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Cox sells majority TV interest to Apollo


The Frog

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I would love to see that. Cox/Tribune would be better than Sinclair/Tribune for sure.

 

Only conflicts would be:

Seattle (KIRO and KCPQ/KZJO with the latter sold to FOX)

Memphis (WREG and WHBQ with the latter sold back to FOX)

 

That may be possible.

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Regarding WHBQ...

 

They suffered from some serious neglect through their history through their trainwrecks of ownership, even through Fox. While they upgraded the on-air product, the infrastructure behind it was not conducive to putting out a quality product.

That's when Cox stepped in and did some badly needed behind-the-scenes upgrades, along with the visual changes.

 

Memphis just happened to be part of the package, and when Fox wanted KTVU so badly, Cox was willing to trade for Memphis and Boston. Since Cox has taken over, they've upped the ratings to #2 and driven WMC into third place in some time slots (all while WREG has become the new #1 station) Whether it's inertia of the other 2 stations, Cox giving a damn about WHBQ has certainly helped.

 

Yay FOX 13 Memphis! You are now beloved, finally.

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Regarding WHBQ...

 

They suffered from some serious neglect through their history through their trainwrecks of ownership, even through Fox. While they upgraded the on-air product, the infrastructure behind it was not conducive to putting out a quality product.

That's when Cox stepped in and did some badly needed behind-the-scenes upgrades, along with the visual changes.

 

Memphis just happened to be part of the package, and when Fox wanted KTVU so badly, Cox was willing to trade for Memphis and Boston. Since Cox has taken over, they've upped the ratings to #2 and driven WMC into third place in some time slots (all while WREG has become the new #1 station) Whether it's inertia of the other 2 stations, Cox giving a damn about WHBQ has certainly helped.

 

And on the inverse, WFXT was stronger under Fox and is now weaker under Cox.

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Also look at KOKI, for many years KOKI was just as neglected as what KOKH has been for 20+ years. As a matter of for the first decade of the news operation, KOKI regularly placed 4th behind KOTV, KJRH, and KTUL, but once Cox took over and actually started to invest in the station KOKI in a span of 6 years (2012-today) have gone from a 4th place station with an inability to compete with the Big Three in Tulsa to only KOTV being ahead of KOKI in the ratings.

 

Just like Meredith, Cox has done some amazing things to stations like WSB, WSOC, WFTV, WHBQ, and KOKI while they have done terrible things to stations like WFXT and WFOX/WJAX

 

Also I should note both Griffin and Cox have benefited from Scripps and of course, Sinclair doing stupid things to both KJRH and KTUL respectively (which was what propelled KOKI to #2)

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I'm going to throw out a wild card here...

 

How about Dispatch as a suitor?

 

They are very solid and may have the means to purchase at least some of the better stations outright without a whole lot of debt. And the solid stations are worthwhile investments that run on their reputation in the community and would continue their long legacy of quality journalism and strong ratings...

 

If the networks outscale groups like these and the affiliations are lost, the brand and news they put out is strong enough to make it as and independent, and provides a bigger opportunity to cover the news....

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I'm going to throw out a wild card here...

 

How about Dispatch as a suitor?

 

They are very solid and may have the means to purchase at least some of the better stations outright without a whole lot of debt. And the solid stations are worthwhile investments that run on their reputation in the community and would continue their long legacy of quality journalism and strong ratings...

 

If the networks outscale groups like these and the affiliations are lost, the brand and news they put out is strong enough to make it as and independent, and provides a bigger opportunity to cover the news....

I say at this point Dispatch is M&A bait

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I'm going to throw out a wild card here...

 

How about Dispatch as a suitor?

 

They are very solid and may have the means to purchase at least some of the better stations outright without a whole lot of debt. And the solid stations are worthwhile investments that run on their reputation in the community and would continue their long legacy of quality journalism and strong ratings...

 

If the networks outscale groups like these and the affiliations are lost, the brand and news they put out is strong enough to make it as and independent, and provides a bigger opportunity to cover the news....

 

That's not happening. However, that doesn't mean that WTHR and WBNS can't be co-owned with the Cox stations at say, Meredith or Hearst.

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Regarding WHBQ...

 

They suffered from some serious neglect through their history through their trainwrecks of ownership, even through Fox. While they upgraded the on-air product, the infrastructure behind it was not conducive to putting out a quality product.

That's when Cox stepped in and did some badly needed behind-the-scenes upgrades, along with the visual changes.

 

Memphis just happened to be part of the package, and when Fox wanted KTVU so badly, Cox was willing to trade for Memphis and Boston. Since Cox has taken over, they've upped the ratings to #2 and driven WMC into third place in some time slots (all while WREG has become the new #1 station) Whether it's inertia of the other 2 stations, Cox giving a damn about WHBQ has certainly helped.

