Jump to content

Update: Tribune to acquire Local TV for 2.75 billion


Jterry

Recommended Posts

Well' date=' Cox [i']is[/i] supposedly looking to move into DMAs larger than the ones it's exiting [Johnstown/Altoona, Wheeling/Steubenville, El Paso, Reno], and Kansas City is certainly larger than any of those. Also, Cox doesn't already own stations in any of the markets that Local TV's in, so if Cox wanted to go on a shopping spree, it could.

 

Belo, on the other hand, already ownn stations in St. Louis and Hampton Roads (Norfolk/Portsmouth). Is Belo in a buying mood, though?

I mentioned that yesterday, but I don't think they'll take any of those stations. Look below:

 

I don't think Belo would be at any interest of any of the Local TV LLC stations. Belo have stated earlier that they could be willing to expand their TV portfolio "as they make sense". I think Belo is eyeing those Griffin stations (KWTV/KOTV) in Oklahoma. Should the Griffin family is ready to get out of the business, Belo should be the #1 contender for those properties. Belo already owned KOTV prior to 2000.

__________

 

The only group I didn't mention on the list is of course Tribune Broadcasting, which is obviously in St. Louis & Denver. Notice when the restructuring company was consummated on the last day of 2012, KPLR & WGNO/WNOL's licensee titles haven't changed to an LLC title (i.e. KPLR, LLC or Tribune Broadcasting of New Orleans, LLC). That could be a sign that they could be in a process of selling (and I say it very loosely). I think Tribune could get KDVR, but sell off its St. Louis properties. And since this company is eyeing the big markets, Cox could very well be a lucrative buyer in a few of those markets. Cox could use Bayshore to get KPLR, since both stations (along with KTVI) are within the top-4 highest rated stations. Since they already bought the Tulsa duopoly (KOKI/KMYT), they could very well get KFOR/KAUT in OKC on the fly. Other stations Cox should get is Kansas City, Salt Lake City & Cleveland.

To re-iterate what I said, this could be Cox's time to shine on here. Already acquiring Tulsa, Oklahoma City would be a great fit for Cox. See Cox also wants to be clustered up, just like its clustered up on the radio side in Florida. And it would not be a good fit to break up sister stations WDAF & KTVI on either side of Missouri. I also suggest Salt Lake City, since that's close to its big station in Oakland, and celebrating 50 years of ownership, KTVU; and Cleveland, since they wouldn't be so far from another longtime market, Dayton.

 

So again I'm speculating the following:

  • Cox with KFOR/KAUT, WDAF, KTVI/KPLR (KPLR through Bayshore), KSTU & WJW
  • Media General with WTKR/WGNT, WTVR & WHNT
  • Tribune with KDVR to join with KWGN
  • Meredith with WHO & WREG (but I would also be shocked if Journal take WREG)
  • And I'm at a toss up between Cox & Tribune for WNEP but I'm going to change it to Cox or LIN for WNEP. Tribune could also probably get rid of the NOLA stations too and keep its focus in the top markets. Plus those two groups (Cox & LIN) don't have cosmetic standardizations, as of right now.
  • I'm also at a toss-up of who should get WGHP. I also have strong doubt that Fox is coming back to channel 8 or any of the former markets for that matter. I thought of two groups. The first is Meredith, since they already have a station south of the Piedmont, in Greenville, SC. WHNS Fox Carolina. The second group is the one Fox is getting in Charlotte. I dunno if Capitol want WGHP. But they probably have to do some more heavy lifting at WGHP, then at WJZY/WMYT.
  • And I'm at a toss-up between Trib & LIN for WITI. WITI is close to Chi-Town so my heart goes for the Tribune. Then maybe Time Warner can pipe in a special feed of WGN so Milwaukee folks can see all of the WGN's newscasts and not on the WGN America feed which shows only a 1/4 of the newscasts. Okay I'm exaggerating. But LIN has done well for WLUK in Green Bay, they should sprinkle some magic at WITI.
  • For WQAD, I know they have nearby stations in the adjacents, but I dunno if Quincy (Newspapers) is that eager to add another station in their portfolio.
  • And if none of those groups mentioned for WQAD, that plus KFSM/KXNW should be joined by one of those newly formed groups Alchemedia or Huntington. But the best bet is the groups that's already operating now. But it better not be one of those groups or these "Spectrum Speculators" that are willing to give up the spectrum for those incentive auctions late next year like LocusPoint, NRJ or OTA Broadcasting. They are also on a buying spree in a worst way. Sinclair already sold WLWC to OTA Broadcasting, owned by Michael Dell from that namesake CPU manufacturer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 402
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I mentioned that yesterday, but I don't think they'll take any of those stations. Look below:

