What if?....... New World/Fox Deal

[jerseyfla 193]

Before I make this thread I want to first make it clear that I only want to do the "What if?" threads on stuff of MAJOR importance in the TV News industry from the past, I don't want people posting stuff like "What if Joe Blow got fired from KRAP" or "What if Alycia Lane got hired by WGAY" I want to make this a good intelligent historical conversation.

 

So I present

 

What if......... The Fox/New World deal never happened?

 

By this I am meaning Fox still got the NFC TV rights, which was a huge factor in the deal but the network didn't make any deals for any stations. How would the landscape of your market be today?

 

 

Speaking from living in Tampa during the switch where WTVT was affected. I will say this much.

 

I think WTVT (CBS) would still be the #1 station pretty much across board except mornings, actually let me change this, I think WTVT would have gone the route of sister station WAGA in Atlanta and we would have Good Day Tampa Bay and The Early Show would be seen on CBS O&O CW station WTOG. The strong CBS prime-time lineup is what would be a big factor in making WTVT #1. I think Letterman would have been moved to it's normal slot of 11:35pm by 1997 (New World stations showed Letterman at 12:05 even before the deal happened.).

 

WFLA (NBC) would be a solid #2. Oprah would still move here in 1995 and would be a strong lead-in to WFLA's 5pm newscast. WFLA would have been #1 around 1996 until CBS regained the NFL in 1998 and WTVT would reclaim #1.

 

WTSP (ABC) would be a solid #3 but turnover just like in reality would flounder this station.

 

WFTS (FOX) would have premiered a 10pm newscast in Fall 1996 after moving it's studios to Himes Ave. A typical Fox station with courtroom shows just like reality and possibly adding a 7pm newscast by 2005 to compete with Wheel and Jeopardy which would still be on WTSP.

 

WTOG would cancel it's newscast in 1998 but it would be a bigger surprise because WFTS is not a strong station, it has a strong owner (Scripps).

[tyrannical bastard 3443]

Basically everything would be better....FOX probably wouldn't exist though or would not be as strong.

 

...and American Idol (or any reality show for that matter) may not have caught on. Remember the late 90's when Fox's idea of programming was "When (insert thing here) attack?"

 

Plus, WOIO 19 Action News may have never existed....at least in its current form!

The only reason they started newscasts was because CBS asked them to after they got the affiliation. They basically slapped their name on WUABs news department at the time and ran it that way for a few years until Raycom took over.

 

And maybe....FOX News Channel would have never come to fruition....instead ABC or CBS would have started one!

[channel2 869]

I never lived in any New World markets, though I'll do Detroit:

 

WJBK (CBS) would be owned by the network. Now, CBS's strong primetime lineup would make it #1 leading into the 11:00 news. Like WTVT, 'JBK would have been shifted Letterman to 11:35 around 1996. Also, 5-7AM news, 11AM news, 6PM news and 7PM news would air on the station, as it does now (though the last few hours of the morning news would not be present on CBS 'JBK, as they'd have to air This Morning/The Early Show)

 

WDIV (NBC) would be #3 leading into the 11PM news, due to the weakness of NBC programming. Otherwise the same as it is now.

 

WXYZ (ABC) would have been re-purchased by the network. Aside from being #2, they'd be pretty much the same as they are now.

 

WXON (WB/Ind) would go the path as it did now, except in my alternate universe, The CW and MyNet never came into existence, as The WB would be shut down due to sagging ratings and being a money leech in September 2007.

 

WKBD (Fox), along with WTXF, was sold to Fox in the wake of UPN's launch, as Fox contested losing its Detroit and Philadelphia affiliates.

 

WGPR (UPN) would have been bought by Paramount to replace WKBD on UPN's inaugural roster. In 1999, the station would form an alliance with WJBK, who produced a 10PM newscast for the station. It met its end in 2004, due to terrible ratings compared to WKBD's news.

