Nexstar Media Group reported record revenue in the first quarter, up 13.1% year over year, as executives outlined plans to combat antitrust lawsuits that are seeking to block the company’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, insisting they would complete the merger.

In its earnings report, Nexstar reported net revenue of $1.396 billion in Q1 2026, up 13.1% from the $1.234 billion reported a year earlier as net income spiked by 64.9% YoY to $160 million in Q1. Advertising was strong, up 19.1% YoY to $548 million, while distribution revenue increased by 9.8% YoY to $847 million.

Lee Gliha, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the company was seeing a “a little bit of a weaker advertising environment in the second quarter than we did see in the first quarter.”

“What I tend to look at is I look at our categories and I look at which ones are increasing versus decreasing on a quarter-to-quarter basis,” Gliha added. “And last quarter, it was about 50-50. And this quarter, it's about 2/3 decreasing and 1/3 increasing. So I think it's just kind of a general overall weakness.”

Perry Sook, founder, chairman and CEO of Nexstar, said that “our acquisition of Tegna represents an important step in solidifying our future” and cautioned analysts “against attempting to draw legal conclusions at this stage.”

“We are confident in our arguments expressed in detail in the FCC's order approving the transaction that a stronger, more financially resilient and local broadcast industry is in the public's best interest,” Sook said. “We believe this is a fight worth having for us, for our industry and for the future of local journalism.”

“This transaction represents an opportunity to further our long-standing commitment to serving the communities of all sizes with high-quality free over-the-air programming, fact-based journalism and innovative digital and marketing solutions for both our viewers and our advertising partners,” he added. “We're focused on presenting the strongest possible legal arguments to the court, and to that end, we've engaged Beth Wilkinson at Wilkinson Stekloff, to lead our trial and appellate efforts, supplementing our former antitrust council at Morrison Forrester. Beth is one of the nation's most highly regarded trial lawyers having recently led the defense team that secured a victory for the NFL and its 32 member teams and a major antitrust class action suit challenging the Sunday Ticket distribution and related media agreements.”

“With our expanded legal team in place, we move forward now with complete confidence in the merits of our case and our ability to bring this process to a successful conclusion,” he explained. “As far as next steps are concerned, there are multiple legal proceedings underway. First, we filed our notice of appeal of the preliminary injunction before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Second, the trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. And finally, there is also a separate challenge to the FCC's approval of the transaction pending before the D.C. Circuit Court. The court has already denied a request for an emergency stay finding that it lacks jurisdiction at this stage. Both we and the FCC have been directed to file responses to the petition by May 11.”

“While we don't have control over the various courts’ timelines, in the meantime, in compliance with the court order, Nexstar and Tegna are operating separately and we are proud of both teams’ continued focus on execution and their local community commitments,” he said.

In response to a question about why the FCC didn’t eliminate the ownership cap first and then approve the Nexstar/Tegna deal, Sook stressed that “the Tegna acquisition was approved. We do own the assets. I want to start there, and we feel that went through a fulsome approval process at both the FCC and the DOJ…I don't presuppose to be in the mind of chairman [Carr], but if you go back and look at public statements that he's made, since he was a commissioner, whether his party was in power or out of powe, he has said these rules are antiquated relic of the past and they need to go.

“I believe to this day, and I don't rule out that he will start a proceeding perhaps in this quarter or the next quarter would be a rulemaking to eliminate the national ownership cap,” Sook added. “I think that Chairman Carr is totally aware of market realities why he's taking the actions that he has taken, and so I think we are still on a path to regulatory deregulation and we are very thankful that we were able to make a persuasive case to qualify for a waiver during dependency of those proceedings.”

But Sook cautioned that “it's not just as simple as putting out a press release and saying, there was a change. There's a lot of legal work that has to go into that, a lot of wordsmithing, a lot of consultation with advisers. So I don't—I would not suppose or presume that those actions are off track. It's just—there's obviously a lot going on, a lot of M&A in addition to ours, that is under consideration at the FCC and the DOJ. And so I just think it's—I think these things are moving through the pipeline, but I would not presume that they have stopped or will not move through the pipeline ultimately.”

