BALTIMORE—Sinclair has announced a new broadcast affiliate distribution agreement with Nexstar to renew and expand the clearances for Comet, Charge!, TBD and The Nest, Sinclair’s free, over-the-air multicast television networks.

These renewals and additions represent over 15 million total U.S. households, further strengthening their coverage in key markets and prime channel positions.

“The expanded distribution agreement with Nexstar marks a significant milestone in our efforts to bring Sinclair’s multicast networks to even more viewers nationwide,” said Lee Schlazer, senior vice president of distribution at Sinclair. “With the addition of key markets like Chicago and continued renewals across critical stations, we are strengthening our commitment to delivering high-quality, diverse programming that resonates with audiences of all ages. This is just the beginning as we continue to grow the reach of Comet, Charge!, TBD, and The Nest.”

Sinclair reported that Charge!, home to a line-up that delivers the police procedural series, has renewed agreements on the following Nexstar stations:

• WJZY-3 (46.3) Charlotte
• WJW-4 (8.4) Cleveland
• WNOL-4 (38.4) New Orleans
• WXIN-4 (59.4) Indianapolis

Charge!, will also add two new markets:

• KRBK-3 (49.3) in Springfield, Mo.
• KWGN-3 Denver (2.3) launches 4/1/25
• Charge! is now available in 23 of the Top 25 DMAs.

Sinclair noted that Comet, which offers sci-fi and fantasy programming, has renewed agreements on the following Nexstar stations:

• WNOL-3 (38.3) New Orleans
• WTTV-3 (4.3) Indianapolis
• WJW-3 (8.3) Cleveland
• KGBT-3 (4.3) Harlingen

TBD, which features comedy programming, has renewed agreements on the following Nexstar stations:

• WDAF-4 (4.4) Kansas City
• KTXL-4 (40.4) Sacramento

Sinclair reported that The Nest is now available in Chicago on WGN (9.5.). With the addition of the Chicago market, The Nest will now have prime location, full power OTA coverage in the top 10 DMAs.

HUNT VALLEY, Md.—Sinclair has announced a significant expansion of its free over-the-air network TBD TV via a network distribution agreement with Fox Television Stations that will see Fox’s owned-and-operated stations add it to digital subchannels beginning Jan. 15.

The expanded agreement positions TBD TV in Fox’s key channel slots in several of the country's top markets, including the three largest DMAs, adding a total of 22 million TV households.

Beginning Jan. 15, TBD TV—billed by Sinclair as “the home of big stars and big comedy, with a lineup of groundbreaking, funny franchises”—will be available on the following Fox multicast stations:

• New York, WNYW Channel 5.4
• Los Angeles, KTTV Channel 11.3
• Chicago, WFLD Channel 32.4
• Atlanta, WAGA Channel 5.4
• Phoenix, KSAZ Channel 10.4

“We are excited to launch TBD TV on five powerhouse Fox-owned television stations, including the top three DMAs in the U.S.,” Sinclair senior vice president of distribution Lee Schlazer said. “This partnership greatly expands TBD TV’s reach while securing Big Four network row positions and maintaining Sinclair’s strategic initiative of growing coverage in the largest DMAs. TBD TV is a great fit with Fox’s younger-skewing audience, as TBD TV is the second-youngest multicast network.”

Sinclair also said TBD TV’s ratings have increased steadily over the past year with the addition of “Saturday Night Live” to the network’s daily lineup. In November, TBD TV achieved its highest ratings month ever, including a 114% year-over-year increase in total day ratings for persons 25-54.

BALTIMORE—Sinclair Broadcast Group has announced that its Comet, Charge! and TBD free, over-the-air, national multicast networks continue to see rapid growth, delivering the highest viewership in the networks’ history, with double-digit ratings increases.

For the full year of 2023, among total viewers, the networks experienced unprecedented year over year growth, with Comet +17%, Charge! +37% and TBD +10%*. The trend continued in January 2024 with Comet +28%, Charge! +11% and TBD +7% compared to January 2023.

Comet, which features sci-fi and fantasy entertainment franchises, in addition to its total year ratings growth the network saw its highest quarter ever for total day in Q4 ’23, up 28% year-over-year.