 

 

To re-iterate what I said, this could be Cox's time to shine on here. Already acquiring Tulsa, Oklahoma City would be a great fit for Cox. See Cox also wants to be clustered up, just like its clustered up on the radio side in Florida. And it would not be a good fit to break up sister stations WDAF & KTVI on either side of Missouri. I also suggest Salt Lake City, since that's close to its big station in Oakland, and celebrating 50 years of ownership, KTVU; and Cleveland, since they wouldn't be so far to Dayton.

It would also make sense for Cox to get those stations as the company does own cable systems in three markets where Local TV owns stations (Norfolk, Oklahoma City and Cleveland, they also have a system in Junction City, KS but I think that's more part of the Topeka market than Kansas City), the company was the first to take advantage of the 2003 law that lifted the ban on TV station-cable system crossownership, when they bought KOKI-KMYT (then again Cox is practially the only company out there that owns both broadcast stations and cable systems in the same portfolio, in addition to their print and radio outlets).

 

Though in the Tulsa and Jacksonville cases, Cox had more incentive to expand there due to it owning radio stations in those markets. So if they wanted the stations, Cox would have two grounds to do so: the existence of the company's sister cable operations in a few of the prospective markets as well as their refocusing of their station portfolio to large and mid-size markets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mentioned that yesterday, but I don't think they'll take any of those stations. Look below:

 

 

To re-iterate what I said, this could be Cox's time to shine on here. Already acquiring Tulsa, Oklahoma City would be a great fit for Cox. See Cox also wants to be clustered up, just like its clustered up on the radio side in Florida. And it would not be a good fit to break up sister stations WDAF & KTVI on either side of Missouri. I also suggest Salt Lake City, since that's close to its big station in Oakland, and celebrating 50 years of ownership, KTVU; and Cleveland, since they wouldn't be so far from another longtime market, Dayton.

 

So again I'm speculating the following:

  • Cox with KFOR/KAUT, WDAF, KTVI/KPLR (KPLR through Bayshore), KSTU & WJW
  • Media General with WTKR/WGNT, WTVR & WHNT
  • Tribune with KDVR to join with KWGN
  • Meredith with WHO & WREG (but I would also be shocked if Journal take WREG)
  • And I'm at a toss up between Cox & Tribune for WNEP but I'm going to change it to Cox or LIN for WNEP. Tribune could also probably get rid of the NOLA stations too and keep its focus in the top markets. Plus those two groups (Cox & LIN) don't have cosmetic standardizations, as of right now.
  • I'm also at a toss-up of who should get WGHP. I also have strong doubt that Fox is coming back to channel 8 or any of the former markets for that matter. I thought of two groups. The first is Meredith, since they already have a station south of the Piedmont, in Greenville, SC. WHNS Fox Carolina. The second group is the one Fox is getting in Charlotte. I dunno if Capitol want WGHP. But they probably have to do some more heavy lifting at WGHP, then at WJZY/WMYT.
  • And I'm at a toss-up between Trib & LIN for WITI. WITI is close to Chi-Town so my heart goes for the Tribune. Then maybe Time Warner can pipe in a special feed of WGN so Milwaukee folks can see all of the WGN's newscasts and not on the WGN America feed which shows only a 1/4 of the newscasts. Okay I'm exaggerating. But LIN has done well for WLUK in Green Bay, they should sprinkle some magic at WITI.
  • For WQAD, I know they have nearby stations in the adjacents, but I dunno if Quincy (Newspapers) is that eager to add another station in their portfolio.
  • And if none of those groups mentioned for WQAD, that plus KFSM/KXNW should be joined by one of those newly formed groups Alchemedia or Huntington. But the best bet is the groups that's already operating now. But it better not be one of those groups that are willing to give up the spectrum like LocusPoint, NRJ or OTA Broadcasting. They are also on a buying spree in a worst way.

