• by Wayne Friedman , April 7, 2014

Dollar volume for broadcast TV and radio station mergers and acquisitions climbed nearly 40% in the first quarter of 2014 versus the same time period the year before. SNL Kagan says broadcast TV and radio station deal-making totaled $3.65 billion versus $2.68 billion.

Looking at TV alone, total volume was $3.33 billion versus $2.55 billion. The largest deal was the merger between Media General and Lin Media, valued at $2.6 billion.

The overall average TV station price was $31.1 million in the first quarter, where some 107 TV stations were sold.  The average selling multiple for a TV station was 8.9 times cash flow; it was 8.2 in the first quarter of 2013.

Radio deal volume was at $330 million -- more than double its $135 million level of the first quarter of 2013.

The top deal was the $131.0 million sale of YMF’s Media New York's WBLS-FM/WLIB-AM to Emmis Communications. The next largest deal was a $74.0 million sale of ten stations from South Central Communications to SummitMedia.

In the period, 202 radio stations were sold for an average $1.6 million. The average selling multiple for a radio station in the first quarter was 7.5 times cash flow versus 7.0 times cash flow in the first quarter of 2013.