 

Since Tampa was already done, I'll also do Dallas:

 

KDFW (CBS), along with WJBK and WJW, would also be purchased by CBS. KDFW would be #2 in the market, even into the 2000s, due to WFAA's dominance. Like 'JBK and 'JW, Letterman would be shifted to right after the late news in 1996. The slate of news it airs now (sans the 9PM news) would also be aired, excluding the last two hours of Good Day (which would not be named that under CBS, instead it would be "CBS 4 Morning News").

 

KXAS (NBC) would be #3, due to the fact that KDFW and WFAA would be at each other's throats, and the network's weakness.

 

WFAA (ABC) would be a strong #1, even during ABC's days of darkness in the ratings.

 

KTVT (WB/Ind) would not be making much headway in the news department now, in spite of the fact that 9PM news there was longer established (KDAF would not begin airing news until 1997). Also, the weakness of The WB plagued it, though Tribune infused cash into the station when they purchased it from Gaylord (along with KSTW in Seattle and KHTV in Houston) in 1999. Under Trib, the station added morning news in 2001 (beating KDAF's "Good Day Dallas" to the air by three years), and an 11AM newscast in 2005. The WB's 2007 dissolution added new life to the station, as it acquired more classic sitcom reruns and movies to the lineup in an attempt to offer an alternative to the tabloid talk shows and court shows running on KTXA and KDAF, though fare such as "Maury" and "The Steve Wilkos Show" would run at night under the name "Late Night Guilty Pleasures".

 

KTXA (UPN) would be on the same path as it is now with the exception of UPN still existing.

 

KDFI (Ind) would be on the same path as it is now, serving as an alternate CBS station in case KDFW had to pre-empt anything for local news coverage. It would also have been purchased by CBS in 2000, serving as an outlet for extra news shows (serving the same role as KCAL does now)

 

KDAF (Fox) would have some life breathed into it by Cowboys broadcasts. It would not gain much viewership until 1997, when "Fox 33 News at Nine" began; even then viewers were used to watching primetime news on KTVT. However, KTVT did eventually fall behind when KDAF began aggressively marketing the news to coincide with it's fall 1998 rebrand to "Fox Dallas"; along with WFLD and WKBD's rebrands. By the time the "Fox 33" brand name returned to the airwaves in 2003, KDAF and KTVT were neck-and-neck, with 'DAF's advantage being Fox's stronger programming, though in 2007, movies on 'TVT helped them get up on channel 33.

[jerseyfla 193]

Wow, if some think that CBS would have bought WJW, KDFW, and WJBK then what do you think would have happened to the rest? I don't think WTVT would have been bought by CBS, I'm thinking Belo could have established a southeast cluster with WTVT, WBRC, WAGA, and WGHP. Possibly Meredith Corp, but I don't think WAGA would be like what WGCL is now being owned by Meredith (Note: Meredith did not own WGNX (WGCL) at the time).

[jerseyfla 193]

...and American Idol (or any reality show for that matter) may not have caught on. Remember the late 90's when Fox's idea of programming was "When (insert thing here) attack?"

 

Plus, WOIO 19 Action News may have never existed....at least in its current form!

The only reason they started newscasts was because CBS asked them to after they got the affiliation. They basically slapped their name on WUABs news department at the time and ran it that way for a few years until Raycom took over.

 

And maybe....FOX News Channel would have never come to fruition....instead ABC or CBS would have started one!

 

I think Idol would probably draw the numbers that America's Next Top Model attracts today. It would be a moderate success.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

Not much would have changed in St. Louis, KTVI was strong before the switch and is still strong now. The only difference would be on KDNL's end which started a newscast in the mid 1990's I think in preparation of the ABC switch. If it was still Fox, maybe it would turn out something like in Pittsburgh where the news was pipped in from another station. Maybe KDNL would have news from KSDK or KMOV.

[Ntropolis 593]

I think Idol would probably draw the numbers that America's Next Top Model attracts today. It would be a moderate success.

 

There could have been the possibility of Idol going to another network.