Best analysis of everything relating to the sale. WGHP is literally the trickiest one of the bunch. I don't know if Capitol is willing to go buy a TV station in Greensboro after just selling off there two stations in Charlotte.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buying back WGHP is not going to happen. As much as that would be a great deal, the way that Charlotte is, I don't think they want a newscast coming in from the Triad for the FOX O&O. That sounds like a short term solution and nothing else for WJZY/WMYT. Even though its been discussed in other threads, they might just end up using the SPEEDCenter to get up and going unless FOX is willing to put capital in.

It will if Fox is serious about airing newscasts on WJZY/WMYT. WGHP can provide something Speed Center cannot and that is talent that has experience covering North Carolina.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know that they would.

 

However, to play devil's advocate: the reason they sold off the New World and other stations was primarily to garner liquid capital to assist at the time of their purchase of Dow Jones. Now that the Dow Jones acquisition is long since in the rear-view mirror, they may decide that some of those stations have some additional growth potential back under their management.

 

Or, they might decide that additional local stations might assist with marketing or operations in areas where FOX has a strong local sports emphasis (areas where they have a FSN station, for instance). Or, somewhat related, they may think that the stations somehow could dovetail into the FOX cable sports restructuring.

 

I'm just shooting out a few ideas here... it could be simply that the price Local TV wants is less than the price that FOX originally sold the stations for, and they might think it's a good value play. *shrug*

The original deal was made before the Bear Stearns collapse, which led to a massive economic collapse and subsequent recession. In retrospect, it was a phenomenal deal for Fox, and a horrible deal for LocalTV. They'll be lucky to get back just a portion of that money back, they know it, and Fox knows it.

 

People are also not noticing a little deal that Fox made back in December. They bought SportsTime Ohio, an RSN that holds the rights to Cleveland Indians games, from the family of Indians owner Larry Dolan. For now, that RSN is still being run out of WKYC's studio complex. WKYC helped get STO up-and-running, plus provided some on-air talent, and is the OTA rights holder for Indians games (simulcast with STO) through this upcoming season.

 

It's a big deal because TimeWarner Cable - the dominant cable op in the region - was perceived as the front-runner until Fox made their bid.

 

But STO will eventually need a new home as they will have to decouple from the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Conventional wisdom suggests that STO merges into Fox Sports Ohio's facilities, with the rights to Indians games being transferred to FSO, and that's that.

 

However, I don't think that's going to be the case. The Dolans set up STO as a hyper-local RSN built around the Indians. Not dissimilar from how SportSouth was created (and which Fox has kept as an autonomous RSN alongside the other RSNs in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, etc.). Heavy on the Indians, plus ancillary Browns programming, OHSAA high school sports, area collegiate sports, and the like. Plus they will likely get ancillary Cavaliers and Blue Jackets programming to complement FSO's coverage of both teams.

 

STO will need a talent pool, as I can't see WKYC's top talent like Jim Donovan staying on board. STO may need a home if Fox decides not to move it into the FSO facilities. They will probably need an OTA simulcast for Indians games, because I doubt WKYC will want to air "Fox" branded games beyond this season (STO's Indians games presentation became "Fox"-ified this past Sunday).

 

WJW can provide all three. Move STO to WJW's behemoth of a facility on South Marginal, where it becomes a 'virtual duopoly' (and compensate somewhat for the lack of an actual Fox/My duopoly). WJW's talent can cross over into STO's land, and vice versa. And returning OTA rights to Indians games to WJW (they held the rights throughout the 1960s and 1970s, up until 1980) would be a good complement to the national Fox MLB broadcasts and attractive on many levels.

 

It's a crazy idea, but it's crazy enough to actually work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The original deal was made before the Bear Stearns collapse, which led to a massive economic collapse and subsequent recession. In retrospect, it was a phenomenal deal for Fox, and a horrible deal for LocalTV. They'll be lucky to get back just a portion of that money back, they know it, and Fox knows it.

