Cox Media Group
U.S. mainstream local broadcast
Background
Cox Media Group traces its roots to 1898, when Ohio governor and newspaper publisher James M. Cox purchased the Dayton Evening News. Cox Enterprises expanded into radio in 1935 and television in the 1940s, building a diversified family-owned media empire over the following decades. In December 2008, Cox Enterprises consolidated its newspaper, radio, and television holdings into a single entity called Cox Media Group. In 2019, Cox Enterprises sold a controlling stake to private equity firm Apollo Global Management; the deal closed in December 2019, with Cox Enterprises retaining roughly 29 percent. Under Apollo, CMG shed most of its newspaper properties and refocused on broadcasting, operating roughly 15 television brands across 9 markets and nearly 50 radio stations in 10 markets. In March 2025, Apollo was reported to be exploring a sale of Cox Media Group — valued at approximately $4 billion — with Nexstar Media Group and Gray Media among the interested buyers; no completed transaction was confirmed as of September 2026. Because CMG's stations are local broadcast affiliates rather than cable news or opinion outlets, the group does not carry a strong ideological identity at the corporate level, though its coverage priorities and tone vary by market.
Sources
- Cox Media Group – Wikipedia
- Cox Enterprises Announces Close of Cox Media Group Sale to Apollo Global Management – PR Newswire
- Apollo Global Buys Majority Stake in Cox TV Stations – Variety
- Apollo Global Weighs Sale of Cox Media Group; Nexstar, Gray Among Interested Parties – The Desk
- Report: Cox Media Group Owner Exploring $4B Sale – Radio Ink
- Cox Enterprises Company History
Profile compiled 2026-09-16; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.