[channel2 869]

In fact, now that it's mentioned, I might do a take on Atlanta:

 

WSB (ABC) would be in the same position as it is now. It would also be neck-and-neck with WAGA.

 

WAGA (CBS) would have the slate of news it does now, except for the fact that Good Day Atlanta would be two hours shorter (due to This Morning/The Early Show), and the 11PM news would remain. It would also be #2, due to CBS's strong shows and WSB's dominance. Seeing as how WAGA was one of CBS's stronger affiliates, CBS would purchase the station in 2005 from owners Belo, in exchange for WCIX in Miami (Belo had obtained WAGA by trading Seattle's KIRO and WWL in New Orleans for it in 1997)

 

WXIA (NBC) would be #3 (I know, I'm hard on NBC) due to the network's weak programming.

 

WATL (Fox) would gain minimal benefit from Falcons broadcasts. Almost immediately after the NFC deal, they began a 10PM newscast. Initially in the ratings basement due to the longer-established news on WGNX, morning news added in 1999 (under the "Good Day Atlanta" title) pushed WATL ahead in the ratings. WGNX did not recover until the simultaneous launch of its morning news and its 6PM news in 2002. 'GNX fell behind once again when the "Vick era" of the Falcons began, though viewers' loyalty was once again strongly divided when Vick was suspended from the NFL in 2007; 'ATL had an advantage with Fox programming, and 'GNX had the advantage of more news coverage, as Tribune's cash (in my universe they're better off and not Zell-helmed) allowed them to have a higher news budget than most Atlanta stations (Tribune's sale of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field infused Trib with cash).

 

WGNX (WB/Ind) had the upper hand on WATL due to it's primetime newscast. As stated before, it did not recover until it expanded it's news in 2002. They once again expanded news coverage, expanding it's 6PM news by a half-hour to provide an alternative to the network news, much like fellow Trib station KWGN's 5:30 news. They gained an influx of viewers during the Vick dogfighting scandal in 2007, and they followed KTVT's model of programming at The WB's dissolution (the model was also tried on WPIX, KTLA, WGN, KHTV and KWGN)

 

WVEU/WUPA (UPN), in spite of UPN's stronger programming has stayed below WGNX and WATL. Recently, adding 10PM news was considered.

 

I will also do a take on Milwaukee:

 

WTMJ (NBC) would be a strong #1, as it is now.

 

WITI (CBS) would be in the #3 position, as WTMJ and WISN would be neck-and-neck. WITI would be one of a few remaining New World stations (the others are WTVT, KTBC, KTVI, WDAF, WVTV, KSAZ, WGHP, WWL and KIRO)

 

WISN (ABC) would be a solid #2, occasionally trading the #1 spot with 'TMJ.

 

WVTV (WB/UPN) would become a New World station in 2000, being in a duopoly with WITI. 'VTV coupped UPN from WDJT in 2007, at The WB's dissolution (after an unsuccessful attempt to lure Fox away from WCGV). In 2001, WITI and WVTV formed a news alliance, which resulted in "WB18 News Tonight" being created. The branding was changed accordingly with UPN coming to the station.

 

WCGV (Fox) ended its alliance with WVTV upon New World's purchase of the station in 2000. Fox's stronger programming and carriage of the Packers helped it tremendously through the late '90s and this decade. It's extensive news coverage (the station airs about 38 hours of local news a week) help it in the ratings, along with support from the station owner (If you've been reading my takes, you should know who it is: the network itself)

 

WDJT (UPN/Ind) was in the ratings basement as UPN, even when Weigel sold the station to the network out of desperation. The station was sold to Clear Channel, and was involved in Clear Channel's TV sale to Newport Television.

[tyrannical bastard 3443]

The Savoy-Fox deal would probably have never happened either...take Mobile/Pensacola as an example....

 

WALA would still be with NBC (and still be #1 in the ratings with because of Bob Grip, John Edd Thompson, and all the syndicated shows they air). Burnham Broadcasting probably would have been eventually swallowed up by someone like LIN or Raycom.