Nexstar President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Biard added that he didn't think changing the ownership rules prior to approving the Nexstar-Tegna deal would have stopped opponents from filing suits to block the deal.

"I don't think if you look at the claims that have been made in the litigation that the order with respect to the cap would change anything," he said. "The claims being made by the plaintiffs essentially are outside of the FCC purview. They come from an antitrust perspective, which is really a different analysis mile than the FCC. I think the FCC could have yielded a waiver, a complete elimination of the rules in gold and served it up on a platter, and the plaintiff still would have found reason to complain in this case."

IRVING, Texas—As station groups move into an era that promises rapid tech, regulatory and economic changes, Nexstar Media Group said its board has extended chairman, CEO and founder Perry Sook’s employment through March 31, 2029. Sook is the company’s third-largest shareholder.

Sook founded Nexstar 1996 and has been CEO since that time. During his tenure, Sook has led the company’s growth strategy, including the completion and integration of more than 40 acquisitions.

Today, Nexstar is a major media company and the largest U.S. local broadcasting group, with plans to further grow its business. In recent years, it has pushed regulators to loosen ownership caps and announced a $6.2 billion deal in August to acquire Tegna.

“As we embark on this next phase of growth for Nexstar, I have never been more energized about the prospects for the industry, for Nexstar and for what Nexstar can become,” Sook said. “I look forward to leading the Company to new levels of success and continuing to create value for our shareholders, our advertisers, our employees and the communities we serve.”

Said Jay M. Grossman, chairman of the Nexstar board’s compensation committee: “The Board is delighted to extend Perry’s employment agreement at this pivotal moment for Nexstar and the local broadcast television industry. Perry’s vision, commitment and deep understanding of the media landscape have been instrumental in driving Nexstar’s strong and consistent record of operating execution, financial growth and shareholder returns.

“The proposed acquisition of Tegna represents the next chapter in Nexstar’s growth story and with Perry’s unmatched experience and track record of success in broadcast M&A, he is uniquely qualified to deliver the full value we expect for shareholders, as well as the local communities we serve,” Grossman added.

Sook’s 2024 compensation package was about $35.9 million, up 23% from 2023.

During an earnings call with analysts where Nexstar Media Group reported massive revenue from political advertising, founder, chairman and CEO Perry Sook also told analysts that he sees opportunities for deregulation in the newly elected Trump administration and both the station group and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) will be pushing for those changes.

In June 2023, Sook was elected chairman of the joint board of directors of NAB.

Sook called deregulation, the No. 1 priority and named NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, as the No. 2 priority.

“Obviously, the No. 1 legislative priority of Nexstar and our trade association, NAB, is the deregulation of ownership at both the national and the local level,” Sook said. “When you step back and look at it, our industry's real competition comes from big tech companies, who have unfettered access to every screen in America from phones, desktops to the TV in the living room, yet our ability to compete with those behemoths is stymied by regulations that were last updated in 2004.”

“To preserve local journalism, this industry needs strong companies, who can compete on a level playing field for both viewers and advertisers on every screen in America, not just some of them,” he continued. “And the time is now to seek this reform and Nexstar is once again prepared to lead. We’ve established our own government relations presence in D.C. to work with both the regulatory agencies and the new Congress. Ultimately … we see this as a bipartisan issue, appealing to Republicans due to its deregulatory nature and to Democrats as a consumer issue by preserving local news service in communities across the country.”

Sook also argued that deregulation would boost the value of broadcasters, noting: “I took the company public in 2003 at roughly a 12 times EBITDA multiple, due in part to the prospect of deregulation coming from the 108th Congress, which took office in January of 2004. My point being that progress on deregulation has been a catalyst for multiple expansion in the past. So we plan to move with a sense of urgency on this as well as push for the formal adoption of ATSC 3.0 as our industry's transmission standard. That is our and our trade association’s No. 2 priority with this new administration.”

