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29 minutes ago, atlnewsfan03 said:

I remember the big affiliation switches of the mid 90s.  Atlanta being my home market, I remember WAGA 5 ending its then 45-year union with CBS when they took Fox away from WATL 36.  CBS got lucky in a sense in going to then WGNX 46 (now WGCL), despite the dilemma of CBS almost having nowhere to go.  Next year will also be 40th anniversary of WSB 2 and WXIA 11 swapping out ABC and NBC.

In Atlanta, CBS had to buy WVEU (WUPA) when they thought no one wanted to affaliate with the eye before eventually moving to WGNX. In Detroit, CBS had a similar issue when they had to buy WPGR (WWJ) at the last moment while in Milwaukee CBS had to move to Weigel's WDJT. In 1994, all these stations were, as you expect, low budget, low rated, poor signal, independent stations that had to be vastly improved in order to gain respect in their communities.

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On 12/11/2019 at 12:18 PM, TexasTVNews said:

Well, hard to believe it's been 25 years since the big network affiliation switch that took place on September 3rd to December 1994.

 

September 3, 1994...

Cleveland: WJW (CBS to FOX), WOIO (Fox to CBS)

 

September 12, 1994...

Phoenix: KPHO (Ind to CBS), KSAZ (CBS to Ind)

Kansas City: WDAF (NBC to FOX), KSHB (Fox to NBC)

 

December 11, 1994....

Detroit: WJBK (CBS to FOX), WKBD (FOX to Ind to UPN), and WGPR now WWJ (Ind to CBS).

Tampa: WTSP (ABC to CBS), WTVT (CBS to FOX) and WFTS (FOX to ABC).

Atlanta: WAGA (CBS to FOX), WATL (FOX to Ind to WB), and WGNX now WGCL (Ind to CBS).

 

December 15, 1994...

Phoenix: KTVK (ABC to Ind), KSAZ (Ind to FOX), KNXV (Fox to ABC)

 

I could be wrong on the date in Phoenix's part of the affiliation change.

 

If the dates are correct, it would be interesting to think if KSAZ had to be an independent station for 3 days until they could get FOX from KNXV.  Definitely a place where one deal triggered many more, especially with Scripps and Meredith securing deals (at the time) for their stations as a result of the New World/Fox deal...  The Scripps deal was tied to WEWS keeping ABC, and it triggered the Westinghouse alignment with CBS and some more network swaps along the way...

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With all of the hoopla about Joe Burrow winning the Heisman Trophy, WBRZ in Baton Rouge sent a reporter to Burrow's hometown (Athens, Ohio) to get reactions and went live at 10pm.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/joe-burrow-s-hometown-of-athens-ohio-reacts-to-his-heisman-win?fbclid=IwAR1-_vTTWdStgXKYBRRijuuJldnUv7SR3zIi3R4at667y21RJ_eYj6BQZWE

 

WBRZ went far and beyond WAFB and WVLA covering the story by sending a reporter there.  WVLA could have used pieces or reporters from WCMH or WOWK, but chose not to.

 

No one from WSAZ or WTAP was in Athens covering the hometown gathering (they posted AP copy to their websites), but WAFB looks like they sent someone to New York to cover the awards.

 

Despite not having the resources to send a sister station reporter there, and the importance of LSU Football in Baton Rouge, seeing this kind of dedication to a story is a good sign of good local ownership.

 

Edited by tyrannical bastard
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On 12/13/2019 at 11:57 PM, JCB4TV said:

In Atlanta, CBS had to buy WVEU (WUPA) when they thought no one wanted to affaliate with the eye before eventually moving to WGNX. In Detroit, CBS had a similar issue when they had to buy WPGR (WWJ) at the last moment while in Milwaukee CBS had to move to Weigel's WDJT. In 1994, all these stations were, as you expect, low budget, low rated, poor signal, independent stations that had to be vastly improved in order to gain respect in their communities.

That is true.  For a time, original plans were for WATL 36 to pick up UPN, then WGNX 46 (owned by Tribune at the time) to pick up WB, and CBS to move to then WVEU 69 and start news department from scratch.  Those plans never came to fruition.

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On 12/13/2019 at 11:21 PM, atlnewsfan03 said:

Next year will also be 40th anniversary of WSB 2 and WXIA 11 swapping out ABC and NBC.

WSB switched from NBC to ABC a couple years after sister station WSOC in Charlotte did, however NBC went to WCNC (then WRET) instead of outgoing ABC affiliate WCCB thanks to Ted Turner. He sold out to Group W a few years later and WRET ended up pretty much shutting down their news department and canceling NBC Nightly News for a while. I’d say ABC got the better end of that deal in Charlotte. Probably would have even if NBC had picked WCCB though.

