Jump to content

At the FCC


CircleSeven

Recommended Posts

 

I think the KION-KCBA/KCOY-KKFX operations are tightly integrated with each other, too. KCBA is owned by Seal Rock Broadcasters and SSA'd out. Seal Rock, which appears to mostly be the vehicle of a George V. Kriste, apparently also entered into a JSA with Entravision back in June for marketing and sales services of KCBA. Entravision owns Univision outlet KSMS.

 

Cowles shut down KCOY's news department a few years ago (turning the Santa Maria studio/newsroom into a bureau) and the station now simulcasts "Central Coast News" from KION in Salinas (a different market). So yes, KION-KCBA and KCOY-KKFX are joined at the hip—they also both used the same graphics package and "Central Coast News" brand before KCOY's news operation folded. Merging KCOY with KEYT might actually be a net positive for the market, since at least they'll be seeing a newscast from the actual market and not piped in from a neighboring one.

 

Up in the Monterey/Salinas market, Cowles also pared down the news offering on KION considerably since the Ackerley/Clear Channel/Newport days to just 30 minutes at 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 11:00pm. I'd be interested to see if NPG decides to bump that up in order to better compete with KSBW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Cowles shut down KCOY's news department a few years ago (turning the Santa Maria studio/newsroom into a bureau) and the station now simulcasts "Central Coast News" from KION in Salinas (a different market). So yes, KION-KCBA and KCOY-KKFX are joined at the hip—they also both used the same graphics package and "Central Coast News" brand before KCOY's news operation folded. Merging KCOY with KEYT might actually be a net positive for the market, since at least they'll be seeing a newscast from the actual market and not piped in from a neighboring one.

 

Up in the Monterey/Salinas market, Cowles also pared down the news offering on KION considerably since the Ackerley/Clear Channel/Newport days to just 30 minutes at 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 11:00pm. I'd be interested to see if NPG decides to bump that up in order to better compete with KSBW.

 

And if the Palm Springs situation is any indicator, the two stations will have separate anchor teams and presentation but share a website, reporters and studio space.

 

Did I just see that KION has no morning newscast? How does that happen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The Santa Maria Times reports that Cowles will retain KCOY for now but that there will be a shared services agreement.

 

Since they're going to be a real silent partner, Cowles might as well hang it up in Cali. They're probably going to be there in the interim (since both KEYT 3 & KCOY 12 are full-power stations). And then maybe some weeks or months post-consummation, NPG's shell buddies, VistaWest is going to snag KCOY from under them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I'm waiting on the paperwork from the Nexstar Iowa expansion, and the newly announced NPG Cali expansion, one deal was completed the other day.

 

It appears the WCWG Greensboro acquisition to Lockwood from Titan Broadcast Management was consummated on Monday. Lockwood is also awaiting consummation on WSKY 4 in Manteo, NC. That should be forthcoming. The rest of the Titan proper stations going to Sinclair was greenlighted by the FCC last Thursday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About the NPG Cali expansion, here's the paperwork of KKFX & KION, including the asset purchase agreement (you have to rotate the doc clockwise).

 

Along with the Telemundo station KMUV included in the KION app, K44DN is also in the KKFX app, which is the repeater of KCOY. But it also confimes that KCOY will stay owned by Cowles post-transaction (for now.....). Total purchase price, $21.95M.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New M&A Tonight!!

 

Cowles might be limiting their presence in one spot, but it doesn't mean they're not boosting its presence in another.

 

From the paper work of and APA posted this morning (10/1). Cowles Media will be buying Max Media's Montana Cluster for $18M.

 

Stations include the ABC Montana cluster in Helena, Great Falls, Butte & Missoula; and Billings NBC station KULR.

 

Post-trasaction, Max's only television property will be Bowling Green's WNKY.

 

At this rate, I wouldn't mind seeing Cowles swallow the Hoak Dakota cluster too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

New M&A Tonight!!

 

Cowles might be limiting their presence in one spot, but it doesn't mean they're not boosting its presence in another.

 

From the paper work of and APA posted this morning (10/1). Cowles Media will be buying Max Media's Montana Cluster for $18M.

 

Stations include the ABC Montana cluster in Helena, Great Falls, Butte & Missoula; and Billings NBC station KULR.

 

Post-trasaction, Max's only television property will be Bowling Green's WNKY.

 

At this rate, I wouldn't mind seeing Cowles swallow the Hoak Dakota cluster too.

 

Max Media also operates WPFO in Portland, Maine and WMEI in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Those two stations are owned by Corporate Media Consultants Group, which is 49% owned by Max Media. If Max Media wants to sell it's remaining properties, here are my predictions:

 

WNKY: Excalibur Broadcasting (the new shell formed by Gray for KJCT).

 

WPFO: Cunningham Broadcasting or Deerfield Media (since Sinclair's WGME already produces newscasts for WPFO).

 

WMEI: Unsure, maybe a speculator (Puerto Rico does have a lot of stations, so it could definitely free up some space on the airwaves for the wireless companies).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Yeah, but with the government shutdown, nothing's going to get approved now (depending on how long that lasts)...

 

Just some confirmation on that...