During the Q3 earnings call, Sook also said that “with the election behind us, we have pretty clear visibility into the 2024 political advertising revenue picture. As of Election Day, we booked political advertising revenue of $491 million year-to-date, a record presidential election year so far versus the $479 million we booked through Election Day in 2020. Once again, local television received by far the largest amount of political spending, and it remains the medium of choice for candidates and interest groups to reach local voters at scale.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The NAB has announced that Perry Sook, chairman and chief executive officer of Nexstar Media Group, was elected chairman of the NAB Joint Board of Directors.

Sook takes over from David Santrella, chief executive officer of Salem Media Group, whose term expired.

Pat LaPlatney, president and co-chief executive officer of Gray Television Inc, was elected as NAB Television Board chair. Ramona Alexander, vice president and general manager of WDBD, was elected as TV Board first vice chair, Lynn Beall, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Media Operations for Tegna, was elected TV Board second vice chair and Chris Ripley, president and chief executive officer for Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. was elected TV Board third vice chair.

Kristopher Jones, executive vice president and head of Government Relations at Fox Corporation, was appointed to the designated TV network seat on the NAB Board's Executive Committee. 

Collin Jones, executive vice president of Strategy and Development, Cumulus Media Inc., was elected Radio Board chair by the NAB Radio Board. Kevin Perry, president and chief operating officer of Perry Publishing and Broadcasting Company, was elected Radio Board first vice chair, while John Zimmer, president and owner of Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri, Inc., was elected Radio Board second vice chair.

Chris Ornelas, executive vice president and general counsel of Beasley Media Group, was elected to the Radio Board's major group representative seat on the NAB Board's Executive Committee.

The elections took place at the NAB Board of Directors meeting, held June 6-7, the NAB reported. 

IRVING, Texas—Nexstar Media Group’s Board of Directors has extended the employment agreement of CEO Perry A. Sook, through March 31, 2026.  

In addition to his responsibilities as CEO, Mr. Sook also serves as the company’s chairman and he remains a top shareholder of the Company. 

Sook founded Nexstar Media Group in 1996 and has served as CEO since then, transforming the company into a diversified media company and America’s largest local broadcasting group. Annual revenue has grown from approximately $87 million at the time of the November 2003 initial public offering, to over $4.6 billion in 2021.  

Sook has emphasized the importance of local broadcasting, in particular NextGen TV, and he thinks more broadcasters need to get onboard. Nexstar is currently in negotiations to acquire a 75% majority stake in The CW.  with Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery each retaining 12.5% stakes.

Nexstar’s consistent growth, financial outperformance, operating execution and record of value creation under Sook’s leadership has produced total shareholder returns of more than 1,800% in the last ten years through the end of 2021, the company reported. During that period, Nexstar has outperformed the S&P 500, Comcast, Paramount, Disney, Google, Apple and Amazon, the company said. 

“Given his long-term record of accomplishments, we are delighted to extend Perry’s employment agreement,” Dennis Miller, chairman of Nexstar’s Board of Directors Compensation Committee, commented. “He is rightfully recognized as the industry’s most effective leader and innovator, and his vision, commitment and team-building have driven Nexstar’s exceptional record of operating execution, consistent financial growth and the enhancement of shareholder value, while positioning the Company to aggressively compete in the ever-changing media environment.”

IRVING, Texas—Nexstar Media Group is close to acquiring a majority stake in the CW broadcast network, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which said that the deal could be finalized in the coming weeks. 

According to Broadcasting+Cable, Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook recently said he could see his company owning a broadcast network in the future: “I wouldn’t be surprised if we owned a broadcast network and maybe other cable networks that we layer on top of our local content foundation,” Sook said when asked on a podcast to envision what Nexstar would look like in 2032, B+C reported. 

In the current negotiations, Nexstar would acquire 75% of the CW, with Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery each retaining 12.5% stakes, the WSJ reported. 

