Tribune is now the biggest Fox and CW affiliates - Peter Liquori

From: Peter Liguori
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2013 8:43 AM
Subject: Tribune and Local TV Transaction Officially Closed

Today is a historic day for Tribune Company and Local TV. We have officially closed the transaction that brings our two companies together. 

As you can see from the attached press release and map, Local TV and Tribune combined create a broadcasting powerhouse with 39 television stations, reaching 50 million households. As of today, Tribune is the #1 FOX affiliate group and the #1 CW affiliate group in the country. Additionally, Tribune will support the operations of three former Local TV stations now owned by Dreamcatcher.

The increase in scale of Tribune broadcasting promises to enhance every aspect of our business including our relationships with programmers, advertisers, and cable and satellite partners. 

However, what most excites me is not the sheer size of our broadcasting operation, but the possibilities it affords us. As our industry continues to evolve, we will be in a position to work together to define the Tribune of the future. 

To the thousands of employees across the country at Tribune stations, I invite you to take a fresh look at how we deliver information to our viewers and take the opportunity to challenge convention, inspire curiosity, and dare to anticipate the future needs of the audience. Our success will not be determined simply by growing the number of Tribune stations, but by growing our commitment to new ideas and innovations that will shape our relationship with viewers for years to come.

Local TV and Tribune share many common values. Both organizations share a deep commitment to serving our local communities and an unceasing work ethic. There may be different stories being reported on WGHP in Greensboro or KSWB in San Diego, but we share a vision to enrich people’s lives in the communities we serve through meaningful news and information.

As we come together, it is important that we operate as one cohesive culture and that we create an environment of passion and excellence that supports and rewards extraordinary outcomes. Culture is not owned by the company, it is owned by each and every person and we all have a responsibility to make this a terrific place to work. Our newly revised Employee Handbook articulates our values, standards and expectations for our company. The handbook can be found on the company intranet, TribLink. Local TV employees, who may not yet have access to our systems, will receive a flash drive with the handbook and other on-boarding material later today. 

Over the last four months, Larry Wert and I visited with the management teams of the Local TV’s stations joining Tribune’s broadcast group. We came away more confident than ever that we have a chance to truly distinguish Tribune stations in each market. We are excited about what the future holds, and look forward to working together as we build Tribune into one of the most respected media and entertainment companies in the world.

Peter

h/t Brett Levy