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Gray TV takes over CBS in Anchorage, AK


Working4You

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Rather Breaking News in Alaska.... 

 

https://www.ktva.com/story/42439484/gci-sells-ktva-to-gray-television

 

GCI sold its CBS programming to Gray and Gray immediately moved the CBS affiliation to their already owned Channel 5 to create CBS 5 Anchorage. 

IAFSZR5YFJGVDHCSF4UGZZR5OM.thumb.jpg.e1504a476eda460f8fea9c482af76193.jpg

Note to point out that Gray already owns NBC station KTUU. 

 

https://www.ktuu.com/2020/07/31/ktuu-expands-into-southeast-alaska-and-kyes-launches-cbs5-anchorage/

 

Gray also bought the CBS Southeast Alaska stations and NBC Southeast Stations from GCI as well. 

 

Quote from the Gray produced article. "Through these separate agreements, KTVA’s local news operation will be preserved and enhanced under the stewardship of a pure-play broadcaster that owns leading local news operations in over 90 markets across the country, from Fairbanks, Alaska, to West Palm Beach, Florida."

 

This also means that (from what I can tell)  Gray now owns all NBC and CBS in the Alaska. 

Edited by Working4You
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My guess is that the next few months, KYES will operate the old KTVA news department until Gray likely transitions to “Alaska News Now”.

 

That being said, it does leave Anchorage with one news department left and no, I don’t count KYUR because that news department has been gutted like a fish this past decade.

Edited by NEOMatrix
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12 minutes ago, susquvalleywgal said:

I'm sorry.  But that is the most ugly looking 5 I have ever seen.  Really??? I mean, I know it's Alaska, but still.

 

-- Matt

 

Looks like Gray just took the 5 from the current KYES MyNetwork TV logo and slapped a CBS network eye next to i

 

t. image.png.e3194c902c76ac1f47457ed34c887dd1.png

 

Edited by Working4You
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3 hours ago, Working4You said:

Rather Breaking News in Alaska.... 

 

https://www.ktva.com/story/42439484/gci-sells-ktva-to-gray-television

 

GCI sold its CBS programming to Gray and Gray immediately moved the CBS affiliation to their already owned Channel 5 to create CBS 5 Anchorage. 

IAFSZR5YFJGVDHCSF4UGZZR5OM.thumb.jpg.e1504a476eda460f8fea9c482af76193.jpg

Note to point out that Gray already owns NBC station KTUU. 

 

https://www.ktuu.com/2020/07/31/ktuu-expands-into-southeast-alaska-and-kyes-launches-cbs5-anchorage/

 

Gray also bought the CBS Southeast Alaska stations and NBC Southeast Stations from GCI as well. 

 

Quote from the Gray produced article. "Through these separate agreements, KTVA’s local news operation will be preserved and enhanced under the stewardship of a pure-play broadcaster that owns leading local news operations in over 90 markets across the country, from Fairbanks, Alaska, to West Palm Beach, Florida."

 

This also means that (from what I can tell)  Gray now owns all NBC and CBS in the Alaska. 

 

48 minutes ago, susquvalleywgal said:

I'm sorry.  But that is the most ugly looking 5 I have ever seen.  Really??? I mean, I know it's Alaska, but still.

 

-- Matt

Come on now! I actually like this 5! 😀

 

The logos for KALB in Alexandria, LA (which is now a Gray-owned station) in the 70s were uglier!KALB logo 1978  Screen Shot 2020-01-27 at 9.38.20 PM

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Getting lost in all of this: A couple of alarm bells about the health of some of the media companies in smaller markets.

1) GCI is *the* cable company in Alaska. They provide telcom and other services to a vast majority of the state's residents. They should have the cash flow to continue operations...

2) ...Especially when you consider that GCI is a subsidiary of what was formerly known as Liberty Interactive--of John Malone/Liberty Media.

GCI should be healthy enough to own television stations in general, let alone a competing, news producing station in the market. So what's changed where they're tossing it all?

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Does anyone actually believe Gray will keep the news operations separate?   I personally think they'll merge it down the road, although I hope not.

 

And how in the world can this possibly be legal?  I know Gray only legally acquired the affiliation and "intellectual" assets (plus the Southeast Alaska stations), but I have a hard time seeing how this is legal.  You have one owner with TWO big four affiliated stations at this point--supposedly with two separate news departments?  Hello FCC?

Edited by TheRyan
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I will be honest this all sounds no different than what Raycom did back in Hawaii. Raycom owned KHNL NBC 13 and KFVE MYTV 5 while KGMB CBS 9 had a different owner. Raycom took over KGMB (CBS) and moved the whole station to channel 5. Channel 9 became MyTV as K5. If I am not mistaken only KGMB (5) and KHNL (13) were owned by Raycom? So it was legal since they didn't technically own KFVE (9) (Now KIII). 

 

Also Nexstar just had this happen in South Texas, KVEO was NBC and KGBT was CBS 4. CBS 4  was given to Nexstar from the Sinclair/Tribune Mishap , affiliation and people and property was moved to 23.2 but Sinclair kept the KGBT 4 tower. 

 

So it sounds like it's legal, since Gray already owned KYES and KTUU legally, no stations changed hands just intellectual property?

 

I have a feeling Gray will pull a Dakota News Now in Anchorage... Plucking the talent from each station (Like they did for KDLT and KSFY) and creating one bold branding. I guess Raycom did that too when Hawaii News Now was created. 

