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Looks like KDFI isn't far behind. They recently moved MyNet out of prime time.

The O&O's have been playing with the scheduling for the past 3-4 years now. It started with WWOR shifting House and placing The Simpsons on Thursday nights. KCOP followed after, then WPWR. It has kind of snowballed from there. I haven't kept up but, I'm 95.7% sure more than half of the MNT O&O's are running programming out of pattern now.

 

And, really it goes back a little further than that if you look at MNT affiliates as a whole. Fox started loosening the reigns on branding/standardization around 2011-13 if memory serves me correct. And, the allowing more stations to run out of pattern followed shortly thereafter. The affiliates realized that the "My ___" branding really didn't hold much value. The O&O's are just starting to realize what a lot already knew.

 

 

Looks like MyTV is in its final breaths.

MNT the programming service will be around at least another year. And, I wouldn't be that shocked if it hangs around for some time after that. IDK It may become an unbranded service. But, it's cheap to run and allows affiliates to fill 10 hours of real estate a week in one fell swoop. So, it does serve some purpose.

 

Sure it's a crap load of off net re-runs. But, what would most of these stations fill that time with anyway.... off net re-runs. As noted above it's the branding that's garbage. It's a vestage of Fox's purchase of MySpace. If your a sister station (like the O&O's) and people view your station as a dumping ground for leftovers and second runs, etc of programming on the "senior" station then why not go whole hog and leverage that "senior" station's brand. And, generally speaking that "senior" station's brand holds a little more value. If you're going to attempt some sort of brand extension/brand synergy it might be best to use an established brand versus some flavor of the month website that will fade into obscurity almost as quickly as it came into being...just saying.

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MNT the programming service will be around at least another year. And, I wouldn't be that shocked if it hangs around for some time after that. IDK It may become an unbranded service. But, it's cheap to run and allows affiliates to fill 10 hours of real estate a week in one fell swoop. So, it does serve some purpose.

 

I'm thinking it'll go unbranded sooner rather than later, with Fox completely letting go of the branding/standardization reins for affiliates at the same time. Heck, they may even quietly encourage affiliates to rebrand away from it.

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Scott Levin is returning to Buffalo's WGRZ next month. Remember, Levin left the station less than three months ago for a job in the auto industry. Looks like he had a change of heart.

 

http://www.wgrz.com/entertainment/television/scott-levin-to-return-to-2-on-your-side/463342321

http://buffalonews.com/2017/08/10/levin-change-heart-returning-ch-2/

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Fox 5 Plus already existed over at sister station WTTG/WDCA!!

Doesn't mean they can't use it for WWOR. However, making WWOR "its own thing" and reviving news from Secaucus might put FTS back in the good graces of the New Jersey politicians.

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The channel number for WWOR at least has some value (the + branding killing number branding with 20, 36 and 45 is great; WRBW is the perfect candidate), so I'd expect something different. Likely it'll be bland like 'New Jersey's 9'.

 

But it is interesting that most of these rebrandings are coming with the influence of Roger Ailes on FNC and FTS quickly disappearing. Without him and his 'run it cheap' mantra, MyNet probably would have died in 2009 when Smackdown left.

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They'll call WWOR Fox 5 XTRA or some variation of it.

 

I strongly doubt they'll rename the top-2 MyNets (WWOR and KCOP, at least not immediately). I think what Fox is doing is rebranding its "news-intensive" O&Os into a similar branding and offer more news on its MyNet channel. Despite having a long weekday morning offering, KTTV (and WNYW) aren't as "news-intensive" as the markets that already have rebranded its MyNets like KTVU, WTTG and KSAZ.

 

TTYTT, I personally like the "My9" branding. And to me, it's probably the only branding that's "clever-sounding" among all the other local MyNet brands.

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I strongly doubt they'll rename the top-2 MyNets (WWOR and KCOP, at least not immediately). I think what Fox is doing is rebranding its "news-intensive" O&Os into a similar branding and offer more news on its MyNet channel. Despite having a long weekday morning offering, KTTV (and WNYW) aren't as "news-intensive" as the markets that already have rebranded its MyNets like KTVU, WTTG and KSAZ.