 

WKRG would come in at #2 and eventually be sold by the Giddens Family to Spartan and then Media General, .

 

WEAR may have become a FOX O&O with Heritage's media merger with News Corporation...it happened with KDVR in Denver....then again, they could have remained with ABC and Sinclair never bought them...meaning...well...you know...

 

And of course no matter what affiliation WPMI would have, either FOX or ABC, it would still likely be #4 in the market.

 

Are we still factoring in FOX's deal with the NFC in 1993 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996? That would have a HUGE effect on all of this!

[jerseyfla 193]

 

Are we still factoring in FOX's deal with the NFC in 1993 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996? That would have a HUGE effect on all of this!

 

Yes as I said in the opening thread Fox acquired the NFC rights in December 1993 and THEN they went "searching" for a deal that would boost their revenue and ratings. New World was the perfect and only opportunity for News Corp to gain a cluster of big market stations that were also where six then seven (Rams moved to STL in 1995) of the markets gained had NFC teams (Cleveland and KC were AFC.).

[channel2 869]

Dang it, I was gonna do Savoy. But I was planning to do New Orleans, so here you go:

 

WWL (CBS) would have joined New World in 1997, and would still be #1 in the market.

 

WDSU (NBC) was #2 to WWL (a distant #2), and still owned by Pulitzer (the Hearst purchase never happened; also WESH and KCCI would become part of New World in 2000; by this time they were an ever-growing blob much like Hearst-Argyle is in our universe). WDSU fell behind WVUE in 2005, during Katrina coverage.

 

WVUE (ABC) was a close #3 to WDSU, often neck-and-neck. Burnham became part of Hearst-Argyle in 1999, though KHON had to be put on the market (it was purchased by the station's employees, who formed Hawaii Television). WVUE surged ahead of WDSU during Katrina coverage in 2005.

 

WGNO (WB/Ind) was a weak Tribune station; it was the red-headed stepchild of Tribune's "South Region" stations (the others were KTVT, KHTV, and WGNX), due to being in a smaller market. The WB affiliation did not help either, and WGNO had no news until 1996, when it established a 10PM newscast under the name of "WB26 News at 10". In 2005, morning news came to the station in the form of "WB26 News This Morning". The next year, an extra newscast was added; "WB26 News at 7" (which later became "NOLA26 News: Before Prime") It gained no windfall from The WB's dissolution, and it was not until May 2008 that it adopted the format used by other Tribune stations (WPHL and KSTW adopted the format at that time as well); it also rebranded as "NOLA26" and renamed the other newscasts to "NOLA26 News: This Morning" and "NOLA26 News: After Prime".

 

WNOL (Fox) had lower ratings than the big three stations, but not below WGNO and WUPL's. Saints coverage did not help the station until 2006, when the team became the (tragic) Cinderella story of the NFL. The station finally added news in 1999, starting with "Fox 38 News at 10". Morning news was added in 2003, with "Good Day New Orleans" (WGNO would not respond until 2005, as stated above; by this point WGNO could not recover until after Katrina, when Tribune surged cash into the station, allowing it to create a 7PM newscast and surge ahead of WNOL, if only temporarily). WNOL, unlike other Fox affiliates mentioned in my postings, was not owned by the network, but rather Gannett.

 

WUPL (UPN) had no news, and therefore was on the sidelines. Having (and being owned by) UPN didn't help much, though it was treated better than other UPN stations due to being network-owned.

[ybYellow 2]

What about all the other markets who were affected in another way, like Boston:

 

WBZ (NBC) would be #2 behind WCVB and may still have been owned by Group W.

 

WCVB (ABC) would be the same

 

WHDH (CBS) would still be an also-ran in the ratings due to its bad news department past and CBS's bad ratings in the 90s.

 

Another scenario could be that Ed Ansin gets fed up with CBS and joins Fox...

 

WFXT (Fox) may have defected from Fox due to its troubles caused by being owned by the Celtics. This still may have been the case due to the fact that Rupert Murdoch may have passed on the option of buying it back when Fox affiliated with WHDH...

