The Sinclair Broadcast Group may not have much name recognition outside its home base near Baltimore, but the company is poised to cover most of the country’s television households.

Sinclair is near a deal to buy Tribune Media, people briefed on the matter said on Sunday, as it seeks to expand its empire of local television stations after rule changes by the Federal Communications Commission.

A deal between the companies, expected to be announced as soon as Monday morning, would cement Sinclair’s status as a growing power in the broadcast industry. The company, whose 173 properties already make it the largest owner of local stations in the United States, emerged from a field of potential bidders that included 21st Century Fox and the Nexstar Media Group.

Sinclair was expected to pay just under $44 a share, some of those briefed on the matter said, valuing Tribune at about $3.8 billion. Details were being ironed out as of Sunday afternoon, and the talks could still collapse.