 

People are also not noticing a little deal that Fox made back in December. They bought SportsTime Ohio, an RSN that holds the rights to Cleveland Indians games, from the Dolan family. For now, that RSN is still being run out of WKYC's studio complex. WKYC helped get STO up-and-running, plus provided some on-air talent, and is the OTA rights holder for Indians games (simulcast with STO) through this upcoming season.

 

It's a big deal because TimeWarner Cable - the dominant cable op in the region - was perceived as the front-runner until Fox made their bid.

 

But STO will eventually need a new home as they will have to decouple from the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Conventional wisdom suggests that STO merges into Fox Sports Ohio's facilities, with the rights to Indians games being transferred to FSO, and that's that.

 

However, I don't think that's going to be the case. The Dolans set up STO as a hyper-local RSN built around the Indians. Not dissimilar from how SportSouth was created (and which Fox has kept as an autonomous RSN alongside the other RSNs in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, etc.). Heavy on the Indians, plus ancillary Browns programming, OHSAA high school sports, area collegiate sports, and the like. Plus they will likely get ancillary Cavaliers and Blue Jackets programming to complement FSO's coverage of both teams.

 

STO will need a talent pool, as I can't see WKYC's top talent like Jim Donovan staying on board. STO may need a home if Fox decides not to move it into the FSO facilities. They will probably need an OTA simulcast for Indians games, because I doubt WKYC will want to air "Fox" branded games beyond this season (STO's Indians games presentation became "Fox"-ified this past Sunday).

 

WJW can provide all three. Move STO to WJW's behemoth of a facility on South Marginal, where it becomes a 'virtual duopoly' (and compensate somewhat for the lack of an actual Fox/My duopoly). WJW's talent can cross over into STO's land, and vice versa. And returning OTA rights to Indians games to WJW (they held the rights throughout the 1960s and 1970s, up until 1980) would be a good complement to the national Fox MLB broadcasts and attractive on many levels.

 

It's a crazy idea, but it's crazy enough to actually work.

FOX Sports North moved into their new facility late last year and despite having a FOX O&O in Minneapolis, neither share a building (Don't know about talent). With a few exceptions here and there, most FSN's are run/housed separately from FOX O&O's in the same market. THere are a few articles out there discussing the purchase of STO by FOX and from the articles, it would seem that FOX intends to keep STO separate from FS Ohio. Yes, they will share a website and some resources, but that is the case with all FSN's. The good thing about FOX acquiring tv rights to professional sports teams is that they really invest in the product. FOX Sports launched an RSN here in San Diego, and I can tell you that a crapload of money has been poured into this operation. From brand new studios (set designed and built by the same company that did the FOX national sports studio), to all new equipment and production truck- FOX has not been cheap with FOX Sports San Diego.

 

Edit: Also, KTXA shows Texas Rangers games OTA and the only difference is that there is no FOX logo during televised games on TXA 21 (and they are owned by CBS). The same can be done with WKYC, and it would not be problematic since WKYC isn't owned by NBC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FOX Sports North moved into their new facility late last year and despite having a FOX O&O in Minneapolis, neither share a building (Don't know about talent). With a few exceptions here and there, most FSN's are run/housed separately from FOX O&O's in the same market. THere are a few articles out there discussing the purchase of STO by FOX and from the articles, it would seem that FOX intends to keep STO separate from FS Ohio. Yes, they will share a website and some resources, but that is the case with all FSN's. The good thing about FOX acquiring tv rights to professional sports teams is that they really invest in the product. FOX Sports launched an RSN here in San Diego, and I can tell you that a crapload of money has been poured into this operation. From brand new studios (set designed and built by the same company that did the FOX national sports studio), to all new equipment and production truck- FOX has not been cheap with FOX Sports San Diego.

 

Edit: Also, KTXA shows Texas Rangers games OTA and the only difference is that there is no FOX logo during televised games on TXA 21 (and they are owned by CBS). The same can be done with WKYC, and it would not be problematic since WKYC isn't owned by NBC.