 

WSBK and WLVI would probably be the same, unless WHDH became Fox...

 

WLVI (The CW) would not be owned by Sunbeam because Fox affiliated WHDH would already have a 10pm newscast and no fear of being de-affiliated by a station on Channel 56.

[channel2 869]

I'll do Baltimore and Denver (this'll be my last post here for the day; I love this thread!):

 

WMAR (NBC) would be in the #3 spot, because it always has been (and NBC's weakness; it is thought that NBC may try to reaffiliate with WBAL)

 

WBAL (CBS) would be #2, even though Hearst has made it a rather modern operation, they can't beat 'JZ!

 

WJZ (ABC) would be owned by ABC; Group W sells after being offered an attractive $10m for the station (as ABC had approached Allbritton about purchasing WJLA; no matter what Allbritton would not sell).

 

WUTB (UPN) is the station Chris-Craft purchased in the wake of WNUV defecting to The WB. In the same position it is now, augmented with a low-rated 10PM newscast produced by WJZ.

 

WBFF (Fox) would be in the same position it is now.

 

WNUV (UPN/The WB/Ind) originally affiliated with UPN, but went to The WB in 1998. Tribune purchased it (and WTTV; they never owned WBDC in this universe) in 2002. Tribune's stations were rendered independent in 2007, and WNUV was no exception.

 

And in Denver:

 

KWGN (WB/Ind) was a long-standing indy station that was a part of The WB's initial roster. It was one of the more news-oriented WB stations, adding morning news, 11AM news and 6PM news during its tenure under The WB. At the network's dissolution in 2007, it picked up the format used by fellow big-city Trib stations (with an emphasis on retro show reruns and movies), and added 5:30PM news in 2008.

 

KCNC (NBC) was owned by the network; second place in the ratings after longtime powerhouse KUSA. It adopted the WNBC graphics in 2004; later dropping them in 2006 in favor of the current NBC standardization.

 

KMGH (CBS) is usually #3; even with CBS's resurgence of this decade this didn't affect their news programming.

 

KUSA (ABC) is the market powerhouse; ABC's strong shows help this.

 

KTVD (UPN) was your typical "lowly" station; news did not come to the station until KUSA began producing news for the station. A morning newscast (airing from 7-9AM) was later added. It was owned by low-rent Newsweb until Chris-Craft purchased the station in 2002 (along with WPWR in Chicago).

 

KDVR (Fox) was purchased by Fox along with WATL and KTXL in 1993 (they also put KSTU in Salt Lake City up for sale at this time; the buyer was LIN). Fox did not invest much into the station until adding news in 2000. Morning news was added in 2004, and Noon news was added in 2008.

 

In fact, I'll do Salt Lake and Philly too:

 

KUTV (NBC) is owned by the network. Would be number two to KSL.

 

KTVX (ABC) is, oddly, #3 despite ABC's strong programming.

 

KSL (CBS) is #1 in the market, which is helped by the network's strong programming. The station's ownership pre-empts some "non-family" programs; Two and a Half Men is a victim of this practice; KJZZ clears it.

 

KSTU (Fox) was a low-rent operation until LIN added news in 1998; specifically a 9PM show which continues to be the only news on the station.

 

KJZZ (UPN) affiliated with UPN in 1995, and, unlike in reality, did not make demands that UPN decrease it's "urban" shows.

 

KUWB (WB/Ind) was owned by Acme until it was purchased by Clear Channel. It was involved in Clear Channel's sale to Newport and became independent in 2007.

 

Philly:

 

KYW (NBC) continues to be one of NBC's weakest major-market affiliates, at a dismal #3 behind WPVI and WCAU.

 

WPVI (ABC) needs no introduction to TVNT users/lurkers, and it needs no intro in alternate reality either.

 

WCAU (CBS) is the #2 station in the market; nothing too special about it.