Edited by Nelson R.
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1 minute ago, Nelson R. said:

WSB switched from NBC to ABC a couple years after sister station WSOC in Charlotte did, however NBC went to WCNC (then WRET) instead of outgoing ABC affiliate WCCB thanks to Ted Turner. He sold out to Group W a few years later and WRET ended up pretty much shutting down their news department and canceling NBC Nightly News for a while. I’d say ABC got the better end of that deal in Charlotte.

Cox moved WSB & WCCB to ABC as the alphabet was the top network at the time while NBC was the low rated network. As a matter of fact, many stations switch from NBC during this time including KSTP, KGTV, WRTV just to name a few. Imagine what would've been had Group W kept WPCQ, which would be a CBS station today.

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9 hours ago, JCB4TV said:

Cox moved WSB & WCCB to ABC as the alphabet was the top network at the time while NBC was the low rated network. As a matter of fact, many stations switch from NBC during this time including KSTP, KGTV, WRTV just to name a few. Imagine what would've been had Group W kept WPCQ, which would be a CBS station today.

Yep, WBTV would probably have been forced to take NBC. They could’ve ended up with Fox though.

Edited by Nelson R.
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14 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

With all of the hoopla about Joe Burrow winning the Heisman Trophy, WBRZ in Baton Rouge sent a reporter to Burrow's hometown (Athens, Ohio) to get reactions and went live at 10pm.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/joe-burrow-s-hometown-of-athens-ohio-reacts-to-his-heisman-win?fbclid=IwAR1-_vTTWdStgXKYBRRijuuJldnUv7SR3zIi3R4at667y21RJ_eYj6BQZWE

 

WBRZ went far and beyond WAFB and WVLA covering the story by sending a reporter there.  WVLA could have used pieces or reporters from WCMH or WOWK, but chose not to.

 

No one from WSAZ or WTAP was in Athens covering the hometown gathering (they posted AP copy to their websites), but WAFB looks like they sent someone to New York to cover the awards.

 

Despite not having the resources to send a sister station reporter there, and the importance of LSU Football in Baton Rouge, seeing this kind of dedication to a story is a good sign of good local ownership.

 

I agree.

 

BTW, Jacques Doucet, WAFB’s weekend sports anchor (and who has covered LSU sports up close in some form since he joined WAFB in 2001!), was in New York covering the Heisman ceremony and the awarding of the Heisman to Joe Burrow....

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17 hours ago, atlnewsfan03 said:

That is true.  For a time, original plans were for WATL 36 to pick up UPN, then WGNX 46 (owned by Tribune at the time) to pick up WB, and CBS to move to then WVEU 69 and start news department from scratch.  Those plans never came to fruition.

In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of WATL to reject the idea of affiliating with CBS. Yeah, I know CBS was falling during that time, but its original choice of UPN wound up being a total bomb of a network, and the WB didn't fare that much better (outside of Kids WB and the teen stuff perhaps), all things considered.

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5 hours ago, CubsFan79 said:

I read a comment on the WRDW TV and WAGT TV being under GRAY. Did WJBF go to court over WAGT TV in 2016, VS WRDW TV.

I read a comment on the WRDW TV and WAGT TV being under GRAY. Did WJBF go to court over WAGT TV in 2016, VS WRDW TV.

I read a comment on the WRDW TV and WAGT TV being under GRAY. Did WJBF go to court over WAGT TV in 2016, VS WRDW TV.

I read a comment on the WRDW TV and WAGT TV being under GRAY. Did WJBF go to court over WAGT TV in 2016, VS WRDW TV.

I read a comment on the WRDW TV and WAGT TV being under GRAY. Did WJBF go to court over WAGT TV in 2016, VS WRDW TV.


First off, you sound like a broken record. Secondly, they did. Several times.

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11 minutes ago, MadMan400096 said:

In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of WATL to reject the idea of affiliating with CBS. Yeah, I know CBS was falling during that time, but its original choice of UPN wound up being a total bomb of a network, and the WB didn't fare that much better (outside of Kids WB and the teen stuff perhaps), all things considered.

One question. How come WTLK (Now WPXA) didn't get involved with the affiliation change in Atlanta?

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22 minutes ago, MadMan400096 said:

In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of WATL to reject the idea of affiliating with CBS. Yeah, I know CBS was falling during that time, but its original choice of UPN wound up being a total bomb of a network, and the WB didn't fare that much better (outside of Kids WB and the teen stuff perhaps), all things considered.

It might've been due to WATL being owned by Fox at the time. It wouldn't make sense for Fox to run a Fox-turned-CBS affiliate, especially if WATL needed to start up a news department. Luckily, WGNX (WGCL) had a news department, and DID reconsider joining CBS, otherwise we would've had another WWJ on our hands.