I'll see how they handle it. But for all intents and purposes, the OTA games on WKYC have been outright STO simulcasts for the past three years (they were seperately branded for the first three years of STO's existence). And the OTA deal runs out after this season, anyway, so that's probably a pill that WKYC is willing to swallow for the interregnum.

 

The Dolans, however, seem to have a preference for some OTA games - even if they are STO simulcasts - after the negative PR they incurred following moving ALL games to FSO in 2002, so if WKYC doesn't want to renew, some other station will likely make a bid.

 

I also just remembered that FSO does air some Lake Erie Monsters AHL games in simulcast with Raycom My affil WUAB/43; those simulcasts are devoid of "Fox" branding. WUAB's OTA simulcasts of 15 or so Cavs games from FSO, however, are outright with all Fox branding.

 

But WUAB is not WKYC, and the ramifications from the Fox-STO deal are still just starting to be felt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like to hear one solid answer here on why any of you think Fox would want to buy back stations they sold off.

Agreed...let's be a little realistic. Fox definitely will NOT be buying back WGHP for one. Two, I don't see any reason why the new Fox O&O in Charlotte won't have a full news department or why they would entertain simulcasting from a station in a smaller market...considering that ALL of their O&O's have news operations.

 

 

 

I expect many angry mobs and pure hell to break out in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is WNEP loses the Newswatch branding especially MCTYW.

I don't.

 

 

 

What about Sunbeam for WTKR/WGNT

 

There's a better chance of this team winning the national championship next season than that going through.

 

 

 

 

I just hope Sinturd doesn't even come a step closer to buying the stations, that's all I can say.

Is it the "in" thing to do to call Sinclair/Nexstar anything else but their proper names? I know we all love to hate them and they tend to run stations on the cheap, but it gets a little silly after a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed...let's be a little realistic. Fox definitely will NOT be buying back WGHP for one. Two, I don't see any reason why the new Fox O&O in Charlotte won't have a full news department or why they would entertain simulcasting from a station in a smaller market...considering that ALL of their O&O's have news operations.

They have to face a hard-core reality.

 

Charlotte is dominated by WBTV and WSOC, and, to a lesser extent, outgoing Fox affil WCCB, with WCNC pulling the rear. It would be a minor miracle for WJZY to compete with WCNC.

 

WJZY is not, I repeat, NOT, going to have a full slate of news programming right off the gate. At best, a 10pm newscast and a scaled-down two-hour morning newscast. I'm not even including simulcasts of WGHP news coverage, which might not even happen, but it would make logistical sense to share news gathering resources and some on air talent (i.e., having WGHP weather and sports talent provide Charlotte-oriented segments for WJZY) until WJZY has similar resources to stand on its own. Which will, quite frankly, take YEARS to accomplish. And the chance for failure is high. Hell, WJZY might end up being the WWJ-TV of the Fox Stations Group.

 

And as was pointed earlier, WGHP has something SpeedCENTRAL doesn't: credible air talent and news resources that can lend some credibility to WJZY as they head off into unchartered territory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have to face a hard-core reality.

 

Charlotte is dominated by WBTV and WSOC, and, to a lesser extent, outgoing Fox affil WCCB, with WCNC pulling the rear. It would be a minor miracle for WJZY to compete with WCNC.

 

WJZY is not, I repeat, NOT, going to have a full slate of news programming right off the gate. At best, a 10pm newscast and a scaled-down two-hour morning newscast. I'm not even including simulcasts of WGHP news coverage, which might not even happen, but it would make logistical sense to share news gathering resources and some on air talent (i.e., having WGHP weather and sports talent provide Charlotte-oriented segments for WJZY) until WJZY has similar resources to stand on its own. Which will, quite frankly, take YEARS to accomplish. And the chance for failure is high. Hell, WJZY might end up being the WWJ-TV of the Fox Stations Group.

 

And as was pointed earlier, WGHP has something SpeedCENTRAL doesn't: credible air talent and news resources that can lend some credibility to WJZY as they head off into unchartered territory.

Agree 100% about WJZY having a full slate of news from Day 1. But I still don't see Fox buying WGHP and basically piping coverage into a larger market, let alone a Top-25 market.

