Tampa Station Sold to Church of Scientology

Another one bites the dust for traditional Spanish-language broadcasting, and another win is logged for the Church of Scientology’s media arm.

This latest move is echoing their 2024 play in Los Angeles, the Church of Scientology has a purchase agreement to acquire a television station in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market.

According to industry filings, the deal involves WFTT. If this playbook sounds familiar to newsroom insiders, it’s because it’s a carbon copy of the Church’s summer 2024 acquisition of KWHY in Los Angeles. In that deal, Sunset Boulevard Broadcasting—the Church’s broadcasting entity—plunked down $30 million to take over the L.A. independent station, later shifting the call letters to KSCN-TV and turning it into a 24/7 outlet for the Scientology Network.

Now, they’re planting a flag directly in Florida.And the geography isn't subtle: the Tampa-St. Petersburg market covers Clearwater, which serves as the international spiritual headquarters for the organization. For those of us who live near Tampa, we have seen the Church of Scientology buy up many parcels of land and businesses in Clearwater.

For Entravision, which has been shifting and trimming its portfolio amidst a brutal landscape for traditional over-the-air television and shifting ad dollars, offloading another broadcast asset to a well-heeled, non-traditional buyer makes financial sense, even if it leaves local media watchers scratching their heads.

For local viewers, don't expect a traditional morning news wheel, or Tom Cruise anchoring the evening news.