CBS affiliation moving to Tribune's WTTV

[sanewsguy 509]

OK guys. I don't know why everybody's shocked. I didn't see this coming but I'm not surprised. I know y'all are looking at WJXT and KTVK as examples because they're big market. But you don't have to go back that far. With Fox back in 2011, Nexstar lost them on three stations in Springfield, Evansville and Fort Wayne. I think Nexstar has reupped with Fox on the remaining stations and they pretty much learned their lesson. As Thundershock said best:

 

"Don't fuck with us."

 

But it took Nexstar three stations to learn that. Hopefully it'll take LIN one. I do think they'll reup on the remainders after seeing this, and there'll probably be belt-tightening and cutbacks at the other stations to make up for it.

 

If the networks can't get their money from you, they'll get their money from somebody else. Screw 58 years of loyalty. The all mighty dollar drives this business. No, WISH shouldn't have lost CBS, but they're not entitled to it either.

 

I kinda want LIN to bite CBS back in their ass and not reup with them on the rest of their stations but that's probably not going to happen. To be honest, LIN's affiliates need CBS more than CBS needs them.

 

Oh well. What more can I say? I just wish WTTV the best with CBS and WISH the best going it alone.

 

And I wouldn't be surprised if this happens to more stations. Just saying.

 

BTW, WXIN has a couple anchors that just anchor one newscast like Dan Spehler so don't you think they'll move over to WTTV? I don't care if Trib says it's not happening, it probably is. They can't help it.

[Samantha 2876]

 

ABC has been a ratings dog since Disney got its hands on it and moved of the sports to E$PN (except during the brief Millionaire craze in 2000). It's probably still a profitable dog for Di$ney due to retrans agreements. If Tribune were to get ABC in STL, would it place it on KPLR or place it on KTVI and move Fox to KPLR.

 

Much could be said about the value of ABC (or lack of it) to Disney—Matt will probably have something to add on that topic.

 

 

Didn't KTVI delay or not clear some ABC programs when it was an affiliate? WHBQ did before it switched to FOX.

 

WHBQ was being very, very cheaply run by the time Fox had its hands on it. It was running one hour of news a day (6 and 10) and had previously canceled its midday edition. The Fox acquisition represented a massive and needed investment in talent, facilities and additional newscasts.

[DirtyHarry 718]

 

As to the topic of WTHR:

 

Would NBC really want to take scale over the market's leading news operation? I mean, sure, it's happened before (KTVK), but would NBC really want to do that to WTHR?

 

If WISH can get dumped, then practically ANYTHING can happen.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

 

KPLR's fallen to fifth place. It's how Tribune was able to take ownership of both KTVI and KPLR outright.

 

Will WTTV now rank in the top 4?

[TVNewsLover 727]

First, I don't know why people keep harping on history as a reason for affiliations being safe. Didn't a lot of stations pre-'94 have long histories with their network affiliations?

 

Second, I don't know why people keep harping on a generation of viewers being used to a certain network on a certain station. Wasn't their a generation of viewers that were used to certain networks being on certain stations pre-'94?

[TheOneManHerd 553]

 

If WISH can get dumped, then practically ANYTHING can happen.

 

Which is probably what people said when KTVK and WJZ got dumped by ABC in '95. Only difference is that Scripps really forced ABC's hand; ABC didn't want to lose WXYZ and WEWS to CBS and end up on a UHF in those markets.

 

The WISH situation is most like what happened to WJXT in 2002. There were no tough dilemmas like ABC had: CBS wanted more money and WJXT didn't want to pony up, so CBS packed up and left, end of story. That's exactly what's happening to WISH now. Only difference here, as mentioned earlier: WJXT was a juggernaut when they lost CBS; WISH, while successful, doesn't have the ratings foundation WJXT or KTVK had.

[MidwestTV 1173]

 

How much windfall would WRTV reap from all of this? I know their Scripps ownership isn't doing their already-third-place selves any favors, what with the cheap Scripps crap...

 

Scripps practically just bought the station...give them some time yo.

