DALLAS, June 9 TX-Belo-ReLaunch-Sale
DALLAS, June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Belo Corp. (NYSE: BLC),
Hearst-Argyle Television (NYSE: HTV) and LIN TV (NYSE: TVL) along with two new
partners, Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) and Post Newsweek Stations
(NYSE: WPO), announced today their participation in the 2008 Media Sales
Academy, a highly successful training program established in 2000 by Belo
Corp., Hearst-Argyle Television and LIN TV, the original founders.
The comprehensive program will be conducted in three phases at Belo's
corporate offices in Dallas, Texas from July 14, 2008 through November 6,
2008. The Media Sales Academy will provide high-level training to
approximately 35 recently hired broadcast sales professionals from each of the
five companies. The core of the curriculum will address the disciplines
necessary in today's multi-platform media environment as well as the
fundamentals of a customer-centric selling approach.
The Academy has produced many outstanding sales professionals over the
years. The sponsoring organizations believe that few assets are more valuable
than a well-trained and motivated sales force.
The group has hired Noll & Associates, an independent group of business
development specialists for television industry clients, to lead the training
sessions.
"Noll and Associates is deeply honored to have been selected to continue
the Academy's rich tradition of excellence. These companies realize that
training is increasingly important in recruiting and developing a diverse
sales force, especially in this competitive local advertising environment,"
said Kennen Williams, President of Noll and Associates.
About Belo
Belo Corp. is one of the nation's largest pure-play publicly-traded
television companies, with annual revenue of approximately $775 million. The
Company owns and operates 20 television stations reaching more than 14 percent
of U.S. television households, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW and MyNetwork
TV affiliates, and their associated Web sites, in 15 highly-attractive markets
across the United States. Belo stations consistently deliver distinguished
journalism for which they have received significant industry recognition
including nine Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton Awards; nine
George Foster Peabody Awards; and 19 national Edward R. Murrow Awards -- all
since 2000, and in each case more than any other commercial station group in
the nation. Nearly all Belo stations rank first or second in their local
market. Belo owns stations in seven of the top 25 markets in the nation, with
six stations located in the fast-growing, top-14 markets of Dallas/Fort Worth,
Houston, Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix. Additionally, the Company has created
regional cable news channels in Texas and the Northwest increasing its impact
in those regions. Additional information is available at http://www.belo.com
or by contacting Paul Fry, vice president/Investor Relations & Corporate
Communications, at 214-977-6835.
About Hearst-Argyle
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. owns 26 television stations, and manages an
additional three television and two radio stations owned by Hearst
Corporation, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The Company's television
stations reach approximately 20 million households, or about 18% of U.S. TV
households, making it one of America's largest television station groups.
Hearst-Argyle owns 12 ABC-affiliated stations, and manages one ABC station
owned by Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group. The
Company also owns 10 NBC affiliates, making it the second-largest NBC
affiliate owner. Hearst-Argyle owns two CBS affiliates. Also, Hearst-Argyle
owns more than 30 Web sites and currently multicasts 18 digital weather
channels and one digital channel carrying CW Network programming. Hearst-
Argyle is an investor in Internet Broadcasting (http://www.ibsys.com), which
operates a nationwide network of local Websites, and Ripe Digital
Entertainment, which provides advertising-supported short-form video content
on various on-demand video platforms. Hearst-Argyle Series A Common Stock
trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HTV." HTV debt is
rated investment grade by Moody's (Baa3), Standard & Poor's (BBB-) and Fitch
(BBB-); Hearst Corporation, Hearst-Argyle's majority owner, is an investor in
Fitch's parent Company. Hearst-Argyle's corporate Web address is
http://www.hearstargyle.com.
About LIN TV
LIN TV Corp., along with its subsidiaries ("LIN TV" or "the Company"), is
a local television and digital media company, owning and/or operating 29
television stations in 17 U.S. markets, all of which are affiliated with a
national broadcast network. LIN TV's highly-rated stations deliver important
local news and community stories, along with top-rated sports and
entertainment programming, to 9% of U.S. television homes, reaching an average
of 10.2 million households per week. LIN TV is also a leader in the
convergence of local broadcast television and the Internet through its
television station web sites and a growing number of local online innovations.
LIN TV is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TVL".
Financial information about the Company is available at http://www.lintv.com.
About Meredith Corporation
Meredith (http://www.meredith.com) is one of the nation's leading media
and marketing companies with businesses centering on magazine and book
publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive
media. The Meredith Publishing Group features 25 subscription magazines -
including Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle,
Parents, American Baby, Fitness and More - and publishes more than 200 special
interest publications under approximately 80 titles. Meredith has more than
400 books in print. Meredith owns 12 television stations, including
properties in top-25 markets Atlanta, Phoenix and Portland, OR. Additionally,
Meredith has an extensive online presence that includes more than 30 Web sites
and two broadband channels - Better.tv and Parents.tv. Meredith Video
Solutions, the company's in-house production unit, creates broadcast quality
video based on Meredith's highly trusted magazine brands for multi-platform
delivery.
Meredith Integrated Marketing has established marketing relationships with
some of America's leading companies. Meredith's consumer database, which
contains approximately 85 million names, is one of the largest domestic
databases among media companies and enables magazine and television
advertisers to conduct precise targeted marketing campaigns. Meredith
publishes five Spanish-language titles, making Meredith the leading publisher
serving Hispanic women in the United States.
About Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc.
Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc. owns and operates WDIV in Detroit, WJXT in
Jacksonville, WKMG in Orlando, WPLG in Miami, KPRC in Houston, and KSAT in San
Antonio. In addition to its broadcast television stations, Post-Newsweek
Stations, Inc. operates LATV digital affiliates in Jacksonville, Orlando,
Miami, Houston, and San Antonio; as well as websites in all of its markets.
Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc. is the broadcast division of the Washington Post
Company (NYSE: WPO).
SOURCE Belo Corp.
