FCC Approves Indianapolis TV Station Sale, Waives Ownership Limit

Circle City Broadcasting to acquire ABC affiliate WRTV in $83 million deal.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The FCC Media Bureau has approved the $83 million sale of ABC affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis from E.W. Scripps to Circle City Broadcasting, waiving the local TV ownership rule that normally limits a single entity to owning no more than two stations in a market.

Why it matters

This deal highlights the ongoing consolidation in the local TV station market, as well as the FCC's willingness to grant waivers to its ownership rules in certain cases. The decision comes as the agency's quadrennial review process has seen calls to eliminate the local TV ownership limit altogether.

The details

Under the terms of the approved sale, Circle City Broadcasting will acquire WRTV and become the owner of three TV stations in the Indianapolis market. The FCC's current rules typically restrict a single entity from owning more than two local TV stations in a single market.

  • The FCC Media Bureau approved the $83 million sale on March 2, 2026.

The players

E.W. Scripps

The media company that previously owned ABC affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis.

Circle City Broadcasting

The company that is acquiring WRTV and will now own three TV stations in the Indianapolis market.

FCC Media Bureau

The division of the Federal Communications Commission that approved the sale and waived the local TV ownership limit.

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What’s next

The sale of WRTV to Circle City Broadcasting is expected to close in the coming weeks, pending final regulatory approvals.

The takeaway

This deal highlights the FCC's willingness to grant waivers to its local TV ownership rules as the media landscape continues to evolve, with potential implications for further industry consolidation.