Editing Sinclair Broadcast Group (section)

====1985–2010====
[[File:Sinclair Broadcast Group Logo.svg|thumb|Sinclair Broadcast Group logo (1985–2017)]]

Smith's son [[David D. Smith]] began taking a more active role in the company in the 1980s. In 1985, the Chesapeake Television Corporation changed its name to '''Sinclair Broadcast Group'''. In 1990, David and his three brothers bought their parents' remaining stock and went on a buying spree that eventually made it one of the largest station owners in the country, through the purchases of stations and of companies that owned groups of stations.

Sinclair pioneered the concept of the [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) in American television in 1991, when it sold WPTT to its [[general manager]] Eddie Edwards (founder of Glencairn, Ltd., the Sinclair-affiliated licensee that would eventually become [[Cunningham Broadcasting]]) in order to purchase fellow Pittsburgh station [[WPGH-TV]] to comply with FCC ownership rules of the time that prohibited [[Duopoly (broadcasting)|duopolies]], while agreeing to allow Sinclair to retain operational responsibilities for the station. However, while LMAs would become an integral part of the company's business model in subsequent years, Sinclair's plans to acquire [[KOKH-TV]] in [[Oklahoma City]] through Glencairn, which would subsequently attempt to sell five of its 11 existing LMA-operated stations to Sinclair outright in turn (with Sinclair stock included in the deal) was challenged by the [[Rainbow/PUSH]] coalition (headed by [[Jesse Jackson]]) to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) in 1998, citing concerns over a single company controlling two broadcast licenses in the same market in violation of FCC rules. The coalition argued that Glencairn passed itself off as a minority-owned company (Edwards is [[African American]]) which, since the Smith family controlled most of the company's stock, was technically a Sinclair arm that planned to use the LMA with KOKH to gain control of the station and create an illegal duopoly with [[KOCB]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=PUSH pushing FCC over Sinclair/Glencairn|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20938729.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610193409/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-20938729.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2014 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=July 13, 1998|access-date=December 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Glencairn's dicey LMAs|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54266781.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610193407/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54266781.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2014 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=March 29, 1999|access-date=}}</ref> In 2001, the FCC levied a $40,000 fine against Sinclair for illegally controlling Glencairn.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=FCC fines Sinclair for Glencairn control|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/fcc-fines-sinclair-glencairn-control/90604 |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=December 10, 2001}}</ref> Sinclair became a publicly listed company in 1995, raising $105 million in a sale of 5 million shares at its opening on [[NASDAQ]] on June 6.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McConnell |first=Bill |date=June 7, 1995 |title=Sinclair Broadcasting IPO does well |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/390110904 |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 9, 2024 |work=The Daily Record |location=Baltimore, MD |page=3 |id={{ProQuest|390110904}} |via=Proquest}}</ref> The Smith family retained a controlling interest.

In 1994, Sinclair signed a deal with Paramount and its [[UPN]] network, bringing five affiliates [[WPNT|WPTT-TV]] in Pittsburgh, [[WNUV|WNUV-TV]] in Baltimore, [[WVTV-DT2|WCGV-TV]] in Milwaukee, [[WSTR-TV]] in Cincinnati and [[KSMO-TV]] in Kansas City to the network.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=C|first=S|date=August 1, 1994|title=Paramount adds, Warner fight for affiliates |magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]}}</ref> In 1996, Sinclair bought out Superior Communications for $63 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair adding 2 TV stations Oklahoma and Kentucky deals make local group major independent force; Broadcasting|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-03-06-1996066007-story.html|access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=March 6, 1996 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1997, Sinclair reached a deal with The WB to convert many of the UPN affiliates to The WB.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pope|first=Kyle |date=July 15, 1997|title=Time Warner Network Exults As Sinclair Moves 5 Affiliates|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB868923094169379500|access-date=April 28, 2021|issn=0099-9660|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Following the disputes, in August 1998, Sinclair and UPN signed a new agreement.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=UPN, Sinclair settle |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |last2=Hontz |first2=Jenny |date=August 3, 1998 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/upn-sinclair-settle-1117479049/ |access-date=April 28, 2021}}</ref> 

In February 1998, Sinclair bought out Sullivan Broadcasting for $1 billion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinclair to purchase Sullivan Deal could be worth $1 billion, gives firm 14 new TV stations; Most are Fox affiliates; Company continues to gain outlets in mid-size markets; Broadcasting|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-02-25-1998056040-story.html|access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=February 25, 1998 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1998, Sinclair bought out Max Media Properties, for $252 million.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 7, 1998|title=Sinclair closes on Max Media acquisition|work=Business Journal of Baltimore|url=https://www.google.com/search?q=1998+sinclair+max+media|access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref> In November 2004, Sinclair sold off KSMO-TV in Kansas City to [[Meredith Corporation]] for $26.8 million.<ref>{{cite journal |title=KCTV owner pays $26.8M for WB affiliate's assets |journal=[[Kansas City Business Journal]] |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/11/08/daily44.html |access-date=November 27, 2021}}</ref> In December 2004, Sinclair divested [[KOVR|KOVR-TV]] in Sacramento to [[Viacom (1952-2006)|Viacom]], now [[Paramount Global]], for $285 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baltimore Sun: Baltimore breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/ |access-date=November 27, 2021 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In 2004, as a response when LIN Media signed [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliates [[WDTN]] and [[WAND (TV)|WAND]] to NBC, Sinclair Broadcast Group converted two of its [[NBC]] affiliates [[WICS]]/[[WICD (TV)|WICD]] and [[WKEF]] to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stephens |first=Caleb |date=August 16, 2004 |title=Local TV affiliate switch could affect ad rates |journal=[[Dayton Business Journal]]|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2004/08/16/story7.html |access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref>

In July 2009, in a filing with the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], Sinclair stated that if the company could not refinance its $1.33 billion debt, or if Cunningham Broadcasting became insolvent due to nonpayment on a loan worth $33.5 million, Sinclair may be forced to file for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]].<ref name="Reuters">{{cite news |title=Sinclair Broadcast warns of possible bankruptcy |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/sinclairbroadcastgroup-idUSBNG51304320090714 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=July 14, 2009 |access-date=July 14, 2009}}</ref> The company seemingly recovered its financial fortunes enough, and began a major string of acquisitions involving television stations and other properties two years later.