“The results speak for themselves. Viewers are turning away from traditional cable TV networks and discovering new linear viewing alternatives on free, over-the-air multicast TV. As viewers move, advertisers follow, and we are excited to welcome top brands to Comet, Charge! and TBD,” said Adam Ware, senior vice president, Growth Networks Group. “We are bullish on the future of multicast TV and are continuing to invest in the sector, including adding more networks like The Nest, which has already delivered strong growth in just its first few months.”

Other key highlights include:

• Grimm, which launched on Comet in Jul ’23, has increased viewership among P25-54 each quarter. In Jan ’24 Grimm was up +39% from its premiere and +79% from last years’ time period.
• The X-Files increased +7% among total viewers for prime time and late fringe in Q4 2023 versus 2022.
• Comet’s recently launched Mega Movie Saturday franchise, a themed movie marathon airing each month, increased +42% among P25-54 versus the 2023 the time period average, reaching an average of over 1 million total viewers weekly.
• Charge! with a lineup of high-profile police procedural dramas, saw its highest prime time and late fringe ever among total viewers in November 2023, with December 2023 and January 2024 ranking as the second and third highest rated months respectively. Additionally, November 2023 was the network’s highest ratings ever for total day.
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which launched in Oct ’23, led Charge! to its highest quarter ever in Q4 ’23 with 100% increase year-over-year in primetime among P25-54
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent on Charge! has continued to increase from its premiere, up +14% among P25-54 and +31% among W25-54 in Jan ’24
• TBD., the free TV home of big stars and big comedy, with a lineup of ground-breaking, funny franchises, increased +29% in 2023 for total viewers in daytime and delivered its highest rated month ever (Jan ’24) among all viewers.
• The TBD launches of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Key & Peele, and Punk’d in Dec ’23 led to an increase of + 80% among P25-54 and another +17% increase in Jan ’24.
• Whose Line Is It Anyway? is the network’s highest rated program ever, comprising 7 out of TBD’s top 10 telecasts ever, with its highest averaging 75,000 P25-54.
• The Growth Networks Group continued to secure distribution upgrades throughout 2023 and into 2024, through new affiliations with major broadcast groups including the CBS stations (Comet in New York on WCBS channel 2.5 and in San Francisco on KPIX channel 5.5; Charge! in Los Angeles on KCAL channel 9.3, in Chicago on WBBM channel 2.5 and in Philadelphia on KYW channel 3.5.)

Sinclair Broadcast Group today announced network distribution agreements with CBS Television Stations to add Sinclair’s free over-the-air (OTA) national broadcast TV networks Comet, CHARGE!, TBD and The Nest to additional CBS affiliates beginning this week.   

The expanded agreement positions Sinclair’s networks Comet and CHARGE! in CBS’s key channel slots in several of the country’s top-10 markets, adjacent to all five broadcast networks, the station group said.

Sci-fi/fantasy channel Comet is coming to WCBS in New York on Channel 2.5 and on Channel 5.5 on San Francisco’s KPIX. Crime drama diginet Charge! will now be available on KCAL in Los Angeles on Channel 9.3, Chicago’s WBBM on Channel 2.5 and on Channel 3.5 on KYW in Philadelphia KYW. 

Comedy channel TBD will now be on Miami’s WBFS, on Channel 33.6; WPSG in Philadelphia, Channel 57.2; and on Channel 44.2 on KPYX in San Francisco. The Nest Sinclair’s newest network, which offers ‘comfort food’ programming, is now on  Channel 9.2  on KCAL in Los Angeles and on Channel 44.4 on KPYX. 

Sinclair says that Comet, CHARGE!, TBD. and The Nest were the fastest growing multicast networks in the country in 2023.

BALTIMORE—Sinclair Broadcast Group says primetime ratings for its three free over-the-air, multicast television networks Comet, CHARGE! and TBD have collectively grown a 30% increase in viewership so far this year. 

For the first 7 weeks of 2023, the networks experienced year-over-year growth across all key dayparts in the coveted P25-54 demographic. In Prime, the networks collectively garnered a 30% audience increase, while cable networks as a whole have declined by 23% on average for the same period, according to the broadcaster.

