Media company with Atlanta connections acquires California TV station

ATLANTA — USA Television Holdings LLC announced Tuesday that it and Maxair Media LLC have entered into separate agreements to acquire Chico/Redding, Calif., television stations KHSL-TV and KNVN (TV), respectively.

KHSL is Chico’s CBS network affiliate and also airs the CW network on a multicast channel. KNVN serves as the NBC and Telemundo affiliate for the Chico market.

Under the terms of the purchase agreements, USA Television will acquire KHSL from GOCOM Media of Northern California LLC and Maxair will acquire KNVN from K4 Media Holdings LLC. The transactions are subject to FCC approval, which is expected to occur this fall. Upon consummation of the acquisitions, USA Television and Maxair intend to enter into agreements in which USA Television provides certain non-programming, operational and technical services to Maxair and sells up to 15 percent of KNVN’s weekly advertising time.

USA Television is jointly owned by Heartland Media LLC, which is based in Atlanta, and MSouth Equity Partners. USA Television currently owns four television stations in three markets, including Eugene, Ore.; Medford-Klamath Falls, Ore., and Tupelo, Miss. Heartland Media also owns the NBC television station in Utica, N.Y.

“Chico/Redding is a natural complement to our operations in the adjacent Eugene and Medford markets,” said Bob Prather, USA Television’s CEO and chairman of the board of Southern Community Newspapers Inc., parent company of The Albany Herald. “Under GOCOM’s stewardship, KHSL has thrived as Chico’s No. 1 rated news station and USA Television is anxious to enhance that leading local position even further.”

“We feel like these two stations are among the best small market TV stations in the country and that the new owners will only enhance that status with more resources. They are inheriting a very talented team in Chico-Redding,” said Richard Gorman, President of GOCOM Broadcasting Corporation.

Maxair is owned by veteran broadcaster Dan Modisett. “Maxair is excited to enter the Chico-Redding market and looks forward to continuing to provide KNVN’s viewers with quality news, entertainment and community service,” Modisett said.