Jump to content

Sinclair, Tribune Close to Merger Deal


MidwestTV

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 2.4k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

A critical flaw in that argument is this quote, and it's really annoying me:

Opening the door to the Sinclair deal could pave the way for networks such as NBC, CBS and ABC to consolidate their own empires even further, creating huge liberal broadcasters that dwarf the size and power of the merged Sinclair-Tribune company.

 

Who in the hell is Mr. Delay kidding. The only way that will happen is if Comcast, CBS-Viacom and Disney simultaneously perform a hostile takeover of a Sinclair or a Nexstar or a TEGNA or a Gray - or all of the above - and dissect the company(ies). They would have to, as these companies have diverse affiliate portfolios.

 

It's also tacticly impossible, as neither network has shown indications of buying up stations as a defensive motion. Sure, Fox is, but they are taking advantage of the Sinclair-Tribune to get 6-10 key affiliates under their control... not all of their affiliates under either existing company. And the Fox Broadcasting Company is not the Fox News Channel.

 

Is Mr. Delay that illiterate on the matter? /rhetorical

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who in the hell is Mr. Delay kidding. The only way that will happen is if Comcast, CBS-Viacom and Disney simultaneously perform a hostile takeover of a Sinclair or a Nexstar or a TEGNA or a Gray - or all of the above - and dissect the company(ies). They would have to, as these companies have diverse affiliate portfolios.

 

Especially those three, although I would have included a few others, namely Hearst and Raycom. Another way that the networks could get stations as a hypothetical defensive measure would be if any combination of the companies we both have listed did what Sinclair and Tribune did, and merge. All three networks may someday end up having an issue with any given combination of Hearst, Raycom, Tegna and Nexstar merging which would spur them to do what Fox is doing now.

 

It's also tacticly impossible, as neither network has shown indications of buying up stations as a defensive motion.

 

CBS has indicated they do want more stations and I think we'll see them do it first, but they just haven't officially made a move on one yet. It's not out of the question for them to do it, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It is now Wednesday and it's radio silence at the DOJ. I'm starting to feel like they are waiting until February 7 (a week from today), when the FCC's new, relaxed ownership rules go into effect. I figured the FCC would wait until then to do anything, but not the DOJ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An opinion piece written to draw an analogy between 1981 and today is just idiotic. No, it's not interesting at all.

Not to mention it includes that conservative claptrap about a liberal media. Conservatives' definition of liberal media is anything that provides facts (or as much facts as possible), and is basically a conflation of media outlets that skew centrist and are actually biased toward the Washington establishment as a whole, not by party (i.e., NBC, CNN, ABC) and actual liberal media outlets (Mother Jones, The Young Turks, Axios).

 

Most actual liberal-leaning media outlets are either online or are specifically formatted satellite radio networks, along with a few publications. If anything, most of the politically leaning media on traditional media outlets (television and radio) leans conservative. For a liberal to actually get a successful nationally syndicated radio show on conventional radio station groups is about as easy as yanking a sword from a boulder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to mention it includes that conservative claptrap about a liberal media. Conservatives' definition of liberal media is anything that provides facts (or as much facts as possible), and is basically a conflation of media outlets that skew centrist and are actually biased toward the Washington establishment as a whole, not by party (i.e., NBC, CNN, ABC) and actual liberal media outlets (Mother Jones, The Young Turks, Axios).

 

Most actual liberal-leaning media outlets are either online or are specifically formatted satellite radio networks, along with a few publications. If anything, most of the politically leaning media on traditional media outlets (television and radio) leans conservative. For a liberal to actually get a successful nationally syndicated radio show on conventional radio station groups is about as easy as yanking a sword from a boulder.

Ah. King Arthur.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is now Wednesday and it's radio silence at the DOJ. I'm starting to feel like they are waiting until February 7 (a week from today), when the FCC's new, relaxed ownership rules go into effect. I figured the FCC would wait until then to do anything, but not the DOJ.

I'm not sure about that. The ownership rule changes concerning television were cosmetic in nature, and were more focused on allowing crossownership between multiple types of local media (print, broadcast television and radio). The rule change involving local television station ownership that would most benefit Sinclair is the one that repealed the "eight-voices test," which would allow it to create new duopolies in markets where it legally couldn't before based on the number of full-power stations; the only market I can think of where that rule applies to this merger is with KFSM/KXNW in Fort Smith, an existing duopoly that, under the old rules, was only allowable under the failing station waiver that Local TV used to acquire the latter and Tribune used to retain both stations when it bought Local TV.

 

The provision allowing exceptions to the "top-four" rule was described in a manner that implies it was intended to be a change to the "failing station/failed station" waiver requirements, but admittedly was written quite vaguely. It may be that Sinclair is still negotiating divestiture deals, and hasn't completed all of them to submit a list of the planned sales to the DOJ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is now Wednesday and it's radio silence at the DOJ. I'm starting to feel like they are waiting until February 7 (a week from today), when the FCC's new, relaxed ownership rules go into effect. I figured the FCC would wait until then to do anything, but not the DOJ.