 

TTYTT, I personally like the "My9" branding. And to me, it's probably the only branding that's "clever-sounding" among all the other local MyNet brands.

 

How about "FoXtra 9"? That would be a creative use of the X and emphasize the channel number of the current MyTV station.

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KSAZ is a funky station in a lot of ways. For one, creatively it's long done its own thing. The Fox O&O theme has been used to open their newscasts for, by my count, as little as five months this decade.

 

I mean, here's the open sequence for KSAZ since 2010:

 

 

 

 

 

There's also News Now, which has become a most unusual beast in TV news. It has a national audience but is not coming from a Top 10 market; while it will cover local news when warranted, it quickly understood that Trump and police chases were among its biggest viewer getters. Putting a taste of News Now on TV is a smart move to raise its visibility.

 

Such is the case that their fall upfront presentation boasted "the world is watching Fox 10 News Now".

 

But come on, this logo is an abomination.

 

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Actually, there would be enough stations for TEGNA to form a WSKY/WVEC duopoly if Sinclair sold either WTVZ or WTKR/WGNT.

 

2- UNC

3, 27- Sinclair/Tribune

4, 13- TEGNA

10, 43- Nexstar

15- WHRO

21- TBN

33- Sinclair

49- Ion

I might not bet on Tegna acquiring WSKY. If David Smith and crew don't decide to shell it, Tegna may attempt to snag WTVZ from Sinclair to make that station the duopoly partner of WVEC. Either way, if Lockwood decides to drop out of the broadcasting biz, both stations are fair game. But I think that WSKY may either end up SSA bait for Nexstar or stay a standalone operation.

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I might not bet on Tegna acquiring WSKY. If David Smith and crew don't decide to shell it, Tegna may attempt to snag WTVZ from Sinclair to make that station the duopoly partner of WVEC. Either way, if Lockwood decides to drop out of the broadcasting biz, both stations are fair game. But I think that WSKY may either end up SSA bait for Nexstar or stay a standalone operation.

 

Out of curiosity, what is the Hispanic population size in Hampton Roads? Enough for a Spanish-focused company to acquire something and start up something new?

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After 37 years at WISH-TV, David Barras is retiring. He will step down as 5:00-7:00 a.m. and midday anchor on December 1, 2017, a date which he revealed in a Facebook post announcing his retirement to have once jokingly claimed was his projected date of retirement when he interviewed to become an assignment reporter at the station in 1980.

 

http://wishtv.com/2017/08/09/david-barras-to-retire-after-37-years-at-wish-tv/

http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/indianapolis-news-legends-says-hell-retire-come-december/192932

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I might not bet on Tegna acquiring WSKY. If David Smith and crew don't decide to shell it, Tegna may attempt to snag WTVZ from Sinclair to make that station the duopoly partner of WVEC. Either way, if Lockwood decides to drop out of the broadcasting biz, both stations are fair game. But I think that WSKY may either end up SSA bait for Nexstar or stay a standalone operation.

 

If Sinclair does manage to shell WTVZ thohgh, WSKY is their best and only option.

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May as well call it now. Heck, Nexstar will probably pick up WHDF and KTEN as well. If Lockwood plans on leaving the business altogether. But if Tegna got it, they could get KTEN and WSKY in a package deal. WSKY could create a duopoly with WVEC. (That may need additional vetting however to make sure Norfolk can support another duopoly.)

 

As for Lockwood, Raycom would technically make more sense geographically when it comes to KTEN, KAKE, and WHDF (if shelled under American Spirit). WKNX and WSKY are probably worth less than $10 million for the two stations combined, but I don't know who would want to put money into a couple loser independents.

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After 37 years at WISH-TV, David Barras is retiring. He will step down as 5:00-7:00 a.m. and midday anchor on December 1, 2017, a date which he revealed in a Facebook post announcing his retirement to have once jokingly claimed was his projected date of retirement when he interviewed to become an assignment reporter at the station in 1980.

 

http://wishtv.com/2017/08/09/david-barras-to-retire-after-37-years-at-wish-tv/

http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/indianapolis-news-legends-says-hell-retire-come-december/192932

 

You mean midday and 5:00-7:00 p.m. Dave has long stopped anchoring Daybreak.

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