 

So, basically, Cox is probably going to hold on to WHBQ for as long as they continue to own stations.

 

WFXT, on the other hand...

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Dispatch is one of those companies that can hold on for as long as they want. If Cox wanted to sell piecemeal, maybe they could get WHIO and have a trio of top-rated stations from Indianapolis to Columbus. But the whole group? Doubtful.

 

When Dispatch gets out of radio, TV will follow. And WBNS-FM is a revenue juggernaut in Columbus thanks to The Ohio State Buckeyes radio rights, which has been held by Dispatch since the Carter Administration.

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They had a USFL team for a minute didn't they? The Generals, or something?

Too many dust bunnies on the brain I guess :cool::D

 

The Generals was the NJ/NY USFL team that trump lost a lot of money on. He had to pay Herschel Walker the whole amount even while he played for the Cowboys. It may be one reason trump seems to hold a grudge against the NFL since his hope was a merger. Thing is, 3 NY area teams is one too many.

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In a Hearst-Cox merger scenario (however unlikely that wishcasting may be) I think there would be many companies interested in WFXT and whichever of the Orlando and Pittsburgh stations would be sold.
Hearst has a Flagship station in WTAE and a strong news station in WESH. I could see WFTV and WPXI going to Scripps and WFXT going to Fox. However, I would still love to see WPXI become a NBC O&O.
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Hearst has a Flagship station in WTAE and a strong news station in WESH. I could see WFTV and WPXI going to Scripps and WFXT going to Fox. However, I would still love to see WPXI become a NBC O&O.

 

If NBC can make WVIT and KNSD work, NBC can make WPXI work plus there they get the bumps that their couple of Steelers and Penguins games per year would bring.

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There’s a part of me that wonders if WSB could wind up going O&O when all is said and done. It’s been one of ABC’s strongest affiliates.

 

The only issues I could see are with evening newscasts and syndicated program. They could cut the 6:00 news back to just 30 minutes and have WNT air at its “standard” 6:30. But, to be honest, considering that Channel 2 has had news starting at 4 since Oprah went off the air, they could stand to shave the 6:00 broadcast down to 30 minutes. Another thing I could see is that dropping Entertainment Tonight and replacing it and the WNT’s delayed broadcast with the Wheel/Jeopardy combo that they could snatch away from WXIA. Keep me honest, but isn’t Wheel and Jeopardy a package deal for ABC O&Os?

 

Also, they might start referring to their newscasts as “ABC 2 Action News”, which could be jarring for locals.

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There’s a part of me that wonders if WSB could wind up going O&O when all is said and done. It’s been one of ABC’s strongest affiliates.

 

The only issues I could see are with evening newscasts and syndicated program. They could cut the 6:00 news back to just 30 minutes and have WNT air at its “standard” 6:30. But, to be honest, considering that Channel 2 has had news starting at 4 since Oprah went off the air, they could stand to shave the 6:00 broadcast down to 30 minutes. Another thing I could see is that dropping Entertainment Tonight and replacing it and the WNT’s delayed broadcast with the Wheel/Jeopardy combo that they could snatch away from WXIA. Keep me honest, but isn’t Wheel and Jeopardy a package deal for ABC O&Os?

 

Also, they might start referring to their newscasts as “ABC 2 Action News”, which could be jarring for locals.

 

KTRK has never aired Jeopardy/Wheel nor did WTVG and WJRT during their time as O&Os.

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There’s a part of me that wonders if WSB could wind up going O&O when all is said and done. It’s been one of ABC’s strongest affiliates.

 

The only issues I could see are with evening newscasts and syndicated program. They could cut the 6:00 news back to just 30 minutes and have WNT air at its “standard” 6:30. But, to be honest, considering that Channel 2 has had news starting at 4 since Oprah went off the air, they could stand to shave the 6:00 broadcast down to 30 minutes. Another thing I could see is that dropping Entertainment Tonight and replacing it and the WNT’s delayed broadcast with the Wheel/Jeopardy combo that they could snatch away from WXIA. Keep me honest, but isn’t Wheel and Jeopardy a package deal for ABC O&Os?

 

Also, they might start referring to their newscasts as “ABC 2 Action News”, which could be jarring for locals.

 

I don’t think they have to use ABC2 Action News. WPVI here in Philly references themselves as 6abc out of news programming, but during the news they use Channel 6 Action News, Channel 6, or Action News. It’s pretty much the same with WABC I believe as well.

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I don’t think they have to use ABC2 Action News. WPVI here in Philly references themselves as 6abc out of news programming, but during the news they use Channel 6 Action News, Channel 6, or Action News. It’s pretty much the same with WABC I believe as well.

Yea WABC says Channel 7 Eyewitnesses News when they are on a live shot so if WSB was to go to a O&O and it changes when it be Channel 2 Action News probably.

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