sanewsguy 509 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If Graham is to sell their station Hearst would be the perfect fit and with WDIV and NBC would position Hearst in a good place. Yes, WPLG sold to Buffet's team, but according to Wikipedia; As part of the deal, Post-Newsweek Stations (renamed Graham Media Group in July 2014) will continue to provide services to the station for up to two years after the sale's consummation through a transitional services agreement.The sale was finalized on June 30. If Hearst bought Graham and add WPLG to the mix, but I'm sure Hearst would have to sell WPBF which could get in the hands of Gannett if that were the case. KLAS still owned by Landmark and I think Gannett should also look into getting the CBS affiliate in Vegas. If Hearst bought WPLG why would they have to sell WPBF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwestTV 1173 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If Hearst bought WPLG why would they have to sell WPBF? Because they're so close to one another and WPLG would be the more valuable of the two? (speclatroning) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha 2876 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Because they're so close to one another and WPLG would be the more valuable of the two? (speclatroning) Different DMAs. This is not the 90s where CBS had to sell off WPRI to get its hands fully on WBZ. You could have both of them if you wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1944 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Wow! Being owned by the same folks for over 66 years, this has to be a somber moment, since this was the only station owned by local interests. But this shouldn't be much of a surprise, since last year when Journal relocated its broadcast corporate offices to Nashville (after completing the WTVF sale). Journal also said that they were willing to buy the JSA spun-off stations. I'm not sure if the bigger Lighthouse have those same ambitions. And Scripps will have two CBS stations to play with for the first time flagship WCPO switched from CBS, 18 years ago. KIVI: This station is in an area where Scripps really has never been. The closest Scripps station is in Denver. I don't expect much to change. You forgot one thing. I'm talking about its duopoly station, KNIN. Since its now a Fox affiliate, I wonder if it still meets the requirements as a "failed station". They were a CW station back then when they acquired the FSW. Now if it no longer meet those FSW requirements, the Lighthouse would have to spin-off KNIN. Almost all of the TMJ stations (except for WTVF) uses an Arnold theme, so switching to Inergy would be a breeze. WTVF on the other hand, given that Impact have been their music since they acquired it over fifteen years ago, and since they'd just acquire the latest installment (V.6), you better hope that CSD have some kind of "pull", that should they acquire the Scripps graphics, they would at least keep their longtime Impact theme, made by their local music provider. Again, this should be a somber moment in Milwaukee, where TMJ4 & AM 620 will be taken over by the Lighthouse. I was hoping to see a Journal/Schurz merger because of the two stations in close proximity to Chicago. But it might've been difficult to waive the NBCO rule since they both own papers in Milwaukee & South Bend, which it would lead to them spinning off either the Radio-TV or the paper in those respective markets. Man, the Lighthouse surely love the Great Lakes region. I hope they put enough money to invest on WGBA. They surely need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 718 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Again, this should be a somber moment in Milwaukee, where TMJ4 & AM 620 will be taken over by the Lighthouse. Man, the Lighthouse surely love the Great Lakes region. I hope they put enough money to invest on WGBA. They surely need it. Take it from someone who's traveled a reasonable amount: The Great Lakes is a very underappreciated part of the country. Weather sucks about 2 or 3 months out of the year, otherwise the quality of life here is great. I agree with the notion that this is a somber moment. It's tough to lose a locally owned TV station that has a stake in the community and to be stuck with chain TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns8401 846 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Wow! Being owned by the same folks for over 66 years, this has to be a somber moment, since this was the only station owned by local interests. But this shouldn't be much of a surprise, since last year when Journal relocated its broadcast corporate offices to Nashville (after completing the WTVF sale). Journal also said that they were willing to buy the JSA spun-off stations. I'm not sure if the bigger Lighthouse have those same ambitions. And Scripps will have two CBS stations to play with for the first time flagship WCPO switched from CBS, 18 years ago. You forgot one thing. I'm talking about its duopoly station, KNIN. Since its now a Fox affiliate, I wonder if it still meets the requirements as a "failed station". They were a CW station back then when they acquired the FSW. Now if it no longer meet those FSW requirements, the Lighthouse would have to spin-off KNIN. Almost all of the TMJ stations (except for WTVF) uses an Arnold theme, so switching to Inergy would be a breeze. WTVF on the other hand, given that Impact have been their music since they acquired it over fifteen years ago, and since they'd just acquire the latest installment (V.2), you better hope that CSD have some kind of "pull", that should they acquire the Scripps graphics, they would at least keep their longtime Impact theme, made by their local music provider. Again, this should be a somber moment in Milwaukee, where TMJ4 & AM 620 will be taken over by the Lighthouse. Man, the Lighthouse surely love the Great Lakes region. I hope they put enough money to invest on WGBA. They surely need it. I'll believe it when I see it on Scripps letting anyone do anything outside of standardization as far as overall graphics and music. It sure hasn't happened yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha 2876 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Really I agree that the only negative impact is on the Milwaukee radio and TV stations because not only will they have weaker ties to the J-S, they will also not receive the sentimental "flagship boost" that Journal gave them all these