“Nexstar already is the largest owner of CW affiliates,” the WSJ article noted. “By taking over control of its operations, the broadcaster is continuing a strategy to invest further in creating and owning content. Over the past few years, it has launched the NewsNation cable channel and acquired the political news outlet The Hill. One of the motivations for Nexstar is to pivot the programming on the CW to something closer to the older audience of its local stations, a person familiar with the broadcaster’s thinking said.”

IRVING, Texas—After receiving FCC approval earlier in the week, Nexstar announced on Sept. 19 that it has officially completed its acquisition of Tribune Media Company for $7.2 billion. In conjunction, Nexstar also announced it completed the divestitures of 21 TV stations for $1.33 billion to comply with federal regulations.

As a result of the merger, the combined Nexstar-Tribune becomes the largest U.S. broadcaster, owning or servicing 197 stations in 115 markets, which works out to reach 39% of U.S. TV households. Also as part of the acquisition, Nexstar took over as the owners of WGN America and received a 31.3% ownership stake in the Food Network.

Three former members of Tribune’s senior management have been appointed to new positions as part of Nexstar. Sean Compton is now the executive vice president of WGN America, WGN Radio and director of content acquisition. Dana Zimmer was named the executive vice president and chief distribution and strategy officer. Gary Weitman will take over the role as executive vice president and chief communications officer.

“The completion of our accretive acquisition of Tribune Media increases Nexstar’s geographic diversity and audience reach with national coverage and an expanded presence in top 50 DMAs, while offering complementary media assets and investments, scale driven synergies and further cash flow diversification,” said Perry Sook, Nexstar chairman and president.

“Today, the Nexstar team is comprised of more than 13,000 talented team members across America united by a common vision focused on localism, innovation and growth, as well as a passion for professional excellence.”

Sook says Nexstar will now produce more than 254,000 hours of local news, entertainment, sports, lifestyle and network programming.

WASHINGTON—Flourishing a "78%" cap, Nexstar Media Group Chairman/President/CEO Perry Sook escalated his call for the FCC move on raising the 39% cap (78% counting the 50% discount for UHFs) on a broadcast group's national ownership reach, and preferably doffing it altogether "as soon as possible."

The emblazoned black baseball cap simply marked "78%" rested on the rostrum throughout Sook's wide-ranging speech at the monthly Media Institute luncheon in Washington Tuesday (April 23) in which he also aggressively advocated for adoption of ATSC 3.0 services and discussed the Justice Department's recent escalation of antitrust examinations of the broadcast industry.

The National Association of Broadcasters has settled on an across-the-board 78% cap on UHF and VHF stations as the compromise position, but Sook suggested that the FCC should do at least that to preserve the status quo, and suggested broadcasters could use more in an era when online and other sources abound.

The Justice Department next week is holding a forum to look into what the relevant market for broadcast advertising is and whether online should be included in the mix.

Justice has been considering the issue in relation to a couple of recent merger reviews, specifically the aborted Sinclair-Tribune merger, and the follow-up Nexstar-Tribune merger.

It also struck settlements with a number of broadcasters—including Nexstar—stemming ad-related info exchanges, an investigation that grew out of those reviews. The issue of online competition was raised in those investigations leading to Justice's deeper dive into just how much online platforms compete with broadcasters for local ads.

Sook made it clear where he stands.

"[M]ost of our regulatory agencies treat television as if it is its own market, while in reality we compete against all of these other entities locally for share of eyeballs as well as share of the local market revenues," he said.

He pointed to Nexstar internal surveys that showed that 47% of local advertisers are buying ads on Facebook live today.

"We compete against all of these other entities locally for share of eyeballs as well as share of the local market revenues," he said, noting that the FCC plan "does not go far enough to protect the existence of local television and local journalism."

