Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 The latest word is that FOX/Blackstone is only interested in the FOX affiliates that Tribune has. Still, they could integrate stations like WGN and WPHL (if WPWR is forfeited....WPHL is fair game) An issue could be WTTV since it's tied to WXIN at the hip. Splitting them would be an issue unless one of the other stations in town takes them in. As for the rest.....we may be back to Sinclair being interested in them. They may have no choice but to place WTTV in a blind trust (in advance of a spin-off) so as to build out infrastructure separate from WXIN... even if it was sold out to an existing station, which IMO would be impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1509 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 They may have no choice but to place WTTV in a blind trust (in advance of a spin-off) so as to build out infrastructure separate from WXIN... even if it was sold out to an existing station, which IMO would be impossible. Could they turn off WXIN and move Fox to 4.2 and 29.2 (or to keep Fox primary, have CBS on 4.2 and 29.2)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Could they turn off WXIN and move Fox to 4.2 and 29.2 (or to keep Fox primary, have CBS on 4.2 and 29.2)? If Fox wanted to disaffiliate WTTV from CBS, sure. But the only other time a Big-4 network owned the affiliate of another Big-4 network for the long term was WTVJ from mid-87 to January 1989. And that was solely because of Ed Ansin. A Big-4 O&O co-owned with a competing Big-4 affiliate in the same market? It just can't happen. CBS would raise holy hell, and rightly so... even though Les Moonves really has no one but himself to blame. He could have kept CBS on WISH but saw additional retransmission fees from Tribune in a truly short-sighted move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtFromGulfcoast 695 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 If Fox wanted to disaffiliate WTTV from CBS, sure. But the only other time a Big-4 network owned the affiliate of another Big-4 network for the long term was WTVJ from mid-87 to January 1989. And that was solely because of Ed Ansin. A Big-4 O&O co-owned with a competing Big-4 affiliate in the same market? It just can't happen. CBS would raise holy hell, and rightly so. I see an affiliation switch reversal happening. WISH returning to CBS and WNDY with CW/MNT. WTTV could just be WXIN Plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 869 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Would Fox or CBS be willing to break CBS's contract with WTTV so they could go back to WISH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 If Fox wanted a clean resolution, trade WTTV/WXIN to Nexstar in exchange for WISH/WNDY... and do a straight Fox-CW affiliation swap between WXIN and WISH. Done. Problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruejac 9 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I hear the final bids are due on Thursday. Looks like we could hear something soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 742 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 If Fox wanted a clean resolution, trade WTTV/WXIN to Nexstar in exchange for WISH/WNDY... and do a straight Fox-CW affiliation swap between WXIN and WISH. Done. Problem solved. That type of deal would actually make sense, but would Fox really want to have an O&O in Indy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 That type of deal would actually make sense, but would Fox really want to have an O&O in Indy? They want an Indy O&O just like they want WJW, WGHP and WDAF back in the fold. They are bidding for these stations solely so Sinclair doesn't get them and risk dominating their affiliate board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha 2876 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 But the only other time a Big-4 network owned the affiliate of another Big-4 network for the long term was WTVJ from mid-87 to January 1989. And that was solely because of Ed Ansin. Fox ran an ABC affiliate for a year and a half (WBRC) because the ABC affiliation contract didn't expire until the fall of 1996. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Fox ran an ABC affiliate for a year and a half (WBRC) because the ABC affiliation contract didn't expire until the fall of 1996. I thought WBRC and WGHP were placed in blind trusts beforehand, then were taken over by Fox with a few months to go on their ABC affils... maybe my memory is failing me. Likewise, WTVG was taken over by ABC in 1995 with a few months to go on their NBC affiliation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1509 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 At least in Indy something tells me Perry Sook is cheering on a Fox purchase...and Nexstar has nothing to do with the CBS mess there either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 1843 Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 I hear the final bids are due on Thursday. Looks like we could hear something soon... I hope nothing happens by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre29 1338 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Here's another possibility for Indianapolis: WTTV/WXIN are sold to CBS, with WXIN and WISH promptly swapping affiliations. CBS gets a duopoly in an AFC market and Fox doesn't end up in