years. I forgot that KNIN was made into a Fox affiliate. That one is going to be a failing station squeaker though I think they will be able to justify a renewal of the FSW there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Here's how WTMJ reported on it: http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/Journal-Communications-Inc-EW-Scripps-Co-announce-deal-269307031.html And here is how the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on it: http://www.jsonline.com/business/news31-b99321641z1-269303021.html It's the end of an era in Milwaukee as the Journal-Sentinel splits from its TV and radio partners and I still can't believe it's happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3442 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If Scripps plans on growing any more, they're going to have to rethink their whole in-house syndication strategy, given the anemic performances of their in-house efforts. In Las Vegas, between them and KSNV, they may as well be handing the best shows on a silver platter to KLAS, KVVU, and the Sinclair stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns8401 846 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If Scripps plans on growing any more, they're going to have to rethink their whole in-house syndication strategy, given the anemic performances of their in-house efforts. In Las Vegas, between them and KSNV, they may as well be handing the best shows on a silver platter to KLAS, KVVU, and the Sinclair stations. They may very well do that. Just like they handed it off in so many other markets already. ET in Detroit, Jeopardy in Cincinnati etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 869 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 The old McGraw-Hill stations' contract to run Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune seems like it's up next season; I saw KDVR run a promo for Jeopardy!'s move there from KMGH this fall. KMGH'll probably bring back their 6PM news and follow it with some mandated Scripps crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Block 1487 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 The old McGraw-Hill stations' contract to run Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune seems like it's up next season; I saw KDVR run a promo for Jeopardy!'s move there from KMGH this fall. KMGH'll probably bring back their 6PM news and follow it with some mandated Scripps crap. That sucks! If they really want 6pm news back (which isn't a bad idea), they should have put Jeopardy back at 3:30 like it was several years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 742 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Scripps had a unique knack for destroying their newspapers (Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Denver, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Houston, Indianapolis, New York, Washington. Fort Worth, Thousand Oaks, Birmingham, Boulder, Albuquerque, Youngstown, El Paso, San Francisco). This will probably be great for the newspapers that remain, but does a one (or three) newspaper company have the infrastructure to run 13 more newspapers? Speaking as someone who lives in a market where Scripps owned the local newspaper, they're still in the wrecking business to this day when it came to staff cuts, reassignments and the outsourcing of certain operations. I think everyone on the newspaper end at this point is taking the merger and subsequent spinoff of the papers into a new separate company with a grain of salt. While operations are shifting from Cincinnati to Milwaukee, it's still unknown what will become of the staffs at each of the operations once the dust settles. On the broadcast end, it's no question that WTVF in Nashville will lose its identity to standardization (which means no more Impact). They're already a news-heavy operation that doesn't air many syndicated shows (Wheel airs on WKRN while Jeopardy! airs on WZTV & WUXP), so Scripps will probably convert and/or drop one of WTVF's newscasts in favor of their own programming post-merger (or shift one of them over to the NC5+ subchannel if Scripps decides to keep it in tact). The Nashville market is already on pins and needles as it is in terms of television with this, the MG/Lin merger (WKRN), and the possibility of Meredith (WSMV) becoming trade/merger bait in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webovision 202 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 a tragic day for the storied history of the journal stations in milwaukee... a few years shy of 90 years of local ownership for WTMJ radio, too.. of course scripps is taking the valuable part of the company out of wisconsin, leaving behind the dying newspapers. the poor employees of wtvf, less than two years after being bought up by journal they're getting bought up by scripps.. hope they're used to learning new things! On the broadcast end, it's no question that WTVF in Nashville will lose its identity to standardization (which means no more Impact). who's to say that wouldn't have happened under journal ownership?? wtvf would have gotten whatever the next journal graphics package was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 742 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 who's to say that wouldn't have happened under journal ownership?? wtvf would have gotten whatever the next journal graphics package was. I forgot about that, especially considering that their new Journal website went online this week, and will likely be ditched post-merger in favor of the ones Scripps uses across the board, which is a much better design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Being owned by the same folks for over 66 years, this has to be a somber moment, since this was the only station owned by local interests. But this shouldn't be much of a surprise, since last year when Journal relocated its broadcast corporate offices to Nashville (after completing the WTVF sale). Journal's "Corporate Office" is currently all over their portfolio. The address on their licenses for the past several years has been KTNV's address. The VP of Television is in Nashville. The VP of Radio is in Milwaukee. Most of the operations are still in Milwaukee, but some in the Capitol Drive building and some are in the Journal-Sentinel building downtown. I have to wonder about the fate of Milwaukee's Radio City itself now that Scripps is moving in. The original part of the building was built in the early 40's and hasn't