OTA Broadcasting

{{Infobox company

| name = OTA Broadcasting, LLC

| logo =

| parent = MSD Capital

| type = Private company

| predecessor =

| traded_as =

| fate = Stations sold

| foundation = 2011

| defunct = 2019

| location = Fairfax, Virginia

| key_people = Michael Dell, founder

| industry = Broadcast and Digital

| products = Television

| homepage =

}}

OTA Broadcasting, LLC was a broadcasting company founded in 2011 by Michael Dell. The company was based in Fairfax, Virginia.

History

OTA Broadcasting was founded in 2011 by Michael Dell's MSD Capital. It had been rumored that Dell formed OTA Broadcasting to buy stations that could be sold in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectrum auction.{{cite news |last = Resigner |first = Don |date = January 13, 2016 |url = http://fortune.com/2016/01/13/michael-dell-spectrum-auction/ |title= Michael Dell Could Make Billions off TV Stations You Don't Watch |work = Fortune |access-date = April 1, 2017 }}

The company's first acquisition was announced in June 2011 when it was announced that it was acquiring KTLN-TV in San Rafael, California.{{cite news |last = O'Connor |first = Clare |date = July 7, 2011 |url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2011/07/07/why-is-michael-dell-buying-up-bankrupt-tv-stations/#3c52a268232b |title = Why Is Michael Dell Buying Up Bankrupt TV Stations? |work = Forbes |access-date = April 1, 2017 }} The purchase closed that October.

OTA reached an agreement to purchase WTBL-CD in Lenoir, NC, located in the Charlotte DMA, for $500,000.{{cite news |last = Malone |first = Michael |date = May 13, 2015 |url = http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/ota-broadcasting-picks-north-carolina-station-half-million/140846 |title = OTA Broadcasting Picks Up North Carolina Station for Half Million |work = Broadcasting & Cable |access-date = April 1, 2017 }}

On October 4, 2013, Journal Broadcast Group announced that it had entered an agreement to sell KMIR-TV and KPSE-LD in Palm Springs, California to OTA.{{cite news |date = October 4, 2013 |url = http://www.kmir.com/story/25143073/kmir6-kpse-my13-being-sold-to-new-owner |title = KMIR6 and KPSE My13 Being Sold to New Owner |location = Palm Springs, CA |publisher = KMIR-TV |access-date = April 1, 2017 }} The acquisition closed in January 2014. KMIR became OTA's first station affiliated with one of the "Big Three" networks.

On April 13, 2017, the FCC announced that OTA's WEMW-CD was a successful bidder in the spectrum auction, and would be surrendering its license in exchange for $12,394,400.{{cite web|url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-314A2.pdf|title=FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction — Auction 1001 Winning Bids|publisher=}} OTA surrendered WEMW-CD's license to the FCC for cancellation on July 21, 2017.

=Post-spectrum auction=

On July 21, 2017, OTA Broadcasting announced its sale of KMIR-TV and KPSE-LD to Entravision Communications for $21 million.{{cite news |last = McAdams |first = Deborah D. |date = July 21, 2017 |url = http://www.tvtechnology.com/business/0011/entravision-acquires-two-palm-springs-tv-stations/281466 |title= OTA Sells KMIR, KPSE in Palm Springs for $21 Million |work = TVTechnology |access-date = August 5, 2017 }} The sale completed November 1, 2017.{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1770732&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=16749|title=Application View ... Redirecting|first=FCC Internet Services|last=Staff|website=licensing.fcc.gov}}

On August 7, 2017, it was announced that Nexstar Media Group would acquire the non-spectrum operating assets of WLWC from OTA.{{cite news |url = http://wpri.com/2017/08/07/nexstar-media-group-acquiring-non-license-assets-of-providence-cw-affiliate/ |title= Nexstar Media Group acquiring non-license assets of Providence CW affiliate |work = WPRI-TV |access-date = August 7, 2017 }}

Weigel Broadcasting, on October 25, 2017, announced it would acquire KAXT-CD, KTLN-TV, KFFV, and KVOS-TV for $23.2 million.{{cite news |date = October 25, 2017 |url = http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/108382/expanding-weigel-buys-into-sf-seattle |title= Expanding Weigel Buys Into S.F., Seattle |work = TVNewsCheck.com |access-date = November 4, 2017}}

NBCUniversal filed an application to purchase WYCN-CD on October 27, 2017.{{cite web|title=Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1769714&Service=DC&Form_id=314&Facility_id=9766|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=October 30, 2017|date=October 27, 2017}}

In November 2017, HC2 Holdings announced they were purchasing low-power television stations from OTA, including WKHU-CD Kittanning, PA, WMVH-CD in Charleroi, PA, WWKH-CD in Uniontown, PA, WWLM-CD in Washington, PA and WJMB-CD in Butler, PA for $275,000. In a separate deals, HC2 is buying KUGB-CD in Houston for $1.5 million and W21CK-D in Charlotte for $500,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.rbr.com/ota-sheds-tv-properties-that-didnt-move-in-incentive-auction/|title=OTA Sheds TV Properties That Didn't Move In Incentive Auction - Radio & Television Business Report|website=www.rbr.com}}

On December 5, 2017, Ion exercised an option to buy the WLWC license for $150,000; the deal was made possible by a change in FCC ownership rules that eliminated the requirement that there be at least eight owners of television stations in a market following the formation of a duopoly. Ion also entered into a shared services agreement, retroactive to October 1, to operate WLWC.