The FCC today announced that it has granted two related deals that will permit the continuance of a CBS-NBC duopoly in Meridian, Miss., the 186^th ranked TV market.

CBS affiliate WMDN has been operating crosstown NBC affiliate WGBC under an LMA since 1995.

The owners of both stations asked the FCC last August for permission to sell the stations in two separate deals.

In the first, the estate of Frank Spain is selling WMDN to Meridian Media, owned by Wade and Sharlyn Threadgill of Austin, Texas, for $5.8 million.

In the second, Robert Ledbetter is selling WGBC to Michael Reed of Austin, Texas, for $700,000.

Assuming the LMA is extended, Meridian Media will end up running both stations in tandem.

The Frank Spain estate also owns a controlling interest in WTVA, the NBC affiliate serving Tupelo-Columbus-WestPoint, Miss. (DMA 132).