Nexstar Broadcasting And Cox Communications Reach Distribution Agreement Covering 13 Stations In Nine Markets

Nexstar Stations’ Network and Local Programming to Resume as soon as Possible

IRVING, Texas – Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) (“Nexstar”) announced today that it reached a new distribution agreement with Cox Communications (“Cox”) allowing the cable television provider the right to resume carrying Nexstar’s highly rated network and local community programming. The agreement covers Nexstar’s broadcast platform inclusive of 13 network affiliated and local stations in nine markets. Programming on all stations will resume as soon as possible.

Nexstar’s top priority is providing exceptional programming and service to local viewers, hometown businesses, and public organizations in the local communities it serves across the United States. Nexstar is delighted that Cox subscribers in its markets will have restored access to leading network content from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CW and MyNetworkTV as well as local news and other programming produced specifically for local communities.

Until this week’s impasse with Cox Communications, Nexstar Broadcasting has successfully negotiated more than 1,200 retransmission agreements over the last 11 years, without a material disruption of service in that time. Specific terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.

 

About Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
Nexstar Broadcasting Group is a leading diversified media company that leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms. Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 103 television stations and 54 low power and digital multicast signals reaching 62 markets or approximately 18.0% of all U.S. television households. Nexstar’s portfolio includes primary affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW and multicast affiliates of Telemundo, Bounce TV, Me-TV, LATV, Estrella, This TV, Weather Nation Utah, Movies! and News/Weather. Nexstar’s community portal websites offer additional hyper-local content and verticals for consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when and how they access content while creating new revenue opportunities.

Pro-forma for the completion of all announced transactions Nexstar will own, operate, program or provide sales and other services to 171 television stations and their related low power and digital multicast signals reaching 100 markets or approximately 39% of all U.S. television households. For more information please visit www.nexstar.tv.

 

Additional Information
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. In connection with the Agreement and Plan of Merger, by and between Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (“Nexstar”), Media General, Inc. (“Media General”) and Neptune Merger Sub, Inc.  (“Merger Sub”), Nexstar and Media General intend to file relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including a Registration Statement on Form S-4 to be filed by Nexstar that will contain a joint proxy statement/prospectus. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF NEXSTAR AND MEDIA GENERAL ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Nexstar or Media General through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.  In addition, the joint proxy statement/prospectus (when finalized) will be mailed to stockholders of Nexstar and Media General.

 

Certain Information Regarding Participants
Nexstar and Media General and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in any solicitation with respect to the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Security holders may obtain information regarding the names and interests of Nexstar’s directors and executive officers in Nexstar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which was filed with the SEC on March 2, 2015, and Nexstar’s proxy statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015. Information about Media General’s directors and executive officers is available in Media General’s definitive proxy statement, dated March 13, 2015, for its 2015 annual meeting of shareholders. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the web site indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Form S-4 and the joint proxy statement/prospectus that Nexstar will file with the SEC when it becomes available.

 

Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements include information preceded by, followed by, or that includes the words “guidance,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “could,” or similar expressions. For these statements, Nexstar claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication, concerning, among other things, the ultimate outcome and benefits of any possible transaction between Nexstar and Media General and timing thereof, and future financial performance, including changes in net revenue, cash flow and operating expenses, involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important factors, including the timing to consummate the proposed transaction; the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied and the transaction may not close; the risk that a regulatory approval that may be required for the proposed transaction is delayed, is not obtained or is obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated, the impact of changes in national and regional economies, the ability to service and refinance our outstanding debt, successful integration of Media General (including achievement of synergies and cost reductions), pricing fluctuations in local and national advertising, future regulatory actions and conditions in the television stations’ operating areas, competition from others in the broadcast television markets, volatility in programming costs, the effects of governmental regulation of broadcasting, industry consolidation, technological developments and major world news events. Unless required by law, Nexstar undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this communication might not occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could affect these expectations, please see Media General’s and Nexstar’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Contact:
Elizabeth Ryder
Senior Vice President & General Counsel
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
972/373-8800

Joseph Jaffoni, Jennifer Neuman
JCIR
212/835-8500 or nxst@jcir.com

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