"It is in the national interest to foster and promote the local television industry and our local journalism and allow us to effectively compete against the unregulated behemoths that have unfettered access to 100% of the households in the U.S., not just 39% or even 78%," said Sook, who sits on the boards of CBS Affiliates and the National Association of Broadcasters.

Hammering edge providers has become a popular pastime in Washington these days and Sook was no exception given the regulatory pass that those edge providers get while broadcasters are expected to invest in providing important local news in service of the public interest, he suggested.

"When a woman committed suicide in a live stream on Facebook two years ago, the excuse was 'it was the weekend and we didn’t have staff,'" he said "We as local television broadcasters don’t get that pass, and neither should they."

Nexstar, which is nearing a $6.4 billion "transformative acquisition" of Tribune Media stations (as Sook described it), will become the largest U.S. group owner, even after spinning off some properties to meet federal regulations. Sook said that overall "consolidation has been a dirty word," and urged regulators to examine the deal flow "on a case-by-case basis."

Later, responding to a question about why the Justice Department is currently scrutinizing media mergers so closely, Sook first joked that his lawyers (several of whom were in the room) would advise him not to say anything.

Nonetheless, he surmised that the increasing number of transactions has caught regulators' attention, adding that media companies are cooperating in the "participatory" process to explain the shifting media landscape in which broadcasters represent a different role than they did in earlier days. He also noted that with the last four companies that Nexstar acquired, it sold ten television stations to minority buyers, "becoming the largest source of deal flow to minority TV owners" in the past decade.

Sook renewed his vow that, "if our industry is deregulated and our company can continue to grow, I again publicly commit to you that I will continue to create more opportunities for minority buyers as part of our future processes."

Big 3.0 Expectations

Sook extolled the virtues of ATSC 3.0, the next-gen broadcast transmission standard, citing the Internet Protocol technology as way for broadcasters to offer a hybrid "modernized viewing experience" embracing live over-the-air TV and streaming content.

"The advanced advertising features of 3.0 will enable broadcasters to offer advertisers new opportunities that we think will grow our ad revenues," he contended. Sook also envisioned "tremendous opportunity" in the long term for broadcasters to participate in connected and autonomous vehicles via traditional video content, navigational aids and other datacasting services.

He emphasized that Nexstar is one of the only groups that is participating in both the Pearl TV and Spectrum Consortium projects, noting that will enable his company to take part in upcoming tests in markets such as Phoenix, where its stations are allied with both those Next Gen TV groups. Sook acknowledged the challenges of an unsubsidized migration to 3.0, but cited that many stations are using their spectrum repack funding to upgrade to Next Gen technology.

Although he admitted that efforts to put a 3.0 receiver chipset into mobile handsets poses a near-term challenge, he expects that as soon as one handset maker ads that feature, other phones will follow.

Most enthusiastically, Sook concluded that the ATSC 3.0 represents a great unknown opportunity for broadcasters. "The highest use of that spectrum is something we haven't thought of yet," he said.

John Eggerton contributed this report

DALLAS—Nexstar Media Group will acquire Tribune Media, making it the country’s largest owner of local television stations, in a deal valued at $6.4 billion (cash and debt assumption) under the terms of a definitive merger agreement announced today.

Nexstar will pay $46.50 per share of Tribune stock in cash as well as assume the media company’s outstanding debt. The agreed to share price represents a 15.5 percent premium over the closing price of Tribune shares on Nov. 30 and a 45 percent premium since July 16 when FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced his intention to circulate a Hearing Designation Order regarding Sinclair Broadcast Group’s planned acquisition of Tribune and divestiture of certain stations.

“Nexstar has long viewed the acquisition of Tribune Media as a strategically, financially and operationally compelling opportunity that brings immediate value to shareholders of both companies,” said Perry Sook, Nexstar Chairman, President and CEO. “We have thoughtfully structured the transaction in a manner that positions the combined entity to better compete in today’s rapidly transforming industry landscape and better serve the local communities, consumers and businesses where we operate.”

The deal brings together two media organizations with complementary national coverage. If approved by regulators, the combined company will reach about 39 percent of U.S. television households, Nexstar said.

