Rincon Broadcasting Group

[I Should Coco]

I think this might have been mentioned in another thread -- couldn't find it -- but there's a new media entity out there that's apparently doing business/swapping small- to mid-size TV stations with Sinclair:

Todd Parkin Buying Sinclair-Managed Standard General Stations | Radio & Television Business Report

Several Sinclair stations in Washington state have been bought or are in the process of being bought by Rincon. Taking a page from the Gannett/Gatehouse playbook, these stations (not exactly flush with employees/resources already) are being slashed further. And the Rincon Broadcast Company LLC itself has very few employees, I'm told, using contractors to staff H.R. and other departments.

Just curious if any other SJ.com folks in the TV field have heard of or run across Rincon.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

I think this might have been mentioned in another thread -- couldn't find it -- but there's a new media entity out there that's apparently doing business/swapping small- to mid-size TV stations with Sinclair:

Todd Parkin Buying Sinclair-Managed Standard General Stations | Radio & Television Business Report

Several Sinclair stations in Washington state have been bought or are in the process of being bought by Rincon. Taking a page from the Gannett/Gatehouse playbook, these stations (not exactly flush with employees/resources already) are being slashed further. And the Rincon Broadcast Company LLC itself has very few employees, I'm told, using contractors to staff H.R. and other departments.

Just curious if any other SJ.com folks in the TV field have heard of or run across Rincon.

I know virtually nothing about Rincon, but the consensus online is that it's essentially a shell company for Sinclair to skirt FCC regulations.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

The bottom has no bottom.

 

[DanOregon]

Whenever a company exceeds the allowable number for stations in a market, they hire a stooge to be the "owner" of the "extra(s) who decides to "partner" with Company A for their news content, ad sales etc.
The Eugene market is in freefall. Even the one "good" station, KEZI, is now owned by Byron Allen who has cut the newsroom to 10 - and that includes one weather person and a two person sports staff, one morning and one evening anchor. Most of the reporters are just out of University of Oregon, or still finishing up.

 

[LanceyHoward]

I know virtually nothing about Rincon, but the consensus online is that it's essentially a shell company for Sinclair to skirt FCC regulations.

I suspect with the new ownership limits it will be rolled up into Sinclair.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Awfully nice of them to name themselves after a left-handed middle reliever.

Sorry, that’s all I’ve got.

 

[I Should Coco]

This shell game keeps getting more convoluted ... and probably lucrative for those playing.

Now it looks like the Rincon guy, Todd Parkin -- a former bigwig on the sales side of Bally Sports/FanDuel -- is turning around and selling the Rincon TV stations he recently acquired to Community News Media LLC, some outfit run out of a lawyer's office in New York City.

Jon Ellis with the Upper Midwest's North Pine Media website had details: Rincon Selling TV Stations to Community News Media – NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

I take anything with an April 1 pub date with a grain of NaCl.