LocusPoint Networks
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Fate | Dissolved after divestiture of assets and license surrender in 2019 |
| Headquarters | Pleasanton, California , United States |
| Owner | The Blackstone Group (99%) |
LocusPoint Networks LLC operated as a U.S.-based television station owner, with 99% ownership held by The Blackstone Group. Following the divestiture of most of its assets via the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectrum auction and subsequent sales during 2017–2018, the company retained solely WLEP-LD located in Erie, Pennsylvania, whose license was formally surrendered to the FCC on February 12, 2019.
Among its significant acquisitions was WMGM-TV, which was reportedly obtained with the intention of profiting from the 2015 spectrum auction. Nevertheless, LocusPoint did not succeed in selling WMGM-TV’s spectrum to the FCC. On June 26, 2017, an agreement was reached to sell WMGM-TV to Univision Communications for $6 million, allowing its integration with Univision’s regional stations WUVP-DT and WFPA-CD.
In April 2017, LocusPoint entered into a contract with San Mateo Community College District to manage the sale of KCSM-TV in the spectrum auction, prompted by the station’s annual losses amounting to $1 million. Conflicts emerged concerning allegations of financial mismanagement and failure to submit KCSM-TV for participation in the auction, resulting in counter-litigation involving LocusPoint and PricewaterhouseCoopers. By September 2017, the district secured a deal to transfer KCSM-TV to Northern California Public Media’s KRCB. LocusPoint responded by filing an injunction opposing this sale on grounds of contractual breaches. The dispute concluded in 2019 with settlements totaling $10 million paid by PwC and LocusPoint to the district; KCSM-TV was ultimately sold for $12 million without additional expense to the district.
On April 13, 2017, the FCC declared that LocusPoint’s stations WLPH-CD and WQVC-CD were successful bidders in the spectrum auction. These licenses were surrendered on August 8, 2017, for $3.99 million and $11.2 million respectively.
Former stations
- Stations are organized alphabetically by state and city of license.
| Media market | State | Station | Acquisition Year | Disposal Year | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | California | KCNZ-CD | 2012 | 2017 | |
| Miami | Florida | WLPH-CD | 2014 | 2017 | [lower-alpha 1] |
| Orlando | WRCF-CD | 2013 | 2017 | ||
| Plano | Illinois | WLPD-CD | 2013 | 2018 | |
| Towson | Maryland | WMJF-CD | 2013 | 2018 | |
| Detroit | Michigan | WHPS-CD | 2014 | 2018 | |
| WDWO-CD | 2013 | 2018 | |||
| Atlantic City | New Jersey | WMGM-TV | 2014 | 2017 | |
| Edison | WDVB-CD | 2013 | 2018 | ||
| Buffalo | New York | WBNF-CD | 1 | 2016 | |
| Erie | Pennsylvania | WLEP-LD | 2015 | 2019 | [lower-alpha 1] |
| Greensburg | WQVC-CD | 2015 | 2017 | [lower-alpha 1] | |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | WMKE-CD | 2014 | 2018 |
- 1 Translator station for TCT owned-and-operated outlet WNYB, transferred to HME Equity Fund II on February 19, 2016.
References
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