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The CW-affiliated television station, which carries MeTV and MyNetworkTV programming on its digital sub-channels, serves the Portland and Auburn, Maine television market. Hearst subsidiary, Hearst Television Inc., owns the market’s ABC affiliate, WMTW-TV. The announcement was made by Steven R. Swartz, president and CEO of Hearst, and Jordan Wertlieb, president of Hearst Television Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition of WPXT-TV (ourmaine.com) expands Hearst’s significant presence in New England. In addition to WMTW-TV, the company owns WCVB-TV, the ABC affiliate in Boston; WMUR-TV, the ABC affiliate serving Manchester, New Hampshire; and two stations serving the Burlington, Vermont/Plattsburgh, New York TV market: WPTZ-TV, the NBC affiliate, and WNNE-TV, which recently became a CW affiliate. Hearst Television reaches nearly one out of every five households in the U.S.
“We are excited to strengthen our relationships with the CW, MyNetworkTV and MeTV networks and to increase our presence in Portland and New England,” Wertlieb said. “WMTW has shown strong commitment to serving the Portland/Auburn community and we believe it will make for an outstanding partner for WPXT as that station continues to grow.”
Portland/Auburn is the 79th largest television market in the United States. The acquisition would add a sixth CW affiliate to the Hearst station group, which, in addition to WNNE-TV, includes CW-affiliated stations in Orlando, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; and the Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina television markets as well a digital CW channel in the Fort Smith/Fayetteville, Arkansas market.
About Hearst Television
Hearst Television owns and operates television and radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies, and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.
About Hearst
Hearst (hearst.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified media, information and services companies with more than 360 businesses. Its major interests include ownership in cable television networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN; global financial services leader Fitch Group; Hearst Health, a group of medical information and services businesses; 31 television stations such as WCVB-TV in Boston and KCRA-TV in Sacramento, Calif., which reach a combined 19 percent of U.S. viewers; newspapers such as the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Albany Times Union, more than 300 magazines around the world including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Men’s Health and Car and Driver; digital services businesses such as iCrossing and KUBRA; and investments in emerging digital entertainment companies such as Complex Networks.
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