Backchannelmedia

The Miami Herald

Oct. 26--The Viacom Television Stations Group has agreed to acquire two low-power stations, bringing the company's total number of regional channels to five.

Under the agreement, the media giant would purchase WTCN-TV 15 in Stuart and WWHB-TV 43 in West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce from American Netcom and American Netcom-WWHB. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Federal Communications Commission approval of the deal is pending.

"This was something that happened very quickly," said Michael Colleran, president and general manager of Viacom's South Florida stations, which include WFOR-CBS 4 and WBFS-UPN 33 in Miami and WTVX-UPN/WB 34 in West Palm Beach.

"It came up and we moved on it," he said. "It gives us an opportunity to further put in our stake in the ground in an incredibly growing market." WTCN is an independent station with programming aimed at young adults, families and children. WWHB is a Spanish-language affiliate of Azteca América, TV Azteca of Mexico's new network aimed at U.S. Hispanics.

"We thought getting into the Spanish-language market especially was a very good opportunity," Colleran said. "And it gives us another station we can program." The two stations will fall in the bailiwick of Brian Kennedy, vice president and general manager of WTVX, who reports to Colleran.

Viacom already owns 39 TV stations around the country.

The Herald has a news and marketing partnership with WFOR-CBS 4.

-----

To see more of The Miami Herald -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.herald.com.

(c) 2004, The Miami Herald. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

VIA,