Heartland Media made its first acquisition in 2013, when it acquired NBC affiliate WKTV in Utica, New York from Smith Media, which was the company's remaining television property. This was followed by the 2014 acquisition of Oregon-based Chambers Communications Corporation and its stations, KEZI in Eugene and KDRV in Medford, as well as the latter's satellite station in Klamath Falls, KDKF. Later
that year, Heartland also acquired NBC affiliate WTVA in Tupelo, Mississippi, along with WTVA's shared services agreement with West Point-based Fox affiliate WLOV-TV (owned by Coastal Television). In 2015, Heartland would acquire CBS affiliate KHSL-TV in Chico, California from GOCOM Media, LLC, in a deal that also concurrently saw the station's LMA partner, NBC affiliate KNVN, sold by K4 Media Holdings to Maxair Media, LLC, with KHSL selling up to 15 percent of KNVN's advertising time. On August 26, 2016, Heartland agreed to acquire ABC affiliate WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama from Calkins Media as that company is selling the rest of its television stations to Raycom Media, who already owns WAFF in the market. Acquisition of stations from Nexstar-Media General
On June 13, 2016, Heartland Media announced its acquisition of five small-market stations owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and Media General for $115 million.[1] The stations are being sold to allow Nexstar to comply with FCC ownership rules as part of its acquisition of Media General, particularly in regards to national market coverage and rules forbidding duopolies in these markets, which are amongst the smallest in the United States. Stations being acquired by Heartland as part of the deal are:
CBS affiliates WLFI-TV in Lafayette, Indiana, WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana, and KIMT in Mason City, Iowa, all owned by Media General; in Terre Haute, Nexstar already owns NBC affiliate WTWO and operates ABC affiliate WAWV-TV, owned by Mission Broadcasting. Fox affiliate WFFT-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana, owned by Nexstar who plans to acquire Media General's CBS affiliate, WANE-TV. Joseph, Missouri, owned by Nexstar. The deal was consummated upon the approval of Nexstar's merger with Media General on January 17.
