Pappas Telecasting terminates Azteca America affiliation.

Pappas Telecasting Companies announced that it has terminated its affiliation agreements with the Azteca America Network in all markets. The stations and Designated Market Areas (DMAs) affected are KAZH-TV (Houston), KTNC-TV (San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose and Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto), KAZR-CA (Reno), KAZO-LP (Omaha), and KAZJ-LP/KAZS-LP (Sioux City, Iowa). As of June 30, 2007, Azteca America programming will cease on these stations.

Not included in the termination is Pappas Telecasting-owned KAZA-TV (Los Angeles), Azteca America’s flagship station in the number-one Hispanic DMA in the United States, currently operated by Azteca America under a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA). The LMA expires June 30, 2008, or may be terminated on six months’ notice by Pappas upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.

Harry J. Pappas, Chairman and CEO of Pappas Telecasting, said, “Our company has affiliated various stations with the Azteca America Network during the course of the last six years. During that period, the Azteca America Network’s programming has not developed and ratings have not grown as we had expected. We are choosing amongst various other options for programming on these stations, to begin July 1, 2007.”