Broadcast

摘要

Expect Nexstar "to be active aggregators" of TV stations "as the year progresses," predicted analysts.nThey said the broadcaster could use as much as $300 million in debt to make purchases withoutnmuch increasing its leverage. "Investors continue to reward the synergies from consolidation," wrotenCredit Suisse's Michael Senno and Ashton Ngwena, in an email to investors Monday. With Sinclairn"likely constrained following its recent activity, and a number of stations still on the market, we expect"nNexstar to make deals this year, they wrote. Sinclair last week agreed to buy Fisher Communications (CDnApril 12 p14). Meredith Corp. meanwhile is seeing "Strength in Broadcasting," read part of the headlinenof a Monday investor note by Benchmark's Edward Atorino. That's "buoyed by increased political advertising,"nthough "economic recovery in some key Meredith markets (e.g. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Portlandn[Ore.]) has lagged," he wrote. "However," TV ad sales "have been picking up across the country in recentnmonths and are expected to show further improvement" this year, said Atorino.