 

WPHL (WB/Ind) was the WB station who was runner-up to WTXF in the ratings; even though it's 10PM news is not as old as WTXF's, it is second to theirs in the ratings. It's morning news "WB17 News at Dawn" is a moderate success in the ratings, as was the station; although they did not adopt the format the other big-city Trib outlets did until May 2008.

 

WTXF (Fox) was purchased from Paramount by Fox in 1994 due to disliking the prospect of losing their established affiliate to an upstart; WKBD was also sold to the network for this same reason. Both stations were pumped with news, including morning news and midday news. WTXF is neck-and-neck with WPHL in the ratings (as both stations' owners are up to their foreheads in cash).

 

WGBS/WPSG (UPN) was purchased at the last minute to replace WTXF on UPN's roster (WGPR was concurrently purchased). The morning news, "wakeUPNews" is not doing very well.

[jerseyfla 193]

Arghh!! I was going to do a seperate Westinghouse thread!!

 

I leave this thread for one hour and look what you kids have done!!! LOL

[channel2 869]

Arghh!! I was going to do a seperate Westinghouse thread!!

 

I leave this thread for one hour and look what you kids have done!!! LOL

 

I was gonna wait for the Group W thread, but I couldn't wait for it!

 

Now I'm gonna do Cleveland, St. Louis and Miami:

 

Cleveland:

 

WKYC (NBC) would be weak. Very weak. Until they resurge in the mid-2000s, ahead of WJW, and trading #1 with WEWS. Starting in 2006, WJW goes HD and surges ahead of WKYC and trades #2 with them.

 

WEWS (ABC) is too busy being #1 while WKYC and WJW continue their squabbles. ABC helps them in the ratings too.

 

WJW (CBS) would be #2 to WEWS during the '90s, despite CBS's then-weak offerings of the time. Like it's brothers in Dallas and Detroit, it would move Letterman to right after the late news in 1996. After years of the TV8 branding, the station began using "NewsCenter 8" as it's main branding in 1997, until 2003, when that was unseated by "CBS 8" (the NC8 name remains in use on the news to this day).

 

WOIO (Fox) did not bother with news, as LMA partner WUAB's news was longer established and better-rated. When WUAB became a Paramount station in 1994, the LMA with WOIO went away, and WEWS replaced them as their LMA partner. WEWS began news on the station in 1998 under the name "Fox nineteen News at Ten" (the "Fox nineteen" name was in use until 2003, when it was changed to "Fox 19"). WOIO, along with WFLX are purchased by Fox in 2005, in exchange for WCGV and KTXL. WOIO surges ahead of WUAB, with the revamped "Fox 19 News at Ten".

 

WUAB (UPN) as part of Paramount Stations Group, has only two news shows: the Ten O'Clock News, and the morning news (branded as "UPN 43 in the Morning").

 

WBNX (WB/Ind) fed the ever-growing blob known as Tribune in 2005 (they sold WEWB in Albany and KSWB in San Diego upon purchasing this station). Tribune launched news in 2007 in the form of "55 News at Ten". Being a Tribune outlet, it is frequently neck-and-neck with WOIO.

 

St. Louis:

 

KTVI (ABC) is #3, as KSDK and KMOV are at each other's throats and 'TVI is at the sidelines.

 

KMOV (CBS) trades #1 with KSDK, longtime powerhouse of the market.

 

KSDK (NBC) is the market powerhouse, locked in a ratings war with KMOV.

 

KPLR (Fox) gave up years of heritage to join the Fox network in 1986. In 1990, the station rebranded as "St. Louis 11, Fox". Local owners sold the station to Malrite in 1994, and the station was rebranded as "Fox 11" at that time. It's news at 9 is long established, and consistently beats that of dual WB/UPN affiliate KDNL's.

 

KDNL (WB/UPN) served as the market's dual WB/UPN affiliate, and established 9PM news in 1993, which is nowhere near as watched as that of KPLR's. At the dissolution of The WB, it became a sole UPN affiliate.