To your point about credible air talent--Charlotte has plenty of that around town that aren't currently working in the business. One major anchor left the top station in town to go into radio; another left to raise her son but is open to opportunities if they arise. But Fox has more than enough funds laying around, and it wouldn't surprise me if they poach other stations to build up their own staff.

To your point about WJZY being able to compete with WCNC--I don't think it would be a minor miracle as much as it would be nearly an expectation after a while, especially with NBC's primetime performance. There's a little singing competition on Fox that, despite losing some steam over the past few years, still draws in some eyeballs and plenty of lead-in help for its affiliates' newscasts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it the "in" thing to do to call Sinclair/Nexstar anything else but their proper names? I know we all love to hate them and they tend to run stations on the cheap, but it gets a little silly after a while.

Not when you consider that the two groups have spent some capital recently upgrading stations to HD these last couple of years, apart from buying up stations left to right during that same time period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not when you consider that the two groups have spent some capital recently upgrading stations to HD these last couple of years, apart from buying up stations left to right during that same time period.

True, but still...

 

BTW, a name I haven't seen come up a lot in these speculations is Journal. What stations (if any) might they have their eyes on? (WITI is out for obvious reasons).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just hope Sinturd doesn't even come a step closer to buying the stations, that's all I can say.

Is it the "in" thing to do to call Sinclair/Nexstar anything else but their proper names? I know we all love to hate them and they tend to run stations on the cheap, but it gets a little silly after a while.

I would agree with you on that. As much as I don't want them to buy any of the stations (and I don't think they will) the names really don't accomplish much if anything.

 

BTW, I'm playing devil's advocate with Fox because the conventional wisdom suggests that they wouldn't want any part of their former O&Os. Plus I live in the market of a former O&O in WJW (and I'm disappointed in that the KDVR graphics and theme will never be put on WJW).

 

Cox actually has minimal cable penetration in the Cleveland market, only serving three inner-ring suburbs (Cleveland is pretty much dominated by TimeWarner Cable, and to a lesser extent, Comcast), so it wouldn't be much of an issue buying WJW if there even was one. Cox also unloaded a good chunk of their small-market radio stations, giving them capital to make a major investment. But I was more or less seeing them eying the top NYT stations, maybe even the Tribune NOLA duopoly, before the Fox stations.

 

Cox wouldn't be bad, rather, they'd be great owners IMO. At least they wouldn't be hand-strung like LocalTV was once the recession hit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed...let's be a little realistic. Fox definitely will NOT be buying back WGHP for one. Two, I don't see any reason why the new Fox O&O in Charlotte won't have a full news department or why they would entertain simulcasting from a station in a smaller market...considering that ALL of their O&O's have news operations.

Agreed. And even if Fox didn't get WJZY/WMYT and would've gotten WLFL/WRDC from Sinclair, they would've stlll poured in the capital to start their own news operations in the Triangle, from scratch. So even if they don't have a news operation by June 1st or July 1st or when Fox start operating 46 & 55, that wouldn't mean they won't have a news operation period.

 

Some of y'all acting like Casper the Ghost is going to magically build a news set and bring a force of people at the Speedvision facility, at launch time. BTW, FCC already approved the sell almost two weeks ago. So Fox is probably printing the final blueprint before starting the beginning stages of executing their plans.

 

They have to face a hard-core reality.

 

Charlotte is dominated by WBTV and WSOC, and, to a lesser extent, outgoing Fox affil WCCB, with WCNC pulling the rear. It would be a minor miracle for WJZY to compete with WCNC.

 

WJZY is not, I repeat, NOT, going to have a full slate of news programming right off the gate. At best, a 10pm newscast and a scaled-down two-hour morning newscast. I'm not even including simulcasts of WGHP news coverage, which might not even happen, but it would make logistical sense to share news gathering resources and some on air talent (i.e., having WGHP weather and sports talent provide Charlotte-oriented segments for WJZY) until WJZY has similar resources to stand on its own. Which will, quite frankly, take YEARS to accomplish. And the chance for failure is high. Hell, WJZY might end up being the WWJ-TV of the Fox Stations Group.

 

And as was pointed earlier, WGHP has something SpeedCENTRAL doesn't: credible air talent and news resources that can lend some credibility to WJZY as they head off into unchartered territory.

