Gray TV is entering Minnesota and New York state with the purchase of United Communications’ stations in two markets for $45 million. The stations include CBS/FOX affiliate KEYC/12 (Mankato), CBS affiliate WWNY/7 (Carthage-Watertown, NY), and FOX affiliate WNYF-CD (Watertown, NY).
United has owned KEYC for 42 years. A news release quotes United President Lucy Brown as saying the decision to exit broadcasting was a difficult one, but that group ownership offers greater prospects in the new media environment.
“With Gray we found a broadcast company with shared values and commitments to localism. We are confident that Gray will provide the resources and leadership to allow our employees and stations to best serve their local communities going forward,” Brown said in the news release.
KEYC reports that Gray will begin operating the station on March 1 under an agreement with United.
KEYC is the only station in the Mankato market and WWNY/WNYF has the only TV news operation in its market. KEYC also holds the license for a low-power station, K13AAR-D, to transmit from the main KEYC tower near Lewisville.
Though KEYC will be Gray’s first station physically located in Minnesota, the company already serves other parts of the state on stations based in Sioux Falls, Fargo, and Eau Claire. It has stations in 91 markets nationally and operates its own Washington news bureau.