Edwin Thomas Meredith began the company that bears his name at the turn of the 20th century with a single magazine, Successful Farming, that blossomed into a field of 17 other titles.

Now that media giant, the Meredith Corporation, has agreed to sell itself to a competitor, Media General, for $2.4 billion — but on the strength of its television operations.

The merger highlights the consolidation underway within the television industry, an arms race among multiple armies to grow ever bigger. Content providers, station operators and cable companies have all sought to gain negotiating leverage, in large part by combining with peers.

For local broadcasters, that has led to deals like Gannett’s acquisition of the Belo Corporation for $1.5 billion, as well as a flurry of acquisitions by Media General.