Gannett to Acquire KTVD-TV Channel 20 in Denver
McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Channel 20 TV Company and Twenver Broadcast, Inc. to acquire KTVD-TV Channel 20, the UPN affiliate in Denver. Gannett also will continue to own and operate K*USA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Denver.
Acquisition of KTVD-TV Channel 20 will create Gannett’s second duopoly. The first is in Jacksonville, FL, where Gannett owns and operates WJXX-TV, the ABC affiliate and WTLV-TV, the NBC affiliate.
Terms of the acquisition, which is subject to regulatory review, were not disclosed.
“UPN20, with its emphasis on entertainment programming, is a terrific fit with K*USA. Furthermore, Denver’s robust media market makes it a great location for Gannett’s second duopoly,” said Roger Ogden, president and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting. “Duopolies make great business sense while enhancing Gannett’s aim to be the best in the communities we serve.”
Greg Armstrong, president and general manager of KTVD, said: “We are proud of the fantastic job our employees have done in building UPN20 and know that K*USA and Gannett will be quality owners of the business into the future.”
Channel 20 TV Company operates the station and Twenver Broadcast, Inc. holds the FCC license.
In addition to the stations in Denver and Jacksonville, Gannett Co., Inc. operates: W*USA, Washington, DC; WXIA, Atlanta; KARE, Minneapolis; WTSP, Tampa-St. Petersburg; WKYC, Cleveland; KPNX, Phoenix, KNAZ, Flagstaff; KXTV, Sacramento; KSDK, St. Louis; WZZM, Grand Rapids, MI; WFMY, Greensboro, NC; WGRZ, Buffalo, NY; KTHV, Little Rock; WBIR, Knoxville, TN; WCSH, Portland, ME; WLTX, Columbia, SC; WMAZ, Macon, GA; and WLBZ, Bangor, ME.
Gannett also publishes 99 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 1000 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the web.
For more information, contact:
Tara Connell
Vice President of Corporate Communications
(703) 854-6049
tjconnel@gannett.com