CHARGE!, which features a lineup of high-profile police procedural dramas including CSI: Miami and CSI: New York, saw a 54% increase, while TBD’s audience, who are attracted to the channel’s offerings of reality-based series including Fear Factor and World’s Dumbest garnered a 50% increase. Viewership for Comet, which broadcasts sci-fi and fantasy series franchises, including The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, rose 5% during the period.

In daytime, CHARGE! kicked off 2023 with the launch of its new weekday line up, anchored by the long-running CBS prime-time hit Without a Trace, resulting in a 50% double-digit year-over-year increase while Comet saw an increase of 82% viewership year over year with the Jan. 16 premiere of Stargate SG-1—one of the longest running sci-fi series in TV history—during the early evening 5-8 P.M. M-F timeslot.

“In recent months, Comet, CHARGE! and TBD have added new programming acquisitions, grown ratings and successfully launched several new series,” said Adam Ware SVP, Growth Networks Group for Sinclair.  “In January we announced the addition of new and upgraded local broadcast affiliates and linear carriage, adding 2.4 million national TV households. 2023 is off to a great start, it’s clear that the OTA broadcast sector is on the rise with even more exciting things to come, stay tuned.”

BALTIMORE—Sinclair Broadcast Group is reporting that its free over-the-air, multicast television networks Comet, Charge!, and TBD will expand their nationwide coverage by 2.4 million TV households by the end of Q2, 2023. 

This coverage brings the total new coverage since the start of 2022 to nearly 17 million TV households.

New coverage in 2023 comes through affiliate agreements with Nexstar, Gray and Entravision in many of the largest DMAs in the country including San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Phoenix (Prescott), San Diego and Hartford – New Haven, Sinclair reported. 

Charge!, which specializes in crime drama and action programming, will add new affiliates in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose on KRON, Hartford – New Haven on WWAX, Knoxville on WVLT, Colorado Springs on KVSN and San Angelo on KEUS.

Comet, which is the top destination on free television for science fiction and fantasy programming, will add Colorado Springs on KGHB.

TBD, which features real people testing their own limits, moves to the market leading CBS-affiliate in Phoenix (Prescott) on KPHO, and will launch on the powerhouse Univision-affiliate in San Diego on KBNT and in the Texas panhandle DMAs of Lubbock and Midland – Odessa on KZBO.

“These affiliate additions are a continuation of the distribution and ratings momentum that began in 2022, as we moved into new DMAs or upgraded coverage within the networks’ existing local broadcast affiliate footprints,” explained Adam Ware senior vice president, Growth Networks Group. “As viewers continue to watch less cable TV, we’re excited Comet, Charge! and TBD will be available to an additional 2.4 million viewers across the country.” 

BALTIMORE, Md.—Sinclair is reporting that its Comet, Charge! and TBD diginets grew faster than all other digital multicast networks, across all dayparts in Q3 22.

Driven by the additions of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "CSI:NY", along with nearly 15 million additional TV households, including the key markets of New York, Boston, Atlanta and Tampa – St Petersburg, the networks saw double digit ratings increases, Sinclair announced. 

It reported that Comet realized a 31% increase in access, Charge! up 31% in primetime and TBD scored a 27% increase for total day.   

Thanks to that growth, Sinclair is also considering the launch of a fourth network in 2023, Broadcasting & Cable reported. 

Sinclair’s Growth Networks Group, which oversees the networks, also announcing additional investments in fan-favorite TV series to join the new 2023 network program schedules, set to launch in  January. 

Comet, home to many of TV’s top sci-fi brands, will be adding new high-profile programs to its lineup in Q1, 2023, including "Stargate SG-1". 

Charge!, which features iconic action and adventure TV series, will be adding two hit shows. On January 2, Charge! will anchor its daytime lineup with the premiere of "Without a Trace", the psychological drama.

Later in the quarter, Charge! will launch the long running modern-day Sherlock Holmes CBS procedural drama "Elementary", to late night audiences.

TBD, which features unscripted content, will add an additional run of "World’s Dumbest" to its primetime lineup. 

Sinclair also announced that on Charge! launched on the Nexstar owned NBC affiliate on channel 8.2 servicing the Tampa - St Petersburg (Sarasota) market, the 13th ranked DMA, which also includes market wide cable carriage. 

