Changes at KEPR TV, Univision reported in Tri-Cities, Yakima
Rincon Broadcasting Group acquired local Fox stations last summer and now has reportedly expanded its Tri-Cities presence by taking over operations at key English and Spanish language TV stations serving Yakima and the Tri-Cities.
Atlanta-based Rincon informed employees at KEPR, the local CBS affiliate, this week that it is now operating the station along with Univision affiliates.
Rincon acquired Fox stations in Yakima/Tri-Cities, Spokane and Pendleton, Ore., last summer in a deal with Imagicomm Communications.
KNDU, which provides news for the Fox stations, confirmed to the Tri-City Herald on Friday that it is continuing to provide news content for Rincon and will keep doing so until it learns otherwise.
In the latest move, Rincon took over operations of five stations in the Yakima Tri-Cities area this week from Sinclair Broadcasting.
Neither Sinclair nor Rincon could be reached for comment, and no details have been made public.
Rincon will reportedly operate the stations while their FCC licenses remain with Sinclair. All the affected stations are still listed on the Sinclair Broadcasting website and their individual websites indicate Sinclair owns their FCC licenses.
The move affects the following Yakima and Tri-Cities stations
- KEPR (CBS, CW)
- KORX (Univision)
- KVVK (Univision)
- KIMA (CBS, CW)
- KUNW (Univision)
Rincon is a private company established a little over a year ago to take over mid-market TV stations. It operates more than 20 stations in more than a dozen markets.
It previously acquired five Midwestern TV stations from Sinclair Broadcasting after the Federal Communications Commission approved the transfer of their licenses.
In addition to the Washington markets, Rincon Broadcasting serves Memphis, Tenn. (WHBQ Fox 13), Tulsa, Okla (KOKI Fox 23), Lincoln, Neb. (KLKN ABC 8), Milwaukee, Wisc. (WVTV CW 18), Springfield, Ill. (WICS ABC 20), Quincy, Ill. (KHQA Abc/CBS 7), Yuma, Ariz. (KYMA NBC/ABC/Fox), Champaign, Ill (WICD ABC 15) and Ottumwa, Iowa (KTVO Abc 3/CBS 3)