No one said it is going to be easy. I'm in a Fox O&O market where they are in dead last the news race for several years. It's really going to be a very hard sell to air news on a channel where they never had any sort of in-house news operation since the station launched 25 years ago. It's not like Fox is going to WCCB and ask them to buy their news operation. Fox knows what they are doing. And not only they have to pour all in the capital for the news operation, and hire engineers to operate the station, Fox has to acquire all those syndicated shows to go in-par with its sister-stations. But I don't think WJZY will be an equivalent of WWJ. They'll probably be the equivalent to WFLD, as the terms of ratings.

 

BTW, a name I haven't seen come up a lot in these speculations is Journal. What stations (if any) might they have their eyes on? (WITI is out for obvious reasons).

OMG! You didn't see this?

 

So again I'm speculating the following:

  • Meredith with WHO & WREG (but I would also be shocked if Journal take WREG)

Even though that's a longshot, since they'd just acquired Nashville's WTVF last fall. But I don't think they would get the entire group. Otherwise, my first choice would be Meredith for WREG.

 

Now for something a little off-topic.

 

I just hope Sinturd doesn't even come a step closer to buying the stations, that's all I can say.

Is it the "in" thing to do to call Sinclair/Nexstar anything else but their proper names? I know we all love to hate them and they tend to run stations on the cheap, but it gets a little silly after a while.

I would agree with you on that. As much as I don't want them to buy any of the stations (and I don't think they will) the names really don't accomplish much if anything.

So whether we call 'em Sincrap, or Sinturd, or Shitclair, or Cunningrab, Stealfield, Chesapiss or Nexshit or Comcrap (Comcast). Yeah it's probably childish. But it won't stop folks for calling them out their names, just to show their frustration about these groups. But also, it won't stop the companies for doing what they are doing, whether we like it or not. We're just here to state our opinions on whether what they're doing is a either good thing or a bad thing, whether if its the content on the news, programming, internal operations, personnel, etc. etc. etc.

 

So if Nexstar or Sinclair gets one of the stations, and we get news notification, we're not going to do anything else but to bitch about it, the same way we been bitching about both groups buying sprees the last eighteen months. And I think Nexstar started their buying spree before Sinclair started theirs. Remember Nexstar taking the final Gilmore station in Evansville? One month before Sinclair announce the acquisition of the Four Points Media stations.

 

The point is why is Sinclair is shelling out over $1.5B in station trades in the last eighteen months and not spending that same $1.5B investing into the stations they already have? That's why they are called outta their names, even though it may not be an appropriate way to get your point across.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One note I didn't even realize. If Cox buys WJW, that would mean three out of the "Big Four" affiliates in Cleveland would be owned by a company with historical newspaper ties. WKYC with Gannett, WEWS with E.W. Scripps, and WJW with Cox... plus WOIO with Raycom.

 

I'm curious if any other markets out there have such a distinction like that currently. (You can even throw in MediaGeneral in spite of their recent divestures.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One note I didn't even realize. If Cox buys WJW, that would mean three out of the "Big Four" affiliates in Cleveland would be owned by a company with historical newspaper ties. WKYC with Gannett, WEWS with E.W. Scripps, and WJW with Cox... plus WOIO with Raycom.

 

I'm curious if any other markets out there have such a distinction like that currently. (You can even throw in MediaGeneral in spite of their recent divestures.)

Tampa Bay comes to mind with WFLA (MG), WFTS (Scripps), and WTSP (Gannett)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://sportsvideo.org/main/blog/2013/03/05/fox-sports-goes-public-with-plans-for-fs1-cable-network-expects-to-expand-production-facilities/

 

If anyone is wondering what will be happening with SpeedCenter once FS1 starts up.

 

In reference to WGHP, this one station alone is at the point where like I have stated there is going to be NO clear cut owner to come into the market not just with the groups already in Greensboro, but with #24 and #26 markets right next to each other in the Triad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 2 cents:

WJZY could use the soon to be renamed SPEED Channel Studios for a newscast , already have a set to use

 

i do want to say Logic would dictate that POSSIBLY Tribune could buy the Local TV stations that they have a news partnership with (but as they say station ownership groups seldom if ever use logic when buying stations..lol)

 

the best bet for the LOCAL TV LLC is to sell them in peices .. COX, West Virgina Media, Meredith, maybe Belo..

