Disney fields interest from potential ABC buyers. But 'no decision' to sell, company says

  • 📰 latimes
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 47 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 22%
  • Publisher: 82%

United States News News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger has made clear he is open to exploring deals to sell or spin off ABC and other linear television networks as the company struggles to adapt to industry headwinds.

Long known as the ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports,’ ESPN is grappling with cord-cutting, rising rights fees and skepticism from Wall Street.The publicly traded stocks of station group owners Nexstar, E.W. Scripps and Tegna all saw significant declines in their price since Iger’s remarks. All three were trading significantly higher on Thursday after the Bloomberg report about sale talks with Disney circulated.

Disney’s eight television stations would enhance Nexstar’s portfolio as they have the top-rated local newscasts in several of the country’s top markets including Los Angeles , New York and Philadelphia . The stations reach 23% of the U.S. Any deal to sell ABC to Nexstar would likely face significant regulatory hurdles because Nexstar is already at the Federal Communications Commission’s cap for station coverage in the U.S. after its deal four years ago to buy Tribune stations.

conference Wednesday that the company is interested in acquiring assets, pointing out that that was how the company grew into a giant. Carter then cited Disney as a possible seller.Carter said a deal for Disney’s stations would only require a few divestitures in order to keep the company in line with federal TV ownership regulations. Station owners are limited to stations that cover 39% of the U.S., and Nexstar is already there.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 11. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

What to pack on your Disneyland or Walt Disney World vacation this fallUpgrade your Disney parks experience with this selection of gadgets, gear and personal-hygiene items.
Source: CBSNews - 🏆 87. / 68 Read more »

Disney holds talks with Nexstar on ABC sale - Bloomberg News By ReutersDisney holds talks with Nexstar on ABC sale - Bloomberg News
Source: Investingcom - 🏆 450. / 53 Read more »

Irving’s Nexstar Media Group reportedly in early talks to buy ABC from DisneyIrving-based Nexstar Media Group has held exploratory talks with Walt Disney Co. about buying its ABC network and TV stations, according to a person familiar...
Source: dallasnews - 🏆 18. / 71 Read more »

Disney in talks with local TV station owner Nexstar to sell ABC: reportDisney CEO Bob Iger said in July that the company could sell some of its traditional TV assets that have struggled for years due to the rise of streaming services.
Source: nypost - 🏆 91. / 67 Read more »

Disney Says It Has Made “No Decision” On Selling ABC, But Is Open to “Strategic Options”The company released a statement after a report said it held talks with Nexstar.
Source: THR - 🏆 411. / 53 Read more »