Disney is in talks to dump its ABC community and native TV stations, according to a report from Bloomberg. The leisure big reportedly met with Nexstar Media Group, which owns dozens of native information stations, to debate a sale.
Disney’s response to the report is a denial that it has reached a deal to dump ABC or any of its different linear properties. In a statement published on its website, the corporate says it’s “open to contemplating a wide range of strategic choices,” nevertheless it hasn’t made an official choice and that “any report back to that impact is unfounded.”
Sources inform Bloomberg that the talks between Nexstar and Disney are nonetheless early and {that a} value hasn’t but been named. One other supply tells the outlet that Disney can be contemplating promoting ABC to Byron Allen, the CEO of Leisure Studios, which owns a number of stations, similar to The Climate Channel.
Nexstar CEO Tom Carter expressed curiosity in buying Disney’s linear channels at an investor convention this week, stating that it could add ABC channels “with comparatively little friction” ought to they turn into obtainable. In July, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted closely at promoting off among the firm’s linear networks, which embrace ABC, Nationwide Geographic, and FX, whereas making ESPN obtainable as a standalone streaming channel.