 

And Miami:

 

WTVJ (NBC) remains on channel 4, and #3, behind WPLG and WSVN.

 

WCIX (CBS) is in fourth place, due to the station's former weakness with CBS, poor reception (though cable becoming more of a commodity solved this problem somewhat) and not attempting to seriously compete in the past. The station is now owned by Belo, as CBS sold it in exchange for WAGA in 2005. Belo has attempted to make the news stronger, but to no avail.

 

WSVN (Fox) is the town sensationalist. Their news-intensive format is a ratings winner in the area, and it and WPLG are neck-and-neck.

 

WPLG (ABC) is the market leader. ABC's programs help this.

 

WBFS (UPN) attempts to compete with WSVN with 10PM news and morning news. These broadcasts do not do very well in the ratings.

 

WDZL (WB/Ind) airs 10PM news produced by WTVJ; even so the ratings pale in comparison to WSVN.

[channel2 869]

Apologies for the double post, but what I'm about to post might take too many characters for the last post:

 

This is the makeshift ownership chart for the major parties: ABC/Capitol Cities (Disney did not touch it in this universe), CBS Corporation, NBC, Fox Television Stations, Tribune, Paramount Stations Group (Viacom's offer to buy Paramount Comm. was turned down here), Chris-Craft and News World.

 

ABC/Capitol Cities: WABC, KABC, WLS, WPVI, KGO, KTRK, WXYZ, WJZ, WTVD, KFSN.

 

CBS Corporation: WCBS, KCBS, KCAL, WBBM, WCAU, KDFW, KDFI, WAGA, WJBK, WJW.

 

NBC (Universal): WNBC, KNBC, WMAQ, WRC, WTVJ, KCNC, KUTV, WVTM (WVTM was purchased by NBC when New World decided to keep the higher-rated WBRC; they turned around and sold that to Belo in 1999; they had right of first refusal to buy any New World stations in case they ever went up for sale).

 

Fox Television Stations (they are quite big, so the company was divided into regions; all regions have managers based out of the flagship station of the region, and all are managed equally from WNYW in New York): East: WNYW, WFLD, WTXF, WTTG, WKBD, WCGV. West: KTTV, KDAF, KRIV, KDVR, KTXL. South: WATL, WOFL, WLFL (was purchased from Sinclair in 1998, due to the network disliking losing them to The WB), WFLX.

 

Tribune (larger than Fox and also divided into regions): East: WPIX, WGN, WPHL, WLVI, WBNX, WNUV, WTTV, WBNE. West: KTLA, KSTW, KWGN. South: KTVT, KHTV, WGNX, WGNO.

 

Paramount Stations Group (part owner of UPN): WPSG, WSBK, KTXA, WDCA, WUPA, KTXH, WGPR, WTOG, WBFS, WUAB, KMAX, WGNT.

 

Chris-Craft (part owner of UPN): WWOR, KCOP, WPWR, KBHK, KMSP, KUTP, KTVD, WRBW, WUTB, KPTV, KMOL, KTVX.

 

New World: WTVT, KIRO, KSAZ, WESH, KTVI, KNSD, WDAF, WITI, WVTV, KTBC, WGHP, WWL, KCCI (As stated before, KIRO and WWL were both obtained from Belo when they sold WAGA to the company, WESH and KCCI were obtained from Pulitzer when they liquidated their broadcast holdings in 2000, and WBRC was sold to Belo in 1999).

[l14dap 1]

Wow, you're really having fun with this channel2!!

[Weeters 1806]

I will also do a take on Milwaukee:

 

WTMJ (NBC) would be a strong #1, as it is now.

 

WITI (CBS) would be in the #3 position, as WTMJ and WISN would be neck-and-neck. WITI would be one of a few remaining New World stations (the others are WTVT, KTBC, KTVI, WDAF, WVTV, KSAZ, WGHP, WWL and KIRO)

 

WISN (ABC) would be a solid #2, occasionally trading the #1 spot with 'TMJ.