the awkward position of owning a CBS affiliate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat News 4738 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Here's another possibility for Indianapolis: WTTV/WXIN are sold to CBS, with WXIN and WISH promptly swapping affiliations. CBS gets a duopoly in an AFC market and Fox doesn't end up in the awkward position of owning a CBS affiliate. Awkward? Imagine what the neighbors would say. It's akin to wearing white after Labor Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtFromGulfcoast 695 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I hear the final bids are due on Thursday. Looks like we could hear something soon... According to who? Asking for a friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat News 4738 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 According to who? Asking for a friend. Tell your "friend" to bid higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4159 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Tell your "friend" to bid higher. Get Aaron Paul on Line 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago's Very Own 104 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 if Sinclair buy WGN the Morning News team are gonna be in deep trouble What do you think will happen to them? Forced to tone down their show, or forced to turn into something akin to "Fox & Friends," only local? The latter is a truly vomit-inducing thought, by the way. Either that, or Sinclair won't care that they're the highest rated morning show in Chicago and will just think "Oh well, too many people on this show" and start cutting positions, which would probably kill ratings, and it'd be painful to see the team split up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cna247 173 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 FOX should buy and keep: WGN (Chicago) - move FOX affiliation here - keep WPWR as the MyTV affiliate - sell WFLD to CBS to become the CW affiliate KWGN & KDVR (Denver) - I'd consider making KWGN the FOX affiliate and KDVR a MyTV affiliate WSFL (Miami) - switch to MyTV, swapping CW affiliation to WBFS - look to purchase WPLG or WSVN in future KSWB (San Diego) WTTV & WXIN (Indianapolis) - switch WTTV to FOX & WXIN to MyTV (could see CBS buying both and converting WXIN to CW) KTXL (Sacramento) WTIC (Hartford) WGNO & WNOL (New Orleans) - convert WGNO to FOX and WNOL to MyTV - would be a fresh start for WGNO WDAF (Kansas City) KTVI & KPLR (St. Louis) - make KPLR a MyTV affiliate (in ideal world, KPLR would be ABC, KDNL the CW, & KNLC with MyNet) WGHP (Greensboro) - could alternatively go to Scripps WJW (Cleveland) - could also see CBS making a bid for this WPHL (Philly) KSTU (Salt Lake City) KCPQ & KZJO (Seattle) WITI (Milwaukee) KTLA (Los Angeles) is tricky - I would keep and sell KCOP - I would consider moving FOX affiliation to KTLA as it is higher rated, make KTTV-11 a MyTV affiliate - KCAL-9 would pick up the CW - perhaps KCOP could become PBS Others: WPIX (New York City) to CBS WDCW (Washington) to CBS or Tegna KIAH (Houston) to CBS or Tegna Rest can go to Sinclair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTheJ 87 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I sure as hell do Not want Sinclair buying WGN. I would be devastated for the Chicagoans if they were forced to change their news format! I hope Tribune goes after Sunbeam for WPIX, KCPQ, and possibly KTLA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 869 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 At this point I truly do believe that being donated or sold to a non-profit is the only fitting fate for KCOP. Otherwise it will continue to serve no purpose but to bilk advertisers and MVPDs. It was an also-ran even when it was an indie, wasn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDonP1 113 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Sorry for the speculations that I supposed to avoid, but here is my opinion on what is best for Tribune to sell its stations with Sinclair, Tegna Media, 21st Century Fox, Inc. and NBCUniversal as main partners. WGN America as well as the Tribune-owned TV stations in New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Houston; Dallas/Fort Worth; Washington D.C.; Sacramento; and Portland, Oregon to either Sinclair or Tegna. WJW Fox 8 to either Sinclair or Tegna or back to Fox. The Tribune-owned Denver duopoly to either Sinclair or Fox. Oklahoma City's KFOR NewsChannel 4 NBC and KAUT Freedom 43 to NBCU. Seattle's KCPQ and KZJO, Milwaukee's WITI, Winston-Salem's WGHP, and Salt Lake's KSTU to Fox. The rest of the Tribune stations may be sold to either Sinclair, Tegna, Cox, or Nexstar Media. Fox should keep its stations in New York, Washington D.C., Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtFromGulfcoast 695 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Tell your "friend" to bid higher. I'll be in touch with the fine folks at iHeartMedia in the morning. We're trying to enter the television business again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre29 1338 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I hope Tribune goes after Sunbeam for WPIX, KCPQ, and possibly KTLA. Wait...you want Tribune to try to get Sunbeam to buy those three stations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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