Sinclair Broadcast Group Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Another major deal for local TV stations may be brewing, with Sinclair Broadcast Group (and its 185 or so local stations) revealing Monday that it is pursuing a deal for E.W. Scripps, which owns some 61 local stations across the country. Sinclair disclosed the talks in an SEC filing, in which it noted that it has acquired more than 8% of Scripps' stock in recent weeks. "The Reporting Person's board of directors and management team, alongside financial and legal advisors, have engaged in constructive discussions with the Issuer for several months regarding a potential combination of the two companies," Sinclair wrote in the filing, estimating that its offer was valued at about three times the value of recent trading prices of Scripps stock. Related Stories TV Jimmy Kimmel's Former Writers React to Show's Return: "I'm Truly Shocked" Business TV Station Giant Sinclair Restructures Debt as It Eyes Growth It is not clear based on the filing that Scripps has been receptive to the overtures. Company executives arre set to deliver a presentation on business strategies Tuesday at the Wells Fargo TMT summit. Sinclair wrote in its filing that it believes the local TV station business needs to continue consolidating in order to survive the competition from tech companies are and the big media companies, many of which own their network partners. "Recent industry consolidation and intensifying competition reinforce the Reporting Person's view that further scale in the broadcast television industry is essential to address secular headwinds and compete effectively with larger-scale big-tech and big-media players, as well as major broadcast groups," the filing continued. "Greater scale will also strengthen broadcasters' ability to sustain their vital public service role in producing local news. The Reporting Person believes combining with the Issuer provides the ability to compete successfully for advertising share, critical programming, and distribution economics through enhanced local and national scale, coupled with disciplined execution of synergies." Earlier this year Nexstar inked a $6.2 billion deal for TEGNA, a deal that if allowed to proceed would make it the largest owner of local TV stations in the country. Sinclair announced its own strategic review around the same time. The hope among station owners is that the Trump administration, and FCC chairman Brendan Carr, will allow for consolidation that was simply not possible before. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up YouTube TV Disney and YouTube TV Have a Deal: ESPN and ABC Return to Streaming Service After Two Week Blackout stranger things George Bloom, Longtime Producer and Visual Effects Executive at CBS, Dies at 68 YouTube Why Does YouTube Need Its Own Late-Night Show? Advertisers Are Stampeding to Its Platform Disney Disney Shares Fall After Earnings, but Wall Street Analysts Are Bullish MSNBC How a Cable News Channel Starts Over: A Candid Chat With MS NOW's Anchors Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery Reworks David Zaslav's Compensation Package Amid Sales Chatter YouTube TV Disney and YouTube TV Have a Deal: ESPN and ABC Return to Streaming Service After Two Week Blackout stranger things George Bloom, Longtime Producer and Visual Effects Executive at CBS, Dies at 68 YouTube Why Does YouTube Need Its Own Late-Night Show? Advertisers Are Stampeding to Its Platform Disney Disney Shares Fall After Earnings, but Wall Street Analysts Are Bullish MSNBC How a Cable News Channel Starts Over: A Candid Chat With MS NOW's Anchors Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery Reworks David Zaslav's Compensation Package Amid Sales Chatter