both the director of news and operations and the afternoon anchor at the NBC affiliate. He was named general manager in 2001 and continued his responsibilities anchoring the noon newscasts until 2008, when his role at Smith Media was expanded to include the two stations in Burlington.

Vetters is a practicing attorney and a member of the New York State Bar. He replaces Lisa Churchville, who retired June 30.

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Smith Media Stations in Utica and Burlington Return to TWC Systems as Retrans Deal Reached

Andrew Gauthier — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:41:49 +0000

Smith Media-owned stations in Utica, NY and Burlington, VT returned to Time Warner Cable systems over the weekend as the companies reached an agreement on a new retransmission contract.

Smith Media had pulled its northeastern stations–Fox-affiliate WFFF and ABC-affiliate WVNY in Burlington-Plattsburgh and NBC-affiliate WKTV in Utica–from TWC on December 15. Smith Media and TWC finally concluded their negotiations on Saturday evening.

Vic Vetters, Smith Media vice president and group manager, was happy to put the negotiations in the past. WKTV, and the other stations, he said, “can now focus singularly on what we do best.”

During the blackout, several local lawmakers put pressure on the FCC to try and speed up the negotiations. State Senator Joseph A. Griffo; Utica Mayor David R. Roefaro; Assemblywoman RoAnn M. Destito; and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. wrote a letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, emphasizing their concern that the blackout limited local news.

While Smith Media stations were off of its cables systems, TWC imported Utica ABC-affiliate WUTR and Watertown, NY Fox-affiliate WNYF to Burlington and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton NBC-affiliate WBRE to Utica.

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