 

 

 

ABC has been a ratings dog since Disney got its hands on it and moved of the sports to E$PN (except during the brief Millionaire craze in 2000). It's probably still a profitable dog for Di$ney due to retrans agreements. Doesn't seem to hurt KMBC. If Tribune were to get ABC in STL, would it place it on KPLR or place it on KTVI and move Fox to KPLR.

 

Ehhhh KMBC might be a little bit different. They're such a legacy station in the market.

 

Anywho, I highly doubt that WISH will shut down their news department. As others have suggested, they'll probably just ramp it up if anything and try to get their hands on the best syndie programming that they can.

 

Does anyone else think that there may be some type of deal happen later where CBS changes their mind and lets WISH keep their affiliation?

[TVNewsLover 727]

As for the topic of Nashville, it's weird because owners and networks seem to be mismatched. Scripps is typically ABC, but here is CBS. Meredith is typically CBS, but here is NBC. Media General seems to have its bigger stations with NBC, but here is with ABC. I really don't see Sinclair stealing an affiliation here, but maybe some shuffling among the big three.

[effseesee 101]

 

As to the topic of WTHR:

 

Would NBC really want to take scale over the market's leading news operation? I mean, sure, it's happened before (KTVK), but would NBC really want to do that to WTHR?

 

WTHR has an affiliation agreement with NBC until 2018. Nobody's going anywhere before then.

[CircleSeven 1944]

 

WTHR has an affiliation agreement with NBC until 2018. Nobody's going anywhere before then.

 

Damn. WISH-TV is pretty much SOL then.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

Is CW locked into WTTV until 2016? Could they just be putting on a subchannel to keep it out of WISH hands?

[tyrannical bastard 3442]

 

WJKS was different; it was already being run into the ground. Watch some of the 90s editions of "17 First Coast News" and be amazed at the quality gulf between 4/12 and then 17.

 

Media General, which had just come into owning the station, was ready to put money into it and really improve it, but that happened a little too late.

 

WJKS was screwed by the deal that Allbritton entered into with ABC. Upstart WJXX got ABC this way, and soon after duopolies became legal, they got swallowed by WTLV and Gannett to create the "First Coast News" we all know today. Even WCBD was forced to switch to NBC as a result of this deal.

At the time, Media General was only 3 stations (WFLA, WCBD and WJKS) and was about to eclipse itself in size with the Park merger. In fact, WJKS was their SECOND station, purchased in the 80s from Rust Craft/Ziff.

 

WISH is going to persevere as in independent station. They weren't railroaded by an owner out-bidding a network like KRON, only to have the network pull out due to the demands they forced upon the new owners.

Like WJXT, KTVK and even WTVW, if the news product is enough to bring in the viewers, they'll be fine, and they can pour some money into their operation that they don't have to shell out anymore for network programming.

[Glimmer 238]

It's interesting how WISH has been radio silent about this news. They haven't responded to local media queries and there is not a single mention on their website at all.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

 

It's interesting how WISH has been radio silent about this news. They haven't responded to local media queries and there is not a single mention on their website at all.

 

Not even a press release. Obviously this was a huge shock to them and they don't know how to respond yet.

[Breaking News 802]

This is 20 years ago all over again, but with different variables at stake. CBS is making mincemeat out of WISH-TV and many of these affiliates should wake-up and step their game up. Who knows if the other big 3 affiliates feel the same way with their station affiliates. WISH-TV has always had a strong presence in the community, and a polished product.

 

I feel for the employees of WISH-TV; they've been quiet about the news and the viewers on Facebook have been asking. The other outlets in town have reported the story WTHR, WXIN, local newspapers i.e.

 

What going to happen with LIN/Media General stations that affiliated with CBS and with the future of the contracts with the network?

 

Even though somebody said WXIN contract is up with FOX in 2016; it would behoove WISH to align their station with FOX. Lin/Media General should be on the phone right now having talks about moving FOX to WISH-TV. If that were to happened CW could move to 59, or 8 would be an Indy outlet like KTVK, WJXT.