With the launch, Sinclair reported that its diginets have added nearly 15 million TV households in new coverage in 2022 through affiliate partnerships with CBS Stations, Cox Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, and Optimum. The networks also added nationwide carriage on Dish Network and Sling TV. 

“Digital broadcast television is on the rise as new viewers continue to discover a broad range of free over-the-air digital TV networks.  Comet, CHARGE! and TBD are the fastest growing networks in the space, delivering a unique portfolio of network brands featuring fan favorite TV series. We’re excited to continue our investment in these networks and the roll out of our new lineups in January,” said Adam Ware senior vice president Growth Networks Group.

BALTIMORE—Sinclair Broadcast Group has announced significant growth in its free over-the-air, national, multicast television networks, Comet, Charge! and TBD.

By September, the multicast network will add over 13 million new households through upgrades and new affiliations in the top 50 DMAs, including New York, Atlanta, Boston, Portland Ore., Indianapolis, and Las Vegas. 

In addition to the expansion of the footprint of the networks, Sinclair said that it has signed new agreements that involve moving to stronger broadcast affiliates, several of which include DMA-wide MVPD carriage, through new agreements with CBS Stations, Cox Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, and Optimum, as well as adding nationwide carriage on Dish Network and Sling TV.

More specifically, Charge!, a network for fans of action programming, will have completed the following distribution upgrades by September:

• New York (Market 1) – Launches across the DMA on Optimum channel 148.
• Portland, Ore. (Market 21) and Providence (Market 52) – Moves to Sinclair Broadcast Group owned stations on ABC affiliate KATU channel 2.2 and on NBC affiliate WJAR channel 10.2.
• Nationwide - Launches on Dish Network’s internet-connected set top boxes on channel 290-36 as well as on Sling TV.

Comet, the only broadcast network in the U.S. for fans of sci-fi, will have completed the following distribution upgrades by September: 

• Atlanta (Market 7) and Boston (Market 10) – Moves to Cox Media Group owned ABC affiliate WSB channel 2.4 and Fox affiliate WFXT channel 25.2 (which includes DMA-wide MVPD carriage).
• Las Vegas (Market 40) – Moves to Sinclair Broadcast Group owned NBC affiliate KSNV channel 2.3.

TBD, a network for fans of internet content and one of the youngest skewing broadcast networks in the US, will have completed the following distribution upgrades by September:

• Atlanta (Market 7) and Boston (Market 10) - Moves to CBS Stations owned CW affiliate WUPA channel 69.3 and WSBK channel 38.3.
• Indianapolis (Market 25) - Launches on Nexstar Media Group owned CBS affiliate WTTV channel 4.4.

Sinclair also announced new programming additions designed to boost viewing going into the 2022/2023 season. 

Those include the launch of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Comet’s primetime lineup on June 6th. The show’s two-hour premiere attracted 543,000 total viewers and boosted viewing in the time period by 108%. 

“Charge!, Comet and TBD are some of the fastest growing networks, becoming more popular on paid and free platforms, as we strengthen our affiliate partnerships across the country and continue to invest in fan favorite and familiar TV series and movies,” said Adam Ware senior vice president Growth Networks Group.

BALTIMORE—There will be a new place to find digital-first content on your TV screen come early 2017, as Sinclair Broadcast Group has announced it will launch a new over-the-air TV network, “TBD.”

The second multicast launch from Sinclair, TBD will include web series, short films, fashion, comedy, lifestyle, eSports, music and viral content, all of which will be curated through partnerships with content creators like Jukin Media, Legendary Digital networks, Whistle Sports, Kinnation, Zoomin’ cand Canvas Media studios.

The new network will be programed by QYOU, a curator of online video culture for television. The QYOU will license and package digital-first content for television. Sinclair will then provide the means of broadcasting and distributing the channel to multiple platforms.

“With the launch of TBD, we aim to pair the very best premium digital-first content with the unmatched branding power of traditional television,” said Chris Ripley, president and CEO of Sinclair.

TBD is expected to launch in early 2017 on digital sub channels across Sinclair Broadcast Group’s platform.