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/10/01/tv-mergers-worth-billions-put-on-hold-as-fcc-shuts-down/

 

Don't expect any news on Albritton/Sinclair, Local/Tribune, Gannett/Belo, etc until the shutdown is over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would actually love to see KTVH clustered up with KECI/KCFW/KTVM so it would be an almost super NBC Montana network, similar to CBS's MTN. I'm not too sure if Bonten want to unload, or could pursue buying any other properties. They did get the Sainte Partners Cali cluster last year. But if they're not buying, and if they probably want more dough, it'll probably be best to unload the Montana cluster, to another entity. Frontier has gobbled up most of the Sunbelt properties thus far (sans KYMA & KENV/KRNV). If Frontier eyes KTVH, why not pursue KECI/KCFW/KTVM? Now if Cowles want those, they would have to form a shell at that point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I would actually love to see KTVH clustered up with KECI/KCFW/KTVM so it would be an almost super NBC Montana network, similar to CBS's MTN. I'm not too sure if Bonten want to unload, or could pursue buying any other properties. They did get the Sainte Partners Cali cluster last year. But if they're not buying, and if they probably want more dough, it'll probably be best to unload the Montana cluster, to another entity. Frontier has gobbled up most of the Sunbelt properties thus far (sans KYMA & KENV/KRNV). If Frontier eyes KTVH, why not pursue KECI/KCFW/KTVM? Now if Cowles want those, they would have to form a shell at that point.

 

If Frontier does that, they could also get KSVI / KHMT from Nexstar to complete the statewide network. Those are probably Nexstar's weakest stations and really don't fit into their regional footprint at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Frontier does that, they could also get KSVI / KHMT from Nexstar to complete the statewide network. Those are probably Nexstar's weakest stations and really don't fit into their regional footprint at all.

Yeah even though they have a virtual duopoly, its basically like an "Island", similar to its Dothan & Jacksonville properties. Since they've been going through its own buying spree, they've acquired stations that clustered up regionally, like in certain areas they're either already in or in a market already adjacent to. Case in point, the Upstate NY cluster, along with the Vermont duo & the Texas/Louisiana region with the ComCorp deal.

 

Nexstar tried a newscast on KHMT, but of course that went south. And let's not forget through out its 17-year history, Nexstar only divested once (KBTV last year). So even though I think its unlikely that they would do so, it would probably be wise for them to dump the Billings properties. But if Frontier get these both, they have to form a shell themselved to get one of those stations. And besides, they're probably one of the bigger groups that own multiple stations elsewhere, than the other groups in that region (Max, Cordillera & Bonten).

 

Back to Bonten, since News-Press & Gazette are expanding in California, I wouldn't be shocked if they'll try to knock on Bonten's door for their Northern California cluster in Redding-Chico & Eureka. I don't think Sinclair or Nexstar is going to expand outside their already clustered Fresno/Bakersfield properties in the state.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Broadcasting & Cable is reporting that Michael Dell's OTA Broadcasting has agreed to buy Journal's KMIR and KPSE in Palm Springs. Not sure what this means for its future, since OTA Broadcasting is believed to be a spectrum speculator. And KPSE, as a low-power station, isn't allowed to participate in the incentive auctions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Broadcasting & Cable is reporting that Michael Dell's OTA Broadcasting has agreed to buy Journal's KMIR and KPSE in Palm Springs. Not sure what this means for its future, since OTA Broadcasting is believed to be a spectrum speculator. And KPSE, as a low-power station, isn't allowed to participate in the incentive auctions.

 

AHHH HELL NO!!!! Please NO. Not OTA Broadcasting? They're on a buying spree of a different kind. Who's going to take NBC should KMIR goes away post-auction? TMJ is making a tremendous and humongous mistake selling that to these fools that they care for is for the airspace, only to resell it next year.

 

I have no pity for these "spectrum speculators" imbeciles whatsoever. Any broadcaster who sells their spectrum in next year's incentive spectrum auctions (like speculators OTA, NRJ, Landover & LocusPoint), should never run a television station ever again, period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My strong assumption is that OTA is knocking on anyone's door to see if any of them are willing to sell their airspace. Just like NRJ & LocusPoint. Again, who would take the NBC affiliate should KMIR goes bye-bye. Do we have to see NPG running the whole market post-auction?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

My strong assumption is that OTA is knocking on anyone's door to see if any of them are willing to sell their airspace. Just like NRJ & LocusPoint. Again, who would take the NBC affiliate show KMIR goes bye-bye. Do we have to see NPG running the whole market post-auction?

 

I don't like when stations that actually serve the public interest are sold to these folks, but maybe one of these days one of the speculators will make a deal in Detroit that Kevin Adell can't refuse. Talk about an incompetent owner that needs to be put out of the broadcasting industry!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

My strong assumption is that OTA is knocking on anyone's door to see if any of them are willing to sell their airspace. Just like NRJ & LocusPoint. Again, who would take the NBC affiliate show KMIR goes bye-bye. Do we have to see NPG running the whole market post-auction?

 

One other thing to note is that Palm Springs is in close proximity to Los Angeles which results in all of the stations in the market except KESQ and KMIR being low-power to avoid interfering with the LA stations. And that, combined with the area's mountainous terrain, results in Palm Springs having a relatively high cable penetration (80.5% according to Wikipedia). So one other possibility is NPG decides to join the party and sells KESQ and its sister stations to a speculator and Palm Springs gets merged into the LA market. But then again, we'll have to see what happens to KMIR post-auction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using TVNewsTalk you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.