Hearst Broadcasting and the Baltimore Ravens signed a new five year extension of their partnership today. The agreement makes WBAL-TV 11, 98 Rock and WBAL-AM, the official home of the Baltimore Ravens for the next five seasons. WBAL-TV is the official home of the Baltimore Ravens Pre-season telecasts, and WBAL Plus carries exclusive Ravens programming 5-days-a-week, starting in the pre-season, through the play-offs every year. Both 98 Rock and WBAL-AM carry the broadcast for every pre-season and regular season game.
"On behalf of the entire Ravens Organization, we are extremely pleased to have extended our partnership with Hearst Broadcasting," said Mark Burdette, Ravens Vice President of Corporate Sales and Development. "WBAL-TV 11, paired with WBAL Plus, 98 Rock and WBAL-AM help us to reach our fans across the state. Their combination of on-air talent, led by consummate professional Gerry Sandusky, has reached a friendly, fun and informative level with no comparison in the market. Our fans recognize all of these stations as the Home of the Ravens, and allow us to build on the exciting promotions and marketing efforts we have created over the years," he added.
Ed Kiernan, Vice President and General Manager of WIYY/98 ROCK and 1090/WBAL Radio, echoed the sentiment saying, "We are honored to renew a long term agreement with the #1 franchise in the NFL. I'm particularly proud of our outstanding play by play announcers Gerry Sandusky, Stan White and Qadry Ismail. This new contract reflects our true partnership."
WBAL-TV General Manager, Dan Joerres, said, "This is Ravens Territory and our mission is to bring the Ravens Broadcast Team into the homes of all Ravens fans week in and week out. Our collective broadcast properties enjoy a unique partnership with one of the strongest NFL franchises in America. We are thrilled about the next 5 years and equally excited about the upcoming playoffs."
WBAL-TV 11 is the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland, owned by Hearst Television Inc. Hearst Television, a national multi-media company, owns and operates 29 local television stations and two local radio stations (WIYY FM and WBAL-AM), serving 30 U.S. cities and reaching approximately 18% of U.S. television households. The TV stations broadcast 60 video channels, featuring local and national news, weather, information, sports and entertainment programming, and local community service-oriented programs. The stations also host and operate digital on-line and mobile platforms that extend the company's brands and content to local, national and international audiences. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies, and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Corporation. The Company's Web address is **www.hearsttelevision.com**.
