CBS affiliate KIMT/3.1 (Mason City-Rochester) is getting its fifth owner in ten years, now going to Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group as part of a national deal.
Allen is buying KIMT and stations in eight other small and medium markets from USA TV/Heartland Media for $290 million. Allen and his companies also own four TV stations in two markets, in addition to full ownership of The Weather Channel and eight other national networks and part-owner of 21 regional sports networks. Allen’s Entertainment Studios produces 64 programs, and the company also makes and distributes theatrical movies.
KIMT has been affected by numerous industry mergers and sales over the past decade, with previous owners including New Vision Television, LIN TV, and Media General. USA TV/Heartland had owned the station since 2017, when Nexstar spun off the station to comply with ownership caps when it bought Media General.
Besides CBS on its primary channel, KIMT carries MyNetworkTV on 3.2, ION on 3.3, and Antenna TV on 3.4. It competes with Hubbard ABC affiliate KAAL (Austin-Rochester) and Quincy NBC/FOX operation KTTC/KXLT (Rochester).