If you live in the southern parts of the Milwaukee TV market, you may be able to get a few of the Chicago TV stations to watch over the air. On a clear day, if you are station jumping on the A.M. dial, you may also pick up a radio outlet or two south of our border.

In traveling, you may have a different connection with the Chicago Tribune in the media age before the internet.

For me, my connection was probably similar to many of you that may have been an early cable or satellite household, and you’ve caught a few hours of programming on the Tribune-owned WGN. As a child, I remember catching Chicago Cubs daytime games on WGN before Wrigley Field had lights. It was a summer double-header some nights where I could watch Harry Carry with the call for the Cubs and then catch a Brewers game on then Super 18.

I don’t catch him that often, but an old college friend, Sean Lewis, anchors some newscasts on WGN, and it is a nice trip down memory lane when I see the UW-Milwaukee graduate on the screen.

Now, depending on approval from the FCC, a deal may bring the Chicago Tribune connection much closer to home.

On Monday, the once-bankrupt Tribune Company announced that is has reached an agreement to purchase 19 TV stations from Local TV Holdings, LLC. The $2.725 billion deal will include stations in 16 markets, including WITI-TV Fox 6 in Milwaukee.

"Since joining Tribune in early 2013, we have been setting the strategic foundation to transform Tribune and help chart the path forward—building our multimedia capabilities and asset portfolio to become the country’s leading independent content creator and distributor," Peter Liguori, Tribune’s president and chief executive officer, said in a release.

"This is a transformational acquisition for Tribune — it makes us the No. 1 local TV affiliate group in America, expands the distribution platform for our high-quality video content, and extends the reach of our digital products to new audiences across the country."

It’s too early to tell what the change in ownership may mean to the station, which broadcasts from Brown Deer. Little changed on air when WITI was sold by Fox to the group of investors with Local TV Holdings, LLC.

"Local TV and Tribune have had a long, successful relationship over the last five years. Our cultures and operating philosophies are very similar, and we share a strong commitment to news and local programming excellence, said Local TV Holdings CEO Bobby Lawrence.

"My management team will dearly miss working with some of the most talented and dedicated people in broadcasting, but we know we leave our employees in good hands. I am grateful to our partners at Oak Hill Capital, who acquired the finest stations in the industry and helped us build this great company."

Tribune’s ownership of local TV stations will grow to 42 stations if the deal is finalized. The group will include 14 CW affiliates, 14 Fox affiliates, 5 CBS affiliates, 3 ABC affiliates, 2 NBC affiliates and 4 independents.

See more at about the deal at Tribune.com.

This latest move follows some other high-profile broadcast purchase. Gannett, which owns "USA Today" and a number of daily newspapers in Wisconsin) has made a move to purchase TV stations owned by Belo. That deal would give Gannett 43 stations. And Media General and Young Broadcasting may merge, giving that group 30 stations.

The benefits, besides additional revenue streams, is that these groups can have influence when working carriage deals with cable providers, programming deals with syndication companies and broadcasting deals with networks.