FCC Sets Comment Dates for Gray’s Acquisition of Block, Allen TV Stations

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After court overturns FCC’s regulations against owning two of the top four stations in a market, the agency says rules will lapse on Oct. 21

Gray Media headquarters signage
(Image credit: Gray Media)

In the wake of Gray Media’s plans to acquire TV stations from Block Communications and Allen Media, the Federal Communications Commission has set deadlines for public comments on the acquisitions and transfer of station licenses from Sagamore Hill Broadcasting, Block and Allen Media to Gray.

In the filing, the FCC said, “Interested persons must file petitions to deny no later than Oct. 22, 2025. Oppositions to petitions to deny must be filed no later than November 6, 2025. Replies must be filed no later than November 17, 2025.”

In August, Gray announced an agreement to acquire the Block Communications-owned television stations for $80 million and separately announced plans to acquire Allen Media Group-owned stations in 10 markets for $171 million.

Both deals require changes or waivers in existing FCC ownership rules, which the regulator acknowledged in a filing setting the dates for public comment.

“The Commission’s Local Television Ownership Rule 47 CFR § 73.3555(b) generally prohibits common ownership of two full power stations with overlapping contours in the same Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA), where both are ranked among the top four stations in the DMA, subject to certain exceptions (the Top-Four Prohibition),” the FCC noted. “On July 23, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a decision vacating and remanding the Top-Four Prohibition. Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri, Inc. v. FCC, et al., No. 24-1380 (8th Cir. July 23, 2025). The court also vacated an amendment to Note 11 of that rule that included multicast and low-power television streams in the Top-Four prohibition. It is anticipated that the mandate for the vacatur of the Top-Four Prohibition will take effect on October 21, 2025.”

The FCC also noted that Gray proposes to own two or more full-power stations in the following markets:

  • Sagamore Hill-Gray in Lubbock, Texas, DMA: KCBD(TV) and KJTV-TV, Lubbock, Texas, and KLCW-TV, Wolfforth, Texas.
  • Sagamore Hill-Gray in Columbus, Ga., DMA: WTVM(TV) and WLTZ(TV), Columbus, Georgia.
  • Block-Gray in the Louisville, Ky., DMA: WAVE(TV) and WDRB(TV), Louisville, and WBKI(TV), Salem.
  • Allen Media in the Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), Ala., DMA: WAFF(TV) and WAAY(TV), Huntsville.
  • Allen Media in Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg DMA: KFVS(TV), Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, Illinois. Gray also requests a continuing satellite exception for KPOB-TV, Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
  • Allen Media in Evansville DMA: WFIE(TV) and WEVV-TV, Evansville, Indiana.
  • Allen Media in Fort Wayne DMA: WPTA(TV), WISE-TV, and WFFT-TV, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  • Allen Media in Montgomery DMA: WSFA(TV) and WCOV-TV, Montgomery, Alabama, and WIYC(TV), Troy, Alabama.
  • Allen Media in Lafayette, Louisiana DMA: KATC(TV) and KADN-TV, Lafayette, Louisiana. Allen Media-Gray Applications, Comprehensive Exhibit at 6-7. In the Lafayette, Louisiana DMA where Gray proposes ultimately to operate KATC and KADN-TV, Gray’s planned acquisition of KATC is pending before the Commission in a separate transaction.
  • Allen Media in Rockford DMA: WSLN(TV), Freeport, Illinois, and WREX(TV), Rockford, Illinois.

The full filing is available here.

George Winslow
George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.