 

We'll see how this plays out in the next few weeks and months. Also Tribune wants to be a player outside of CW & Fox affiliates. Will they be a player with WGNO in New Orleans? We all know that Tribune should of had ABC on KPLR many years ago.

[Samantha 2876]

Here are some things WISH may want to look into doing to help offset some of the things it will lose with CBS:

 

Get some sports. This may be tough. WISH already holds the preseason rights to the Colts, and it may want to look into airing whatever Colts games wind up on Monday night. I could also see them broadcasting Indy Eleven soccer or Indianapolis Indians AAA baseball. Who knows, would the Pacers (or the WNBA Indiana Fever) be willing/able to create an OTA TV package? High school and (possibly) mid-major college sports aren't out of the question, either. Sports will keep eyeballs looking at WISH. WNDY already has Ball State basketball and syndicated MACtion.

 

I'm not sure if the language is similar, but a clause in the Jaguars' preseason contract (to which WJXT had the rights) allowed them to move after one year in the event of a network affiliation (which they did). WJXT was able to snare SEC syndicated packages, but there's really nothing similar for WISH to take given the cable-ization (now that's a word) of college athletics.

 

News expansion. A 6:30/7:00 evening newscast is certainly a possibility. Expect the 10pm news and morning extension on WNDY to move to WISH.

 

WISH and WLFI. An interesting scenario will brew in the north. WTTV may lose access to the Lafayette (sub-)market if WLFI declares network non-duplication (WISH is already seen on cable in Lafayette and is next to WLFI on Comcast).* Any situation in which WLFI also loses its CBS affiliation would likely cause Nielsen to combine the two markets, given that the only other stations in Lafayette broadcast religious programming.

 

WLFI has separate syndicated fare, most of which is seen on other stations in Indianapolis (almost all of it from WTHR — Dr. Oz, Ellen, Dr. Phil, WOF and Jeopardy!). WLFI doesn't even carry the Colts' preseason games, an impression of how widespread WISH is in the Lafayette area. However, LIN may not let WTTV enjoy the same access to Lafayette that WISH has had.

 

*WTTV may also be shut out of two other markets that it serves via cable, Terre Haute and Fort Wayne, by this mechanism, and by the same owner of CBS affiliates no less.

 

One thing is clear, though.

 

Television is going through a turmoil that isn't anything as bombastic as New World '94, but every so often in these last couple of years the earth rumbles and we all learn something new. We've had historically massive M&A activity and now affiliation switches in Charlotte and Indianapolis. Television is still a medium of surprises, and the consolidation and affiliation tectonics underneath are still very much the same, alive and kicking.

[sanewsguy 509]

 

Television is going through a turmoil that isn't anything as bombastic as New World '94, but every so often in these last couple of years the earth rumbles and we all learn something new. We've had historically massive M&A activity and now affiliation switches in Charlotte and Indianapolis. Television is still a medium of surprises, and the consolidation and affiliation tectonics underneath are still very much the same, alive and kicking.

 

Translation: 1994 was all about money, 2014, well, it's all about money too. Just different scenarios, but when it all comes down to it, the dollar reigns supreme.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

 

Translation: 1994 was all about money, 2014, well, it's all about money too. Just different scenarios, but when it all comes down to it, the dollar reigns supreme.

 

CBS thought they could low-ball the NFL in 94, WISH thought they could low-ball CBS 20 years later.

[Rusty Muck 4161]

Which is probably what people said when KTVK and WJZ got dumped by ABC in '95. Only difference is that Scripps really forced ABC's hand; ABC didn't want to lose WXYZ and WEWS to CBS and end up on a UHF in those markets.

 

The WISH situation is most like what happened to WJXT in 2002. There were no tough dilemmas like ABC had: CBS wanted more money and WJXT didn't want to pony up, so CBS packed up and left, end of story. That's exactly what's happening to WISH now. Only difference here, as mentioned earlier: WJXT was a juggernaut when they lost CBS; WISH, while successful, doesn't have the ratings foundation WJXT or KTVK had.

