As part of the deal, LBI Media will acquire broadcast licenses, station assets, real property leases and other assets from Mapale LLC, partially owned by Colombia’s Caracol TV.
WGEN will begin broadcasting EstrellaTV network as of March 1, 2018.
EstrellaTV programming currently airs on LBI’s O&O low power WVFW-LD. It was previously available on a WSVN digital multicast channel.
The move to WGEN will give Estrella TV greater audience reach.
“Miami is a great step in our expansion and demonstrates the popularity of our programming strategy,” says Lenard Liberman, CEO, LBI Media, Inc. “We are responding to this increased demand by making our network stronger and more available wherever possible.”
LBI Media will be hiring its own staff to handle operations and local sales in Miami. On a national spot level, LBI Media’s in-house rep firm, helmed by Jason Hall, will represent WGEN.
The company plans to have facilities in the Doral area to handle local production for clients and is looking at the possibility of producing local news at a later time.