 

Speaking of the 1994 affiliatiion switches, was WAKC EVER in the running to become a marketwide ABC or CBS affiliate for Cleveland? I'm talking about an alternate timeline where WOIO and WUAB both said NO to CBS.

Edited by NEOMatrix
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On 12/13/2019 at 7:21 PM, ChrisC-R said:


Am I the only one extremely disappointed she wasn’t reunited with Bob Opsahl for one final time? Also, did they mention him and her together at all? I don’t even see where he said anything.

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2 minutes ago, KentBrockman said:


Am I the only one extremely disappointed she wasn’t reunited with Bob Opsahl for one final time? Also, did they mention him and her together at all? I don’t even see where he said anything.

I thought the entire send-off/close was kind of lame. No big crowds of people like they do for every other TV big-wig retirement? Maybe she didn't want to make a big fuss so they honored her wishes.

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5 minutes ago, jbnews said:

I thought the entire send-off/close was kind of lame. No big crowds of people like they do for every other TV big-wig retirement? Maybe she didn't want to make a big fuss so they honored her wishes.


Knowing how strong willed she is, she probably didn’t. I also noticed a few times it seemed like she wanted to cry but restrained herself.

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40 minutes ago, MadMan400096 said:

In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of WATL to reject the idea of affiliating with CBS. Yeah, I know CBS was falling during that time, but its original choice of UPN wound up being a total bomb of a network, and the WB didn't fare that much better (outside of Kids WB and the teen stuff perhaps), all things considered.

Especially since they had planned to start news anyway as a Fox affiliate before WAGA took the affiliation. And 4 years later CBS regained the NFL. 

Edited by Nelson R.
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On 12/13/2019 at 11:21 PM, atlnewsfan03 said:

  Next year will also be 40th anniversary of WSB 2 and WXIA 11 swapping out ABC and NBC.

 

Actually, next year will be the 40th anniversary of many stations swapping NBC for ABC in 1980 due to ABC's massive ratings at that time and the network seeking stronger affiliates.

 

Atlanta-ABC swapped from WXIA to WSB losing NBC

Dayton-ABC swapped from WKEF to WDTN losing NBC (reversed August 2004)

Jacksonville-ABC swapped from WJKS (now WCWJ) to WTLV losing NBC (reversed April 1988)

 

Not 1980 but 1979 for the same reason Indianapolis-ABC swapped from WTHR to WRTV losing NBC

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18 minutes ago, jerseyfla said:

 

Actually, next year will be the 40th anniversary of many stations swapping NBC for ABC in 1980 due to ABC's massive ratings at that time and the network seeking stronger affiliates.

 

Atlanta-ABC swapped from WXIA to WSB losing NBC

Dayton-ABC swapped from WKEF to WDTN losing NBC (reversed August 2004)

Jacksonville-ABC swapped from WJKS (now WCWJ) to WTLV losing NBC (reversed April 1988)

 

Not 1980 but 1979 for the same reason Indianapolis-ABC swapped from WTHR to WRTV losing NBC

In the early days of television, in many markets, CBS & NBC had the stronger and well funded stations with ABC & DuMont having to make due with either secondary clearances, weaker VHF stations, or unenviable UHF stations. As television become more viable and profitable, ABC won the battle with DuMont to be the nation's third network, stations became stronger, and more signed on the air. By the late 1970s, many markets had grown large enough to support three or more stations. ABC, with the assistance of Monday Night Football, became the top rated network, as the expense of NBC, necessitating upgrades in many markets across the nation. In addition to the markets above, other switches included:

 

San Diego-ABC swapped from KCST to KGTV losing NBC

 

Three Station swaps in Charlotte and Minneapolis

CHA-ABC swapped from WCCB to WSOC losing NBC, who went to WRET

MSP-ABC swapped from KMSP to KSTP losing NBC, who went to WTCN

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1 hour ago, jerseyfla said:

 

Actually, next year will be the 40th anniversary of many stations swapping NBC for ABC in 1980 due to ABC's massive ratings at that time and the network seeking stronger affiliates.

 

In the Tampa Bay area, there were rumors circulating that WLCY would lose its ABC affiliation and WFLA was in talks to pick it up. That was about the time Rahall sold the station. 

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When WTVK swapped its affiliation with WBIR from NBC to CBS back in 1988, channel 26 would only be on the air for only three months. Then in December of that year, WTVK became WKXT, and with the call change, they would change its channel number from UHF channel 26 to VHF channel 8. 

Here's an interesting note to pass along about the WTVK/WKXT changes: In the days leading up to the switch, WTVK was operating with low power and did not carry any newscasts.

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