Sinclair — one of the larger owners of U.S. television stations — disclosed an 8% stake in smaller rival, E.W. Scripps, opening the door to a deal between the broadcasters and raising questions about the future Detroit station WXYZ-TV .

Both companies have holdings in Michigan, and Channel 7 would be a big prize.

"Who knows for sure if it's going to go through," Tim Kiska , a communications professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, said on Tuesday, Nov. 18. "But Channel 7 has been such an important part of Detroit's cultural landscape."

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