WINK-TV/Fort Myers Broadcasting Company new facilities

[NWA_TV_guy 148]

FMBC is moving WINK-TV/FM and its other broadcast properties to a new location in Fort Myers. 
 

https://winknews.com/2023/08/03/wink-tv-buys-new-headquarters-for-18-5-million-in-gateway/?fbclid=IwAR3Yyw6O2ZTVoHxkWrLeA89O1SMpK5Be8Ej_NekLrvaQg5PNhTHpSJndUFI_aem_AaMEvmtuQXLZePPjjqtvctHajRDZI7uLCJtrqfGxDuaq1AlZXiLX22uIxa63Kek3tRk&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Edited August 4, 2023 by NWA_TV_guy

[abric 157]

I figured this would be happening given what happened with Hurricane Ian last year that flooded their studios and knocked them off the air. Pulling a KHOU.

[Recovering Producer 99]

An overdue upgrade for WINK and absolutely necessary for any possible sale in the future. No company in their right mind (or their insurance company) would take on that building after Ian.

Oddly enough, they were committed to a future in that building until a few weeks before Ian. If you look at Fort Myers building permits - they shelved a plan just a few weeks before the storm to add a studio to the northwest side of the building—the part of the building closest to the creek and water. 

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 743]

This is great news! I was wondering when this was going to happen.  I figured they would be looking, given what KHOU went through...

[GoldenShine9 1509]

22 hours ago, Recovering Producer said:

An overdue upgrade for WINK and absolutely necessary for any possible sale in the future. No company in their right mind (or their insurance company) would take on that building after Ian.

Oddly enough, they were committed to a future in that building until a few weeks before Ian. If you look at Fort Myers building permits - they shelved a plan just a few weeks before the storm to add a studio to the northwest side of the building—the part of the building closest to the creek and water. 

 

They probably also realized that it would be a critical piece of a potential sale. In addition, the insurance costs in Florida as a whole are skyrocketing now and that would be outrageously high where they were previously.

Edited August 4, 2023 by GoldenShine9

[ABC 7 Denver 1552]

On 8/4/2023 at 3:17 PM, GoldenShine9 said:

 

They probably also realized that it would be a critical piece of a potential sale. In addition, the insurance costs in Florida as a whole are skyrocketing now and that would be outrageously high where they were previously.

 

Sale to Scripps, you mean.

[nycnewsjunkie 1395]

15 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

Sale to Scripps, you mean.

They already own WFTX.

[Georgie56 3059]

If anything, they’d be bound for Gray. WINK-WXCW is already being run like a Gray shop.

[Recovering Producer 99]

3 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

If anything, they’d be bound for Gray. WINK-WXCW is already being run like a Gray shop.

If a Fort Myers Broadcasting WINK/Sun WXCW sale happens, under current ownership rules, unless they find a main owner and sidecar willing to take on radio properties, someone would need to find two different companies to divest the radio properties owned by FMBC and Sun. (By my count FMBC has three full-power FM stations, Sun has 4 FM stations - no current legal way for one company to own 7 FM stations in a market)  Those companies would need to have a similar relationship or unwind their connected operation on the radio side. Not impossible. But a piece of the puzzle that could complicate negotiations of any potential deal because of tax advantages for the sellers to sell whole rather than piece by piece.