Tribune’s media assets include 42 owned and operated TV stations in major U.S. media markets, a general entertainment cable network, WGN America, and a 31 percent stake in TV Food Network. The combined company will own or service 216 full power TV stations in 118 markets (not accounting for any divestitures) and a significant digital media operation.

In the first year following completion of the merger and divestitures, Nexstar anticipates realizing about $160 million in operating synergies. Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank have committed financing for the transaction, it added.

According to Sook, Nexstar has developed a comprehensive plan to comply with regulatory requirements and believes it has “a clear path to closing.”

This summer the proposed merger of Sinclair and Tribune hit a serious snag when FCC Chairman Ajit Pai expressed concern about the legality of the transaction. The commission voted to allow an administrative judge to resolve the issue, delaying resolution of the matter indefinitely and prompting Tribune to walk away.

Separately, the FCC’s Office of Inspector General has completed a follow-up investigation of the proposed Sinclair-Tribune merger and again has found no evidence that the FCC Chairman acted improperly.

The investigation stemmed from a request by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, to investigate Pai’s conduct regarding his interactions with the White House as related to the Sinclair-Tribune merger.

“We are pleased that the Office of Inspector General has confirmed for a second time that there were no improper actions taken during the Sinclair-Tribune review process and that the investigation has concluded,” said Brian Hart, director of the FCC’s Office of Media Relations.

NEW YORK--Perry Sook, founder, chairman, president and CEO of Nexstar Media Group -has been named the recipient of the 2019 Golden Mike Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America. He will be honored at the organization's annual black-tie gala fundraiser, Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is an association that helps broadcasters in need. 

“There is no greater testament to broadcasters’ commitment to public service than in times of emergency. From hurricanes to wildfires, news teams across the country consistently brave extremely dangerous conditions to deliver lifesaving news coverage and information to local communities,” observed Mr. Sook. “Many of us at Nexstar have experienced firsthand the devastating effects and extensive damage caused by severe weather and other unforeseen events. That is why we are proud to support the important work of the Broadcasters Foundation in providing both one-time emergency aid and ongoing monthly grants to help our colleagues most in need. I would like to thank Dan Mason and the Broadcasters Foundation for this prestigious Golden Mike Award and the more than 9,000 Nexstar employees who share in this great honor, for the work they do each day to make a positive difference in their local communities.”

“Perry has led the growth of Nexstar with vision and resolve that has benefited the entire television industry,” stated Dan Mason, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation. “As a member of our Board, he has championed our mission of helping broadcasters in acute need and spread the word about the assistance we can provide. He is admired among his colleagues, and it is a privilege to honor him.”

Mr. Sook has over 38 years of professional experience in the television and radio broadcasting industries, covering all facets of the business including ownership and M&A, management, sales, on-air talent and news. He founded Nexstar in 1996 with one local television station in Scranton, Pa. and began building the foundation of what is today the second largest local broadcast television company in the United States, with 171 stations reaching 100 markets and annual revenue in excess of $2.3 billion.

Mr. Sook serves as Chairman of the CBS Affiliates Board, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) Board of Directors and The Ohio University Foundation Board. He is also a Board Member of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Broadcasters Foundation of America. Mr. Sook was named 2009 Broadcaster of the Year by Broadcasting and Cable (B&C) and was among the honorees inducted into the 2014 B&C Hall of Fame. He was inducted to The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation's 2016 Giants of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts and received The Media Institute’s 2016 American Horizon Award, recognizing his leadership, promoting the vitality and independence of American media.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America Golden Mike Award dinner attracts a who’s who of broadcast media executives and celebrities. The presenters and performers for this year’s event will be announced shortly. Previous recipients include Emily Barr, David Barrett, Michael Bloomberg, Bob Pittman, Gordon Smith, Jeff Smulyan, and more. 

For information, or to reserve a seat or table, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 orinfo@thebfoa.org.