 

This is just a guess, but GCI is the major cell phone player in Alaska.... KTVA spectrum bait? 

Edited by Working4You
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1 hour ago, ProButtonPusher said:

It’s hurting my head. I’m guessing the non-licensed assets of KTVA have been sold to Gray, and Gray is putting those non-licensed assets on KYES.

 

so, KTVA is effectively just a license and transmitter now, with no programming?

Basically sounds like a WSJV situation...except that KTVA's news department will likely be kept. WSJV still exists since it never got spectrum-baited, and is a non-competitive subchannel farm only existing to allow Quincy to collect free DRTV revenue, so this is likely KTVA's fate, in the same way KRDK ended up the same in Gray's Fargo shuffle.

 

44 minutes ago, Working4You said:

This is just a guess, but GCI is the major cell phone player in Alaska.... KTVA spectrum bait? 

Another likely fate.

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So... they sold their CBS affiliation to Gray, but nothing else? How does that work? And, is the affiliate swap already complete with no advance warning? That seems like a small brain move at best.

 

I've had a soft spot for KTVA since the earthquake a few years ago. I haven't checked up on them since, but I recall them having a rather destroyed newsroom and still produced what I thought was award winning coverage.

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I’m surprised that KTUU and Gray TV didn’t just stay with KTVA. Then Gray TV would have to sell KYES TV. The format for news would be Alaska News Now. Much like with KSFY and KDLT TV.

With KTUU/KYES it’s now a NBC/CBS vs the ABC/FOX tv market in Alaska  Gray now controls the NBC and CBS markets in the 49Th state.

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7 minutes ago, CubsFan79 said:

I’m surprised that KTUU and Gray TV didn’t just stay with KTVA. Then Gray TV would have to sell KYES TV.

It's just faster and more efficient to assume non-license assets and IP than hassle with a COVID-hampered FCC at this point. Gray already had to deal with the Wyoming situation and does not want a repeat, and GCI has physical assets like cable headends and satellites (e.g. Time Warner/AT&T/WPCH) that would make a traditional sale/swap a major headache to deal with.

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13 minutes ago, CubsFan79 said:

I’m surprised that KTUU and Gray TV didn’t just stay with KTVA. Then Gray TV would have to sell KYES TV. The format for news would be Alaska News Now. Much like with KSFY and KDLT TV.


It’s probably just easier to move CBS (and the intellectual property to KYES/5. They may not have been able to purchase KTVA, as it’s top 4, and IIRC, KYES was purchased as a failing station... (Unless more rules have changed - I haven’t kept track of what they are today - vs. yesterday...)

 

As for Spectrum bait, The auctions are over... ???

 

I’m sure Gray made GCI an offer they couldn’t refuse for the non-license assets...

 

I could see them keeping 2 newsrooms/newscasts - one focused on Anchorage, and the other focused on Statewide content, particularly Southeast, as there is no local TV coverage in the area...

 

Jim

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No matter what sort of regulatory gymnastics they're doing here, this is bad news for KTVA. GCI had deep pockets and basically handed KTVA a blank check to run their news department. It is/was a quality operation. At one point, I believe they had two helicopters and an airplane in order to cover the state. They also used to still send reporters on location to places far outside of the market. Seems like the writing's on the wall that deep cuts are ahead.

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This is just terrible news. KTVA is one of the most solid news operations out there and I really feel bad for their people. Their product is so far ahead of what is expected of a market that size. And their brand is respected and well renowned. 

I’m a little confused as to everything right now...

these are my questions.

 

1. Does Gray have control of KTVA’s news department as of now? Or is it still GCI?

 

2. Is it still business as usual for the KTVA news department right now? Will they still be on at all their regular times?

 

3. Why so sudden? 
 

4. Are KTVA’s newscasts going to air on the new CBS 5 now instead? 
 

5. Is there more to come? Are we still waiting for some dominos to fall?

 

 

 

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31 minutes ago, DENDude said:

It sounds as if KYES is going to simulcast KTVA for a while until they get things up and going, then GCI will determine who to sell the KTVA non license assets to. 

 

It's a bit weird that they're selling it the license and non-license assets separately. Also, how does Gray now own two of the four affiliates in the market? Or is this a loophole around that?

 

KTVA was the news leader, right? So why is GCI content to lose that status?

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Here's more from the Anchorage Daily News.

 

On a related note, I wonder what impacts this will have on Southeast Alaska. Did Gray also acquire the CBS affiliation for Southeast Alaska as well, or does GCI still own it? I have a feeling we will know more once Gray's acquisition of KATH/KSCT closes, which I have a feeling will be followed by an acquisition of the CBS Southeast cluster (KTNL Sitka / KUBD Ketchikan / KXLJ Juneau).

  

49 minutes ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

KTVA was the news leader, right? So why is GCI content to lose that status?

 

KTUU has dominated Alaska news for as long as it's been around.

Edited by NewsMaster
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sad day for news in the state of Alaska. KTVA's new operation is top notch and produces a product that quite frankly puts the news operations of some stations in much larger markets to shame.

 

You have to wonder why GCI decided to sell. They basically have a monopoly on cable TV and internet service in the state and in theory had the pockets to make the station profitable......if they couldn't return a profit on the station what is the state of commercial TV in this country? Local TV news might be looking at a similar situation that newspapers are facing.

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