ATLANTA—Gray Media has announced an agreement to buy the Jackson, Tennessee, ABC affiliate WBBJ-TV, known locally as WBBJ 7, from Bahakel Communications, Limited.

Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to close in Q1 2026, were not disclosed.

Since its launch 70 years ago, WBBJ 7 has been the most-watched local news television station in its market. Upon closing, the station will join Gray’s portfolio of leading local news television stations across the country and throughout the region, including in the adjacent markets of Nashville, Memphis, Huntsville and Paducah.

“Gray is honored to be entrusted by Bahakel Communications as the next long-term stewards of WBBJ 7,” said Kevin Latek, Gray’s chief legal and development officer. “We look forward to welcoming the station and its dedicated employees into our extensive local news and sports operations in this region and working with these employees to further enhance their long record of service to local viewers and businesses.”

“This sale marks a pivotal step for Bahakel Communications as we focus our footprint and strengthen our digital platforms and entertainment division,” said Beverly Bahakel, CEO. “We are committed to ensuring a smooth and positive transition for WBBJ’s audience, advertisers, and employees. We believe Gray is the right group to build on WBBJ’s longstanding legacy of serving the Jackson community and its commitment to delivering trusted local news and information.”

Gray anticipates that the transaction will be immediately free cash flow accretive, and it expects to fund the acquisition with cash on hand. The parties anticipate closing the transaction following receipt of regulatory and other approvals in the first quarter of 2026.

Kalil & Co., Inc. represented Bahakel in this transaction.

SOUTHWICK, MASS.—Comark is going to be providing its services to Bahakel Communications, after the company signed a Master Purchase Agreement with Comark for new transmitters and services to help with the repack.

As part of the MPA, Comark will help Bahakel install new transmitters and associated services at its six DTV transmitter facilities. Comark will be responsible for providing delivery, program management, on-site installation/proof-of-performance testing and extended warranties on each of the transmitters. Comark is also tasked with providing system design services/site surveys for all of the repack stations to ensure a smooth installation process.

The six stations impacted by the repack and set to receive the new transmitters are WAKA, WBMM, WCCB, WFXB, WBBJ and WOLO-TV.

The transmitter that will be installed at each of these stations is Comark’s Parallax UHF high efficiency unit. Parallax is a liquid-cooled solid-state transmitter that has up to 27.5 kW TPO per rack cabinet, with multiple cabinets able to provide up to 100 kW. It features Doherty technology; vertical high-gain power amplifiers that provide 2 kW per PA module for UHF, 1.6 kW per PA module for VHF band 3; and can dualcast ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0.