Nexstar Broadcasting Welcomes the Return of FOX Network Programming to WFFT Local in Fort Wayne Indiana Starting March 1
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. announced today that it has entered
into a new affiliation agreement with the Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX)
for WFFT LOCAL in Fort Wayne, Indiana beginning March 1, 2013. In
addition to FOX’s popular primetime lineup, viewers in the Fort Wayne
area will also have access to their favorite news, local lifestyle and
community-focused programming in full HD on WFFT LOCAL, as well
as live, interactive content through the FortWayneHomePage.net
and Fort
Wayne Now web and mobile platforms.
WFFT LOCAL welcomes the return of FOX’s highly-rated primetime
programming to its existing menu of award-winning local news and
high-quality sports and entertainment offerings valued by viewers in the
local Fort Wayne community.
WFFT LOCAL will air FOX’s primetime programming Monday through
Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00
p.m. as well as the top-rated suite of exclusive FOX Sports programming
including the NFL on FOX, Major League Baseball (MLB), NASCAR, and
premiere sporting events such as Super Bowl XLVIII, The MLB All Star
Game, World Series, and The Daytona 500.
WFFT LOCAL First News at 10, Fort Wayne’s award-winning and only
primetime hour-long news program broadcast in full HD, will continue to
air at 10:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday immediately following FOX’s
primetime lineup. The Locker Room, Fort Wayne’s highly popular
and only live weekly sports program will continue to air on WFFT LOCAL
at 10:30 p.m. every Friday.
Bill Ritchhart, Vice President and General Manager of WFFT LOCAL
commented, “We are looking forward to the return of FOX’s programming to WFFT
LOCAL where we are committed to providing the most relevant,
compelling and informative content and community-focused programming to
our viewers. Eighteen months ago we expanded that commitment to our
viewers through increased news content, locally-produced programming and
significant technical investments upgrading our broadcasts to transform WFFT
LOCAL into Fort Wayne’s first fully functional HD platform. We are
now proud to expand our commitment once again by bringing back FOX’s
exceptional array of primetime, sports and event programming exclusively
on WFFT LOCAL.
“Our affiliation with FOX combined with our station’s First News at
10 and unique community-focused programming underscores our promise
to address the changing dynamics of local viewer interests. In addition, WFFT
LOCAL remains focused on providing unparalleled marketing solutions
for our advertisers through multiple media platforms.”
Jon Hookstratten, Executive Vice President, Broadcast Distribution for
the Fox Broadcasting Company said, “We are delighted to bring back Fox
Broadcasting’s primetime entertainment and sports programming to WFFT
LOCAL and the local Fort Wayne community. Through their efforts and
initiatives, Nexstar Broadcasting and the team at WFFT LOCAL
launched the market’s first fully functional HD platform and actively
worked to establish a strong local brand, unique community programming
and award-winning primetime local news. FOX and Nexstar are dedicated to
supporting the needs and interests of the greater Fort Wayne viewing
community, and we look forward to our partnership in providing
highly-rated content to viewers across the station’s reach in Indiana,
Ohio, and Michigan.”
FOX’s complete primetime lineup that will be featured on WFFT LOCAL
includes: Bones, The Following, Hell’s Kitchen, New Girl, The Mindy
Project, American Idol, Raising Hope, Kitchen Nightmares, Touch, Glee,
Bob’s Burgers, The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and
American Dad.
For more information and a complete listing of the new programming
lineup go to FortWayneHomePage.net.
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc., Granite Broadcasting Corporation, WISE-TV,
Inc. and WISE-TV License LLC mutually agreed to the settlement of the
lawsuit filed by Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. against Granite Broadcasting
Corporation, WISE-TV, Inc. and WISE-TV License LLC that is pending in
the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
with prejudice, without any costs being borne by either party.
About Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
Nexstar Broadcasting Group is a leading diversified media company that
leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and
advertisers through its traditional media, e-MEDIA, digital and mobile
media platforms. Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and
other services to 67 television stations and related digital multicast
signals reaching 39 markets or approximately 11.6% of all U.S.
television households.
Assuming completion of all announced transactions, Nexstar will own,
operate, program or provide sales and other services to 72 television
stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 41 markets or
approximately 12.1% of all U.S. television households.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements. We have based
these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and
projections about future events. Forward-looking statements include
information preceded by, followed by, or that includes the words
"guidance," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "could," or similar
expressions. For these statements, the Company claims the protection of
the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements
contained in this news release, concerning, among other things, changes
in net revenue, cash flow and operating expenses, involve risks and
uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important
factors, including the impact of changes in national and regional
economies, our ability to service and refinance our outstanding debt,
successful integration of acquired television stations (including
achievement of synergies and cost reductions), pricing fluctuations in
local and national advertising, future regulatory actions and conditions
in the television stations' operating areas, competition from others in
the broadcast television markets served by the Company, volatility in
programming costs, the effects of governmental regulation of
broadcasting, industry consolidation, technological developments and
major world news events. Unless required by law, we undertake no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of
these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events
discussed in this news release might not occur. You should not place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could
affect these expectations, please see our filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.