Northstar Media acquires UVM Broadcast Assets

Azteca International Corporation (AIC) and Northstar Media, LLC (Northstar) announced the consummation of a transaction resulting in the transfer of control and reorganization of the television broadcast licensee subsidiaries of Una Vez Mas, LP (UVM). Pursuant to the agreements among the parties and the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, UVM transferred all of its equity and voting interests in the television broadcast licensee subsidiaries to Northstar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jericho Partners LLC. As owner of the former UVM full-service, low power, and Class A television stations, Northstar is now the largest U.S. affiliate group of AIC’s Azteca America television network. UVM’s remaining non-broadcast operations were merged into Stations Group LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AIC.

AIC and Northstar reported that the long standing Azteca America affiliation relationship that has brought alternative Spanish-language programming to viewers in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Maryland, and Florida will continue as Northstar and AIC have entered into a new station affiliation agreement under which AIC will provide Azteca America network programming for a substantial part of the broadcast days for each of Northstar’s television stations. Stations Group has also entered into a services agreement with Northstar to support Northstar’s operations. Northstar’s thirty broadcast licensees bring Spanish language programming to viewers in nine states and include the licensees of full-power television stations in the San Francisco, Dallas, and Houston markets.

“We are pleased to begin this new chapter of Azteca America with Northstar,” said Martin Breidspecher, AIC’s Chief Executive Officer. “And we are confident that Northstar will be able to successfully build on the foundation established by UVM.”

“For Northstar, this transaction represents an exciting opportunity for our management team to be engaged in the broadcast industry at the operational level,” added Mike Jahrmarkt, the Managing Member of Northstar. “Over the years, our team members have been actively engaged in financing broadcast assets and to have an active role in broadcast and to contribute to the delivery of diverse programming targeted to Hispanic homes as the Hispanic and Latino population continues to grow in the U.S. we believe will be particularly rewarding.”