 

all in all , this is sure going to be interesting

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have to face a hard-core reality.

 

Charlotte is dominated by WBTV and WSOC, and, to a lesser extent, outgoing Fox affil WCCB, with WCNC pulling the rear. It would be a minor miracle for WJZY to compete with WCNC.

 

WJZY is not, I repeat, NOT, going to have a full slate of news programming right off the gate. At best, a 10pm newscast and a scaled-down two-hour morning newscast. I'm not even including simulcasts of WGHP news coverage, which might not even happen, but it would make logistical sense to share news gathering resources and some on air talent (i.e., having WGHP weather and sports talent provide Charlotte-oriented segments for WJZY) until WJZY has similar resources to stand on its own. Which will, quite frankly, take YEARS to accomplish. And the chance for failure is high. Hell, WJZY might end up being the WWJ-TV of the Fox Stations Group.

 

And as was pointed earlier, WGHP has something SpeedCENTRAL doesn't: credible air talent and news resources that can lend some credibility to WJZY as they head off into unchartered territory.

No one said it is going to be easy. I'm in a Fox O&O market where they are in dead last the news race for several years. It's really going to be a very hard sell to air news on a channel where they never had any sort of in-house news operation since the station launched 25 years ago. It's not like Fox is going to WCCB and ask them to buy their news operation. Fox knows what they are doing. And not only they have to pour all in the capital for the news operation, and hire engineers to operate the station, Fox has to acquire all those syndicated shows to go in-par with its sister-stations. But I don't think WJZY will be an equivalent of WWJ. They'll probably be the equivalent to WFLD, as the terms of ratings.

If Fox bought WGHP and had it produce news for WJZY/WMYT initially, competing with other stations would be somewhat easier. Why wait to start airing newscasts on WJZY/WMYT (it's going to take time to hire talent, expand Speed HQ and build a news set) when you don't have to? Once WJZY/WMYT are ready to produce their own news, Fox can always sell WGHP if they don't want to keep it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Fox bought WGHP and had it produce news for WJZY/WMYT initially, competing with other stations would be somewhat easier. Why wait to start airing newscasts on WJZY/WMYT (it's going to take time to hire talent, expand Speed HQ and build a news set) when you don't have to? Once WJZY/WMYT are ready to produce their own news, Fox can always sell WGHP if they don't want to keep it.

Re-buying WGHP just to produce news for 46 in the interim, then re-sell it again later is plain stupid. If that's the case, then why sell WGHP to begin with? Fox has the patience. Do you want a product that's done right or do you want something that's done quick? Whether they start the newscasts at launch time or not, they will have a news operation. They don't need a sister station to the north to help them out with that. Fox has all that capital. Now I didn't say WGHP shouldn't share resources once WJZY have their news ops running.

 

I'd rather for them to at least either (and its a slim-to-zilch longshot, and probably won't happen) extend the WBTV's news on 55 until or have no news programs at all, until Fox formerly start its news ops, instead of having an adjacent market producing news for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re-buying WGHP just to produce news for 46 in the interim, then re-sell it again later is plain stupid. If that's the case, then why sell WGHP to begin with? Fox has the patience. Do you want a product that's done right or do you want something that's done quick? Whether they start the newscasts at launch time or not, they will have a news operation. They don't need a sister station to the north to help them out with that. Fox has all that capital. Now I didn't say WGHP shouldn't share resources once WJZY have their news ops running.

 

I'd rather for them to at least either (and its a slim-to-zilch longshot, and probably won't happen) extend the WBTV's news on 55 until or have no news programs at all, until Fox formerly start its news ops, instead of having an adjacent market producing news for them.

Why assume that WJZY will become the Fox affiliate? Maybe I just don't understand the dynamics of the Charlotte market, but wouldn't it make more sense for Fox to make WMYT the Fox affil. because it has a lower PSIP and make WJZY the MyNet affiliate?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using TVNewsTalk you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.