Block Communications Inc. announced on Monday an agreement to acquire MetroCast Mississippi, a rural cable system that provides cable television, telephone and Internet services to more than 45,000 residential and business customers in 16 Mississippi counties.
The deal, which is expected to close by the end of the year, is subject to franchise transfer approval by local municipalities and possibly other agencies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
MetroCast Mississippi is a subsidiary of Harron Communications, LP, of Frazer, Pa., a cable television operator that operates systems in nine states.
MetroCast Mississippi serves customers throughout a 200-mile territory, including Calhoun County, Oxford, Starkville, Kosciusko, Carthage, Holly Springs, Philadelphia, Booneville, Raleigh, Iuka, Louisville, Houston, Decatur, Pontotoc, Forest and New Albany.
As of March 31, MetroCast has a service area of 100,000, including 61,000 primary service units. Primary service units include video, high-speed data, or residential telephone customers. Some customers receive all three services.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to have another family-owned, customer-oriented company who has enjoyed a long history in the communications industry like Block Communications acquire our Mississippi systems,” said James J. Bruder Jr., chairman and CEO of Harron Communications.
Historically, the acquisition marks the first business investment in the South for the Block family, owners of Block Communications, in 88 years.
In 1921, Mr. Block’s grandfather, Paul Block, purchased the Memphis News-Scimitar newspaper, whose coverage area extended into Mississippi.
Block News Alliance consists of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Blade of Toledo, Ohio. Jon Chavez is a reporter for The Blade.
