mre29 1339 Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 2 minutes ago, T.L. Hughes said: Of course, a better solution to repay the losses would be to try to divest stations to AMG or other groups with significant cap room and use the proceeds to lower its debt load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 These stations are so stripped down, any buyer would have to literally build them from scratch to meet their needs. Then again, since so much of it is cloud and IT-based, that burden may be easier to bear. Remember the WAGT transition from Schurz to Gray? Media General held them to the SSA and even violated FCC rules for illegally taking back WAGT based on a lower court ruling that gave them the right to do so. Sinclair would probably hold any buyer to the same scrutiny if anyone else took a station they were providing services for from their "cold dead hands..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschimpf 2050 Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 6 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said: Surprisingly, Mobile/Pensacola is one of the only Sinclair markets to have not moved LMA/SSA station feeds to their owned and operated stations. That could be with WPMI's NBC affiliation, and if it is contractually tied to WPMI, and cannot be moved to WFGX or WEAR as a primary or secondary subchannel, much like Sinclair has done in other markets like Columbus and Charleston. Meanwhile, stations like WALA continue to run away with expanding their local programming, and with the recent cancellations of Dr. Phil, Judge Mathis, and the People's Court, there goes the last of their daily syndication, clearing the way for Gray to put the KVVU model of news from sunrise to sunset. The best result may be for Sinclair to just give up on WPMI, let the NBC contract expire and either turn it into a Dabl zombie or turn in the license, and making way for NBC to come home to WALA as a DT2 the same way ABC/CBS is combo'ed on WLOX to the west. What kept WPMI going despite the Sinclair spiderweb that was woven was the Main Studio Rule, and with that gone and just this limited SSA pretty much keeping its programming options limited, there's no longer a point to have that station, much less WFGX, once syndication starves out that station's own schedule. There are just a lot of Sinclair stations with the Big Four where the bare minimum is being done and Sinclair is treading the line between keeping stations viable and being non-factors in the worst ways. I never thought I'd see the day, but the days of KDNL just sticking around ABC because of the 'what else are you gonna do' threat of losing WJLA, KOMO or WSYX are over, and like the Fox/Ion threat, sooner or later you'll see Scripps/Ion or even TCT happily putting a Big Four affiliation on a subchannel and outside a lack of news/a simulcast of morning/5/6/11 from another sstation nobody really batting an eye because it's better than SBG ran their affiliate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 718 Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 10 hours ago, mrschimpf said: ... Scripps/Ion or even TCT happily putting a Big Four affiliation on a subchannel and outside a lack of news/a simulcast of morning/5/6/11 from another sstation nobody really batting an eye because it's better than SBG ran their affiliate. I was flipping through the local channels available on Tubi one morning. Several Scripps channels there. I was very surprised to see the same morning programming on a number of them. It may have been because it was a weekend morning show, but they were carrying the same feature about some entomology professor at a university at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediaZone4K 1509 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 (edited) Don't know where to pose this question but I'll ask it here. With the concentration of local station ownership by just a few companies, what happens if a talent has a falling out at one station? Does it now blacklist them from all other stations in th group, or do individual station managers have the disgression if hiring someone ousted from another station? Overall, is this media oligapathy, so to speak, good for the local news industry? Edited April 3, 2023 by MediaZone4K 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Sinclair is reorganizing their businesses under a new holding company, Sinclair Inc. https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-broadcast-changes-name-in-business-reorganization-20230403-r4qtoxhl7fctlkpynajgt3ncfi-story.html The Sinclair Broadcast Group will be a subsidiary, which will contain the moribund Diamond Sports venture, while another subsidiary, Sinclair Ventures will contain the rest of the company, including their investments, 3.0 development, Compulse Intergrated Marketing, and Tennis Channel. Seems like the stations are being set up for a potential sale. WHEN the Standard General / Tegna deal fails, will Soo Kim come knocking to take the stations off Sinclair's hands? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 718 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 16 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said: Seems like the stations are being set up for a potential sale. WHEN the Standard General / Tegna deal fails, will Soo Kim come knocking to take the stations off Sinclair's hands? Doubt it. Their business has grown. They manufacture broadcast antennas now. They probably just want to separate those businesses out into their own unit. Diamond stayed with the TV stations because what's the point of moving it when it's going to get written off. But more to your point, maybe it's those ancillary businesses that get spun off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VHSgoodiesWA 281 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 The Flint, Albany GA, Macon GA cuts in news operations just means one thing - this will be the "new normal". I wouldn't be surprised that the eastern WA CBS stations are also in danger of losing their news operations. Either KIMA/KLEW shutting down and simulcasting KEPR news, or worse - going to The National Desk at all non-CBS/syndicated timeslots. The audience has gotten older, and the younger crowd isn't flocking to local TV news. Commercial breaks on KIMA are redundant, fewer local advertisers every year, national spots, and plenty of promos. That's not good for revenue. The advertising is all on local radio and/or online. News stories are the same ole', only the sports seem to be fresh (lots of HS sports here and we still have veteran sports director Alan Sillence). Motivate Your Monday and must-runs are killing what could be local story airtime. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 1843 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 On 3/18/2023 at 4:53 PM, tyrannical bastard said: In Macon, I wonder how much of their news they cut. WGXA has traditionally been the #2 station far behind WMAZ, I wonder if Morris' WMGT has surged ahead. And now with WPGA being traded to Gray, its practically a station set up to get its last laugh, if they succeed in luring away ABC and/or FOX from WGXA. Their weeknight news at 5:30 and their Sunday-Friday 10pm news is now gone, the latter replaced by you know what... TND. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD TV 163 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 Sinclair signed a deal with Youtube TV to add the Tennis Channel, T2 (a free Tennis Channel spinoff channel), Charge! and TBD starting June 1st (during week 1 of the French Open). The deal also extends carriage of their CBS and MyNetwork TV stations: https://sbgi.net/sinclair-broadcast-group-announces-distribution-agreement-with-youtube-tv-to-add-carriage-of-tennis-channel-t2-charge-and-tbd/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 718 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, MD TV said: Sinclair signed a deal with Youtube TV to add the Tennis Channel, T2 (a free Tennis Channel spinoff channel), Charge! and TBD starting June 1st (during week 1 of the French Open). The deal also extends carriage of their CBS and MyNetwork TV stations: https://sbgi.net/sinclair-broadcast-group-announces-distribution-agreement-with-youtube-tv-to-add-carriage-of-tennis-channel-t2-charge-and-tbd/ I like Comet when they are showing something old and schlocky, but they show too much of the new stuff and newer vintage sci-fi does nothing for me. Kind of the same with Charge. The older stuff is cool, but there is a lot of marginal stuff on that channel. Edited April 12, 2023 by DirtyHarry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 By now, the changes have probably been made in all of the affected markets. I posted in the "Out and About" thread about Mobile losing their AM, noon and lifestyle programs on WPMI. So all that appears to be left is weekend newscasts and weekly 5, 6 and 10 shows. I know it's not KDNL, but this is a pretty bare-boned approach in a market the size of Mobile-Pensacola. But to Sinclair, it's probably a way to keep status quo on WEAR and their absolute dominance of the Florida side of the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 Well....it appears that WEAR is now SIMULCASTING newscasts on WPMI. Hopefully it's just a weekend thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 (edited) Steve Harvey: Name a show that's replacing NBC 15 News at Noon and Gulf Coast Today. The National Desk! (Nope, another hour of Family Feud on top of the hour at 4: 00pm AND the 6:30 airing on WEAR!) Edited April 17, 2023 by tyrannical bastard 6 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschimpf 2050 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 11 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said: Steve Harvey: Name a show that's replacing NBC 15 News at Noon and Gulf Coast Today. The National Desk! (Nope, another hour of Family Feud on top of the hour at 4: 00pm AND the 6:30 airing on WEAR!) I am shocked, I tell you, shocked that FF is filling more Sinclair timeslots! