CHANGES WITH COX

Some changes with Cox Enterprises you may not have seen.  

Cox  said last week Apollo Global Management will buy a majority interest in Cox Media Group’s broadcast television stations, including the company’s radio, newspaper and TV properties in Ohio.

Cox Enterprises will maintain a small share and will join the Apollo Funds in forming a new company to operate these stations, headquartered in Atlanta.

Cox Media Group’s TV stations reach a combined 31 million viewers nationwide. The stations, which represent Cox Media Group’s entire television portfolio, are:

WFTV (ABC) Orlando, Fla. & WRDQ (ind.)

WSOC (ABC) Charlotte, N.C. & WXAN (ind.)

WPXI (NBC) Pittsburgh

WHIO (CBS) Dayton, Ohio

KIRO (CBS) Seattle

WHBQ (FOX) Memphis

WFOX (FOX) Jacksonville, Fla.

WFXT (FOX) Boston

KOKI (FOX) Tulsa, Okla. (Fox)-KMYT (MNT)

In addition to WHIO, the Apollo Funds will acquire a majority stake in Cox Media Group’s other media platforms in Ohio: Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun, Journal News, WZLR-FM Dayton, WHKO-FM Springfield and WHIO-AM-FM Dayton

Cox Enterprises said it began exploring strategic alternatives for the stations last July, no word what the transaction cost.