ATLANTA, Aug. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS
Corporation and Gray Television today announced a
comprehensive, long-term agreement that renews all 26 of Gray's
existing station affiliation agreements, which includes 22 markets
nationwide.
"Gray has been a key partner for many years, so we are excited
to sign this deal, which ensures marketplace continuity for both
companies as well as the more than four million CBS households that
together we serve nationwide," said Ray
Hopkins, President, Television Networks Distribution, CBS
Corporation. "A majority of Gray-owned CBS stations are #1 in the
markets they serve, and we are pleased that in extending this deal,
Gray sees the value CBS programming brings to their business."
"Gray's stations, management, and employees have enjoyed a deep
relationship with CBS that dates back many decades," said Gray
CEO Hilton H. Howell, Jr. "We are
pleased to extend that relationship today. The new agreement
ensures that Gray and CBS will continue to serve our local viewers
with high-quality network and local programming, and this agreement
allows us to continue to grow and strengthen our relationship with
CBS for the foreseeable future."
The agreement includes early renewals for 26 Gray-owned CBS
affiliates: WVLT-TV in Knoxville,
Tenn.; WKYT-TV and WYMT-TV in Lexington, Ky.; KWTX-TV and KBTX-TV in
Waco, Texas; KKTV in Colorado Springs, Colo.; KOLN and KGIN in Lincoln, Neb.; WCTV in Tallahassee, Fla.; WRDW-TV in Augusta, Ga.; KVLY-TV in Fargo, N.D.; WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kan.; WSAW-TV in Wausau, Wis.; WIFR in Rockford, Ill.; KNOE-TV in Monroe, La.; WSWG in Albany, Ga.; WECP in Panama City, Fla.; KXII in Sherman, Texas; WTVY in Dothan, Ala.; WSVF in Harrisonburg, Va.; KALB-TV in Alexandria, La.; WCAV in Charlottesville, Va.; WIYE in Parkersburg, W.V.; KGWN-TV and KSTF in
Cheyenne, Wyo.; and KNPL in
North Platte, Neb.
About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and
CBS) is a mass media company that creates and distributes
industry-leading content across a variety of platforms to audiences
around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date
back to the dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures
that operate on the leading edge of media. CBS owns the
most-watched television network in the U.S. and one of the world's
largest libraries of entertainment content, making its brand — "the
Eye" — one of the most recognized in business. The Company's
operations span virtually every field of media and entertainment,
including cable, publishing, radio, local TV, film, and interactive
and socially responsible media. CBS's businesses include CBS
Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation
and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Studios, CBS Global
Distribution Group (CBS Studios International and CBS Television
Distribution), CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS
Films, CBS Interactive, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, TVGN
(a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate),
Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television
Stations, CBS Radio and CBS EcoMedia. For more information, go to
www.cbscorporation.com.
About Gray Television
Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:
GTN and GTN.A) is a television broadcast company headquartered in
Atlanta, Georgia, that owns and/or
operates television stations and leading digital assets in markets
throughout the United States. Upon completion of all pending
transactions, Gray will own and/or operate television stations
in 44 television markets broadcasting 141 program streams including
76 affiliates of the Big Four networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and
FOX). At that time, its owned and operated stations will
include twenty-six channels affiliated with the CBS Network,
twenty-four channels affiliated with the NBC Network, sixteen
channels affiliated with the ABC Network and ten channels
affiliated with the FOX Network. Gray will then own
and/or operate the number-one ranked television station in 29 of
those 44 markets and the number-one or number-two ranked television
station operations in 40 of those 44 markets. Gray will
reach approximately 8.1 percent of total United States television households.
www.gray.tv
SOURCE Gray Television, Inc.