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 I'm curious, are there any NBC affiliates that are running more than 1 hour of NBC News Daily? I think the show is designed to cater to different time slots across the country, but air in full on NBC News Now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson R. 560 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 (edited) 14 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said: I'm curious, are there any NBC affiliates that are running more than 1 hour of NBC News Daily? I think the show is designed to cater to different time slots across the country, but air in full on NBC News Now. I doubt it but I guess there would be nothing stopping them. I just don’t see why they would give up the local time. If they did they would probably drop something like Top Story with Tom Llamas 39 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said: Steve Harvey: Name a show that's replacing NBC 15 News at Noon and Gulf Coast Today. The National Desk! (Nope, another hour of Family Feud on top of the hour at 4: 00pm AND the 6:30 airing on WEAR!) It’s not that I disagree with you, it’s just the way you said it that’s hilarious Edited April 17, 2023 by Nelson R. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTVNews 1366 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 WPMI deserves better than this, especially better station owners than Sinclair! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodfreyGR 493 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 On 2/14/2023 at 1:24 PM, GodfreyGR said: With MLB taking broadcasting in-house with the bankruptcy (as they have claimed they are prepared to do), I see deals with Fox O&O's, for example, to put MLB on the MyNets (WFTC in Minneapolis, KUTP Phoenix, KDFI Dallas, etc.) Not saying I was correct with this guess- It was more of a perfect storm with scheduling (Wild were on Bally North, Timberwolves on Bally North Extra) but the Twins broadcast was shown on "Fox9+" last night (KMSP 9.2)- Bally talent/graphics/production with a Fox9+ watermark in the upper right corner of the screen. Interesting move given Sinclair owns WUCW-TV in the market (and has in the past shown Bally overlaps on that channel...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediaZone4K 1509 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 Not to verge too off topic but....Since I see Sinclair constantly (and with good reason get negative reviews), which large station group do you all feel manages their affiliates the best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 718 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 Sinclair does a great job here in Columbus and I would also guess in Cincinnati as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 1 hour ago, DirtyHarry said: Sinclair does a great job here in Columbus and I would also guess in Cincinnati as well. Columbus may as well be their crown jewel, it's probably their most profitable market, and now with WSYX posting sizable ratings gains against WCMH and WBNS, a place where they are actually winning the ratings. Of course, much of this has to do with the free fall of both WCMH and WBNS over the years. WKRC seems to have taken a dive a few years ago, but they may have recovered... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschimpf 2050 Posted April 27, 2023 Share Posted April 27, 2023 (edited) The zombie shells of WNWO/Toledo and KTVL/Medford, OR''s outsourced 'news' ops (mainly now just weather and a couple MMJs) are being wound down... Edited April 27, 2023 by mrschimpf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 28, 2023 Share Posted April 28, 2023 1 hour ago, mrschimpf said: The zombie shells of WNWO/Toledo and KTVL/Medford, OR''s outsourced 'news' ops (mainly now just weather and a couple MMJs) are being wound down... Dear Lord, if Sinclair can't even afford to outsource a newscast to another market, then they are either seriously in debt, inept (cough cough Chris Ripley) or are that hell bent on making TND their primary source of news... IF WNWO is affected, then WOLF's newscast in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is probably dunzo as well. KTVL is a shocker. Were they a truly independent operation? Or are they one of those stations (like KHQA) that's farmed out to another market? Virtually their entire station is run out of the old WICD newsroom in Champaign, IL, several years after Sinclair shut down their operation and merged the rest with WICS in Springfield. Basically at this point, any third rate station that's run from afar or is a shell game in the same market is probably ground zero for Sinclair's ulterior motives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted April 28, 2023 Share Posted April 28, 2023 And here's WNWO's take on their impending shutdown: https://nbc24.com/news/local/nbc-24-statement-on-modified-news-operations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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