Being that Fox announced they are paying $100 million more per year for 5 years of Thursday Night Football today, you know the deal is done (for tv stations).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='televisionguy16']CBS has indicated they do want more stations and I think we'll see them do it first, but they just haven't officially made a move on one yet. It's not out of the question for them to do it, though.[/QUOTE] ABC hasn't bought any stations since the early days of the Clinton Administration, and never has under the auspices of Disney. I can't imagine Disney would want any part of something like this, even with a golden opportunity handed to them on a silver platter. Yeah, Comcast and CBS might, and Fox definetly would, but as @HulkieD has said before (and with more emphasis) ABC [B]doesn't buy stations[/B].
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[QUOTE="Myron Falwell, post: 201510, member: 2210"]ABC hasn't bought any stations since the early days of the Clinton Administration, and never has under the auspices of Disney. I can't imagine Disney would want any part of something like this, even with a golden opportunity handed to them on a silver platter. Yeah, Comcast and CBS might, and Fox definetly would, but as @HulkieD has said before (and with more emphasis) ABC [B]doesn't buy stations[/B].[/QUOTE] I agree with you on that. As it was, I was only saying CBS would.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being that Fox announced they are paying $100 million more per year for 5 years of Thursday Night Football today, you know the deal is done (for tv stations).

 

I'm surprised they didn't just go ahead and jointly announce both of those things today, given that we're literally days away from hearing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Comcast has also shown a willingness, especially with Telemundo. I wouldn’t rule out them taking a stand with CBS if they had to.

 

If it came down to it, on the NBC side, if they had the opportunity at any given time to buy some stations for whatever reason, I could see them going after KUSA, WXIA, WCNC, and especially KPRC. KTVD can just go to whoever else not named Fox that operates a station in Denver and WATL can become a duopoly with WSB or (more likely) WAGA, if NBC opts not to keep it to use as a full powered station. All except one of these are owned by Tegna, but it does kinda connect to this. Overall, this can be discussed elsewhere.

 

If Sinclair and all those other groups eventually did try the nerves of the networks enough to force NBC/Comcast's hand, Las Vegas, San Antonio and a few others may end up in their hands but that'd be it. Obviously, KFOR and WHO are too small and of non-interest to the network so we can put to bed any speculation that NBC may want those from the Tribune side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[QUOTE="Myron Falwell, post: 201510, member: 2210"]ABC hasn't bought any stations since the early days of the Clinton Administration, and never has under the auspices of Disney. I can't imagine Disney would want any part of something like this, even with a golden opportunity handed to them on a silver platter. Yeah, Comcast and CBS might, and Fox definetly would, but as @HulkieD has said before (and with more emphasis) ABC [B]doesn't buy stations[/B].[/QUOTE] Disney seems to be really really bearish on over-the-air TV in general.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope the courts in Philly make sure that they grant a stay on no TV Station Group from owning 2 top 4 TV stations. As time is ticking on that in about a week before that takes a effect. Disagree with Tom Delay didn't read his article.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One group is not only calling for the deal to be shut down, but for Sinclair to be shut down like RKO General was. I wonder if that could happen in the future if Democrats hold absolute power again? (That would be very messy though)

 

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/102022544824585/hw.supp.letter_2018_02_02_15_39_37_920.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One group is not only calling for the deal to be shut down, but for Sinclair to be shut down like RKO General was. I wonder if that could happen in the future if Democrats hold absolute power again? (That would be very messy though)

 

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/102022544824585/hw.supp.letter_2018_02_02_15_39_37_920.pdf

Nexshit should also be shut down too. They're a huge mega group that treats their employees bad. Look what they did after acquiring MG. Lots of layoffs, cell phones and credit cards taken away from employees, and they gave KLFY a bland logo, ruining the station's legacy. They deserve to end up like RKO General. Working at Nexstar can be a bad time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slight bit of news here: Sinclair and Tribune have filed with the SEC (the government agency, not the college conference) that they have extended their timing agreement with the DOJ until Sunday, February 11 (it was previously January 30). The timing agreement states that Sinclair and Tribune cannot consummate the deal until that date, presumably to let the DOJ come down with their decision before then.

 

In short, expect a DOJ decision within the next few days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The appeals court has denied a request to stay the new ownership rules, so they will go into effect as scheduled.

 

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/mobile/index/article/id/111048

 

This is a surprise given the prior history in the Third Circuit in Philly, most of their rulings (stay requests included) have sided with the advocacy groups.

 

Now that doesn't mean the groups' court case won't be heard. But their request to delay the implementation of the new rules was shot down today. This will no doubt open up the floodgates for new M&As. And no doubt these new rules benefit this M&A.

 

This is double whammy for the public interest groups, as they asked the DC Circuit to stay the implementation of the UHF loophole reinstatement last year, and that was shot down too. #nostayforyou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

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

Guest
This topic is now 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.