 

ABC certainly was scared of losing WXYZ - a station that they built and signed on and was, in the pre-Leonard Goldenson years, ABC's lone bright spot - that they bought WTVG and WJRT as a contingency plan. And for a network that simply doesn't buy any stations PERIOD, that was significant. (It also makes you wonder if ABC, or a company like Allbritton, would have bought then-WAKC/23 Akron and made a WBMA+ setup as the market's singular ABC affiliate had WEWS switched to CBS.)

 

But ABC's ditching of WJZ - also a juggernaut in their respective market - forced the Group W-CBS alliance-turned-merger. CBS needed something... anything... to save them from Laurence Tisch.

[Rusty Muck 4161]

OK guys. I don't know why everybody's shocked. I didn't see this coming but I'm not surprised. I know y'all are looking at WJXT and KTVK as examples because they're big market. But you don't have to go back that far. With Fox back in 2011, Nexstar lost them on three stations in Springfield, Evansville and Fort Wayne. I think Nexstar has reupped with Fox on the remaining stations and they pretty much learned their lesson.

Fox did return to WFFT in Fort Wayne in 2013. WTVW Evansville (now with the CW after two years as an indie), WAVW Terre Haute (Nexstar voluntary ended that affiliation at the same time and went to ABC) and KOZL Springfield MO (indie since 2011) all went in separate directions.

[SteveKendall 29]

WISH/LIN is sure taking their time acknowledging the obvious! I can't recall a station waiting this long to acknowledge it was losing or gaining an affiliation. If I recall correctly, WJXT even admitted there was a chance it could lose CBS before it actually happened. It would almost appear that LIN is in denial over the situation.

[A3N 996]

WISH/LIN is sure taking their time acknowledging the obvious! I can't recall a station waiting this long to acknowledge it was losing or gaining an affiliation. If I recall correctly, WJXT even admitted there was a chance it could lose CBS before it actually happened. It would almost appear that LIN is in denial over the situation.

Silence does not mean denial. The people at WISH/Lin might still be feeling stung/shocked that they aren't ready to put their own statement out there right now. Plus, all the pertinent info regarding the switch to channel 4 is already out there, I doubt a statement from WISH/Lin would yield any new info. I'm sure they'll release info regarding their future plans at a later time when they've had some time to mull their options. At this point you could almost be sure that every employee under contract is looking over or contacting their agent to see what their options are.

[DirtyHarry 718]

 

Silence does not mean denial. The people at WISH/Lin might still be feeling stung/shocked that they aren't ready to put their own statement out there right now. Plus, all the pertinent info regarding the switch to channel 4 is already out there, I doubt a statement from WISH/Lin would yield any new info. I'm sure they'll release info regarding their future plans at a later time when they've had some time to mull their options. At this point you could almost be sure that every employee under contract is looking over or contacting their agent to see what their options are.

 

WTHR has both COZI and MeTV, so those are both out.

[T.L. Hughes 746]

This point was raised in a Poynter article about the switch:

 

LIN media finds itself in a delicate spot. In March, LIN announced it would merge with Media General. As soon as the news broke about the affiliate change, LIN stock dropped nearly 4 percent, it was off even further on Tuesday. Media General stock dropped about the same amount and also continued to drop on Tuesday. But both have enjoyed highs since their merger announcement and are above 2013 levels. LIN has 10 other CBS affiliates around the country and will have to face CBS negotiations again as affiliation agreements come due.

If Media General becomes concerned that LIN may be on shaky ground with CBS, is it possible that this switch or the threat of any other CBS affiliate removals on LIN's 10 other CBS stations could jeopardize the planned merger? Keep in mind, LIN and Media General haven't even decided which stations they'll sell off in conflicting markets, and they announced the sale six months ago.

[GoldenShine9 1509]

 

This point was raised in a Poynter article about the switch:

If Media General becomes concerned that LIN may be on shaky ground with CBS, is it possible that this switch or the threat of any other CBS affiliate removals on LIN's 10 other CBS stations could jeopardize the planned merger? Keep in mind, LIN and Media General haven't even decided which stations they'll sell off in conflicting markets, and they announced the sale six months ago.

 

If the merger gets called up, either or both LIN and Media General will probably be swallowed up by someone else I would think...