MEDIA & MARKETING

Multimedia Agrees to Merge With Gannett: The $1.7-billion merger of Greenville, S.C.-based Multimedia Inc. and Arlington, Va.-based Gannett would produce one of the nation’s largest media companies. Almost 76% of Multimedia’s shares were voted in favor of the merger at a special meeting, the company said. The deal still requires Federal Communications Commission approval. Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper publisher, would pick up interests in cable television and TV syndication with the purchase. Multimedia publishes 10 daily and 49 non-daily newspapers, but is better known for its TV talk shows that include Phil Donahue, Sally Jessy Rafael and Rush Limbaugh. It also operates the NewsTalk cable-TV channel, has more than 150 cable franchises in five states and owns five TV and two radio stations.