Standard General is working to secure regulatory approval for its pending $8.6 billion acquisition of broadcaster Tegna, and Standard Media CEO Deborah McDermott is feeling positive about closing.
The current chief executive at Standard Media, McDermott will step into the CEO role at Tegna if the deal goes through. Tegna owns 64 TV stations in 51 U.S. markets. As part of the deal Standard General plans to sell Tegna stations in Austin, Dallas and Houston to Cox Media after the transaction closes.
“Our vision is to really grow Tegna’s presence as a leading local broadcast television company” and explore state-of-the-art technology, provide the very best news coverage and programming targeted to its audiences, McDermott said in an interview with Fierce Video.
The deadline for reply comments with the FCC passed on August 1. At this point, McDermott said the company has provided everything it needs for the DoJ and FCC, which are now in their review process. It’s currently a bit of a waiting game, but if approved, the deal could potentially close in the fourth quarter, she said. Tegna shareholders approved the acquisition, which would take the company private, in May.
And she feels good about deal approval.
“I feel very positive that this deal is going to be approved and hoping that that happens,” McDermott said. “We’re very excited and very positive about seeing this through.”
Read full story in Fierce Video
Fierce Video | by Bevin Fletcher