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Nexstar is in big, big trouble now and they know what they are doing because in recent years, they have bought tons of local stations across the country from Tribune, other companies and the CW Network and because of this, they’ve put themselves over the 39% ownership limit set by the FCC but they are very greedy business owners.

Interesting that Nexstar claims that Mission Broadcasting is somehow an independent entity when the CEO of Nexstar's son was hired as a sports reporter!

You can skip ahead to the end, but the FCC has some bad news for Nexstar regarding WPIX. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-34A1.pdf

Caught a promo earlier today celebrating Chuck Scarborough anchoring the news on WNBC for 50 years. Seems NBC4 has a lot planned next week. More info is on the station’s website: nbcnewyork.com/chuck

In hindsight, the fact that the KAZT/Phoenix deal was a time brokerage agreement and not a sidecar sale with an LMA is a pretty big clue that Nexstar knew the FCC was looking at the WPIX situation seriously and may have been aware this kind of proposed punishment was in the realm of possibilities. It is now a waiting game until March 31 to see if the Mission purchase of WADL/Detroit gets blown up. Whatever happens with WPIX and WADL, the real winners are lawyers getting lots of billable hours.

The ruling has a direct effect on this deal. Since Nexstar doesn't own any stations in Detroit, the FCC has just ruled that this deal would put Nexstar even more over the ownership cap then it already had been with PIX11.

All the stations that Nexstar and Mission own in the other markets have been ruled to effectively be duopolies. Are any of these now in violation of the existing (if relaxed) duopoly rules?

Phil Mattingly was named Chief Domestic Correspondent: https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/cnn-phil-mattingly-chief-domestic-correspondent-1235924781/

Definitely updated and expanded article including the reason the FCC views WPIX differently: no other Nexstar stations in the DMA 1.

Just what is Nexstar's current coverage percentage, anyway?

NYC market is 6ish% of the country, and WPIX transmits on VHF, so there is no 50% UHF discount (which is dumb in the digital world because PSIP and transmitter frequency are no longer tied and UHF signals perform better than VHF with digital transmission) So, the answer is variable, depending on their strategy to get as close to the cap as possible, but if they divest from the smallest markets they own, it would be a decent number. That's assuming every appeal goes poorly for them, the FCC makeup doesn't change due to a change in which party is in the White House, and ownership rules don't change during the appeals process. Also, this is a notice of apparent liability. So, in theory, the FCC could change its mind. Don't hold your breath, is all I'm saying.

FCC has rules Mission (Nexstar) must sell PIX11 within a year. Nexstar has been fined as well for essentially being over the ownership limit. If Nexstar wants to keep the station they’ll need to sell others to stay under the cap. Good to see this side car crap finally got called out https://www.nexttv.com/news/fcc-orders-mission-to-sell-wpix-fines-nexstar-dollar18-million

A shorter summary: https://www.nexttv.com/news/fcc-orders-mission-to-sell-wpix-fines-nexstar-dollar18-million

Kelly Costa posted on social media that she was offered to relocate to NYC and stay with FOX Weather, but she turned it down and hinted that she will be returning to New England and working at a station in her home state. Stay tuned

Especially making them give up their legacy news titles (both were Eyewitness News before, and they are now 13 News and 10TV News respectively).

Welcome to TEGNA -- They've screwed a slew of legacy stations over, including WTHR and WBNS to name a few...

Seems as though there’s something foul in the air at THE NEWS STATION (WNEP) as a wave of departures have hit recently. A few months back, popular meteorologist John Hickey abruptly left mid-contract to go into the private sector to continue doing work in weather, mentioning on a video podcast things were not going well behind the scenes and it was time to go. Claire Alfree left to go to the TEGNA duopoly in Jacksonville in January. This week it was announced reporter Amanda Eustice is leaving the station after 4 years. Meteorologist Valerie Smock left Montage Mountain to go work in downtown Wilkes-Barre at WBRE/WYOU. And whispers abound that at least 3 more departures are coming in the next few weeks. You don’t typically see a whole lot of turnover at NEP, as you more often than not see folks there 10+ years at minimum. It’s why the viewership is as rock solid as it’s been. But these past few months have been a whirlwind, and it really makes you wonder just how bad TEGNA has screwed this legacy station up.