 

WDJT (UPN/Ind) was in the ratings basement as UPN, even when Weigel sold the station to the network out of desperation. The station was sold to Clear Channel, and was involved in Clear Channel's TV sale to Newport Television.

 

You mean everything would be pretty much the same as it is now?

[channel2 869]

You mean everything would be pretty much the same as it is now?

 

Yeah, pretty much.

[mbhcity 3]

Ok, let me add...this is fun.

 

Well for starters, if FOX/New World never happened...there would never have been the NFL on FOX, and baseball would still be on CBS, or on ABC or NBC, or perhaps that stupid Baseball network thing ABC and NBC was trying out. FOX would perhaps continue to remain less of a network than it is now....and perhaps there would be no UPN or WB.

 

Now speaking from a Los Angeles perspective and considering all the things that have happened since FOX/NW, Group W/CBS, ABC/Disney and the telecommunications deregulation act of 1996.....I could imagine many scenarios.

 

For example what KRON4 still had its NBC affiliation and the De Young's were still running it....KCAL would still be a "very independent" station, perhaps owned by Young Broadcasting.

 

speaking of "very independent" what if KCOP and other UPN affils were still owned by Chris-Craft..... and Tribune were still a strong company minus Sam Zell.

 

Things were just right during the 90's and in the early 2000's....right until the duop's kicked in.

 

Otherwise not much else would change with KABC, KNBC, and KCBS.

[jerseyfla 193]

Ok, let me add...this is fun.

 

Well for starters, if FOX/New World never happened...there would never have been the NFL on FOX, and baseball would still be on CBS, or on ABC or NBC, or perhaps that stupid Baseball network thing ABC and NBC was trying out. FOX would perhaps continue to remain less of a network than it is now....and perhaps there would be no UPN or WB.

 

 

I have to disagree with you. The NFC rights that Fox outbid over CBS happened BEFORE there was any thought of Fox affiliating with New World. As I mentioned Fox went "searching" because CBS didn't just lose the NFL that year, they lost Major League Baseball as well and many CBS affiliates were going to be hurting from this happening. You could say that Fox would only have those rights through the 1997 season when the contract would expire and then CBS would win the NFC rights back. Baseball on Fox only happened in 1996 because of NBC and ABC pulling out of their Baseball Network deal due to the 1994 strike where millions of ad revenue and ratings were lost. But I think Fox was a big enough company to where the NFL ratings could provide enough boost to keep a strong hold financially for Fox to renew the NFC deal everytime.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

I have to disagree with you. The NFC rights that Fox outbid over CBS happened BEFORE there was any thought of Fox affiliating with New World. As I mentioned Fox went "searching" because CBS didn't just lose the NFL that year, they lost Major League Baseball as well and many CBS affiliates were going to be hurting from this happening. You could say that Fox would only have those rights through the 1997 season when the contract would expire and then CBS would win the NFC rights back. Baseball on Fox only happened in 1996 because of NBC and ABC pulling out of their Baseball Network deal due to the 1994 strike where millions of ad revenue and ratings were lost. But I think Fox was a big enough company to where the NFL ratings could provide enough boost to keep a strong hold financially for Fox to renew the NFC deal everytime.

 

I think it is accurate to say that if Fox did not get the NFC right in the early 1990's, then the New World deal might not have happened because it was a result of that in an attempt to get Fox on well-known older stations that the New World deal would have happened. I think that its the fact they got the NFC and MLB rights which made the network as a whole much stonger, otherwise it would have been on the level of WB and UPN.

[WAVY 10 Fan 232]

Fox Television Stations (they are quite big, so the company was divided into regions; all regions have managers based out of the flagship station of the region, and all are managed equally from WNYW in New York): East: WNYW, WFLD, WTXF, WTTG, WKBD, WCGV. West: KTTV, KDAF, KRIV, KDVR, KTXL. South: WATL, WOFL, WLFL (was purchased from Sinclair in 1998, due to the network disliking losing them to The WB), WFLX.

 

I like the regional division idea, channel2.