NEW YORK – TVB, a not-for-profit trade association of America’s local broadcast television industry, announced today that Perry A. Sook, founder, chairman president and CEO of Nexstar Broadcasting Group, was elected to serve as TVB chairman for a two-year term (2017-18). A member of TVB’s board of directors since 2000, Sook assumes the chairman’s position previously held by Michael J. Fiorile, vice chairman and CEO of Dispatch Broadcast Group, who completed his two-year term at 2016 year-end.

“I’m honored to follow Michael Fiorile’s tremendous leadership by assuming the role of TVB chairman as we continue to extend our work on important initiatives that will benefit the local broadcast television industry and our over 800 member stations, ” Sook said. “As the most trusted medium among viewers with the greatest influence on consumer purchasing and voting decisions, local broadcast television continues to be the leading marketing platform for brand managers, advertisers and political campaigns to reach target audiences. A critical part of our mission at TVB is enhancing our members’ local sales efforts with tools, data and services that best leverage the unrivaled reach, influence and engagement our professionally-produced local news and content delivers across all screens and devices.

“My career has been devoted to advocating for the local broadcast television industry and the essential services we provide to local communities across the United States and my chairmanship comes at a time of great opportunity for our industry. As a TVB board member for the past 16 years, my colleagues across station groups have established a unified voice for the value of our local programming and content, while helping member stations grow their businesses and more effectively compete in the ever-changing media landscape.

“As chairman I look forward to further strengthening the influence and advocacy of TVB; to working with the board of directors and CEO Steve Lanzano to expand TVB’s initiatives to drive local sales in key verticals for member stations; to collaborating with our industry partners to set accurate measurement and currency standards; to reinforcing the power of our platform in reaching voters and influencing election outcomes; and to expanding the thought leadership at our annual Forward Conference.”

Perry Sook has over 36 years of professional experience in the broadcasting industry, covering all facets of the business. He founded Nexstar in 1996 with one local television station in Scranton, PA and began building the foundation of what is today one of the world’s leading local diversified media companies. Upon closing of its acquisition of Media General, Nexstar will be the second largest local broadcast television operator in the United States with 171 stations reaching 100 markets, or approximately 39 percent of all television households.

As one of the nation’s leading providers of local news, entertainment, sports, lifestyle and network programming, Nexstar will produce and distribute over 185,000 hours of local content per year on a pro-forma basis. In addition, Nexstar’s digital properties will continue to provide innovative digital marketing solutions and services to local and national media companies, advertisers, agencies and brands.

In addition to serving on the board of TVB, Mr. Sook is a board member of the National Association of Broadcasters, the NBC Affiliate board, and chairman of The Ohio University Foundation board. Mr. Sook was named 2009 Broadcaster of the Year by Broadcasting and Cable and was among the honorees inducted into the 2014 B&C Hall of Fame. He was inducted to The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation’s 2016 Giants of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts and received The Media Institute’s 2016 American Horizon Award, recognizing his leadership, promoting the vitality and independence of American media.

Steve Lanzano, TVB president and CEO, added, “Perry is a local broadcast television industry pioneer and innovator. Throughout his time as a TVB board member and his years of executive leadership, Perry has been a strong advocate on key industry issues including the establishment of the retransmission revenue stream which benefits affiliates and networks, the ongoing pursuit of fair compensation from pay TV operators, the establishment of a successful framework to support diversity in local broadcast station ownership and the advancement of digital innovation and cross-platform marketing solutions.

“From the beginning, Perry and Nexstar have cultivated an organization-wide commitment to localism and serving the needs of local viewers, businesses, advertisers and community organizations. His leadership and expertise have helped grow our medium into the powerful platform for advertisers it is today. We look forward to the benefits of Perry’s further involvement in TVB through his service as chairman for the next two years. I want to thank and acknowledge Michael Fiorile for his outstanding leadership and guidance over the last two years and we look forward to benefiting from his ongoing participation with TVB and its executive committee.”