really seen any work since it was expanded/remodeled in the late 80's or early 90's. There were rumors a few years ago that Journal was looking at replacing it with either a new building or consolidating everything into the Journal-Sentinel building downtown (the rumors also rumored that there'd have been a street-level studio). If they demolished the current building, it would be the first time the building of one of the market's big "legacy" local stations was demolished. WISN's original building is still used for their transmitter. WITI's original building is still standing, though I can't recall what it's currently being used for. WITI's second building is now home to a production company. WDJT started in the penthouse of the same hotel that Journal conducted mechanical TV experiments from in the 30's. We'll see what happens, I guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bixpchiphead 105 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 A bittersweet comment from Milwaukee viewer (Via the J/S website)..... May not have been the center of the broadcast universe. But it was at least ours. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I'll believe it when I see it on Scripps letting anyone do anything outside of standardization as far as overall graphics and music. It sure hasn't happened yet. Methinks a whole new standardization package will be commissioned, just as Scripps' current package was commissioned after the McGrawHill stations came into the fold. Which would also answer the question of when WKBW finally enters the 21st century falls in line with a standardization effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If Graham is to sell their station Hearst would be the perfect fit and with WDIV and NBC would position Hearst in a good place. Yes, WPLG sold to Buffet's team, but according to Wikipedia; As part of the deal, Post-Newsweek Stations (renamed Graham Media Group in July 2014) will continue to provide services to the station for up to two years after the sale's consummation through a transitional services agreement.The sale was finalized on June 30. If Hearst bought Graham and add WPLG to the mix, but I'm sure Hearst would have to sell WPBF which could get in the hands of Gannett if that were the case. KLAS still owned by Landmark and I think Gannett should also look into getting the CBS affiliate in Vegas. What is to stop Scripps from buying Graham Holdings, and then spinning off WDIV to Buffet outright in exchange for early termination of the SSA with WPLG? As for Hearst, they have been way, way too quiet during this M&A mania. I can't consider them a buyer when their total of acquired stations equals zero thus far. And I'm not so sure that Comcast wants any more NBC O&Os. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 869 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Graham Holdings has a higher stock price and a higher market cap than Scripps does. It would be the very definition of "value-destroying merger." Journal's stock has been performing terribly and its market cap is in the nine-figures. They didn't say how much Journal was valued at in this deal, but it has to be a relative bargain for Scripps (it's all-stock too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If you go to www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html and search "JRN" you can read a lot of the internal employee emails sent to Scripps employees, including a FAQ. www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/832428/000083242814000031/employeefaq.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVIntheDesert 183 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 There had been some Scripps-Journal cooperation with WTMJ being the first station outside the Scripps group to air "Let's Ask America" last fall. I didn't know that would lead to a full merger, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whammypower788 11 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Now we know why WTMJ and KNIN got "Let's Ask America" for season 2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NewsHound Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I'm beginning to think companies like Scripps and Gannett are going to be the next Sinclair and Nexstar that we've been talking about for years. Soon, they'll have their own "Scripps Again..." and "Gannett Again..." threads. The scary thing is, when you look at it from a standpoint, Scripps isn't too different from Sinclair. Their national newscast they plan to launch screams NewsCentral, and they are very frugal with their stations, not wanting to pay for syndies, etc. The only things that make Scripps stand apart, that I've noticed at least, is there is no political lean and despite their cost-cutting standardization and practices, their properties are run a lot better than some of Sinclair's, not to mention they don't try to own monopolies in markets. Still, it makes me wonder. The less we hear about Nexstar, and the fact that Sinclair can't rightfully get much bigger, it makes me think that before long Scripps and Gannett will be the station groups we love to hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swillh2k2 203 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I'm beginning to think companies like Scripps and Gannett are going to be the next Sinclair and Nexstar that we've been talking about for years. Soon, they'll have their own "Scripps Again..." and "Gannett Again..." threads. Not 100% sold on that theory. One market I can think of that would probably be a fit if either company looks to add to their portfolio piece-by-piece is Raleigh-Durham, where you can probably make the case that the most likely station that's up for grabs is WTVD if/when ABC finally decides to sell (WNCN and Media General look to be a more stable situation, and Capitol Broadcasting isn't selling WRAL, which is a cash cow). In my opinion, WTVD probably fit the Scripps bill of more mid-range, growing markets. Outside of that, I'm drawing a blank on what would be a good situation for either company. Graham has been brought up, but Gannett would be out for obvious reasons; you may be able to make the case for Scripps (minus WDIV) if they're interested in adding to their Florida portfolio and making inroads in Texas. Maybe Dispatch if the Wolfe family decides to cash out on their TV properties and focus solely on newspapers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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