Indianapolis television is in for a shakeup. The Federal Communications Commission has cleared the way for the owner of WISH‑TV to acquire WRTV, the city’s ABC affiliate, in an $83 million deal that would put three local broadcast outlets under a single locally based company. The sign off removes a major regulatory hurdle to a sale first announced last October and brings the transaction a step closer to the finish line, while viewers and media watchers start gaming out what the consolidation could mean for newsrooms and programming.
As reported by the Indianapolis Business Journal, the FCC’s Media Bureau signed off on consent to assign WRTV’s license on March 2, 2026. That action clears the regulatory obstacle that had been holding up the transaction and allows the buyer to move toward closing once other conditions are satisfied.
Federal filings show the assignment application (file number 0000284262) was originally submitted on Dec. 8, 2025 and included a request for a waiver of the commission’s multiple‑ownership rules, according to the FCC. The FCC tracker FCC.today also lists the WRTV assignment as granted this week, a public signal of the Media Bureau’s consent.
Sale price and seller’s rationale
The E.W. Scripps Company and Circle City Broadcasting first announced the $83 million agreement on Oct. 28, 2025. Scripps said the sale will help reduce debt and reshape its local‑station portfolio, according to an E.W. Scripps Company press release. The company described the transaction as part of a broader corporate strategy and noted that customary regulatory approvals would be required before closing.
What it means for local TV
If the deal closes, Circle City would add WRTV to stations it already operates in Indianapolis, a combination that would place WRTV alongside WISH‑TV and WNDY under one locally based owner. Circle City Broadcasting lists WISH and WNDY among its brands, and the purchase is part of a wider trend of station consolidation that national outlets say has accelerated after recent court and regulatory developments, as reported by The Washington Post.
Next steps and timetable
The companies say the sale still has to clear the usual closing conditions, including financing and corporate approvals, before it can be consummated. Scripps noted in its SEC filings that closings will follow regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Investors and industry watchers will be keeping an eye out for a consummation notice and for any staffing or operational plans that Circle City files with regulators…