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I don’t know why there seems to be surprise or mystery surrounding this “ownership change”. This was the plan from the beginning of the Tribune sale, and it was no secret. Because of the number of stations involved, Nexstar needed to divest WPIX (and others) to get FCC approval; but they didn’t want to lose it forever. That’s why the WPIX sale price at the time was pretty cheap, and why it included the buy-back option. If you go back and read the articles and analysis of the Tribune sale, this was widely expected and predicted. Some thought it would be when ownership rules were relaxed. Others thought it would be when Nexstar finished rearranging its financial labyrinth. Either way, it was always part of the plan. Only a political or economic apocalypse would stop it. Doing it through an ownership sidecar might not have been the original endgame, but it is neither unique nor unprecedented This was never a question of “if” Nexstar would re-acquire WPIX, but “when”. it truly is too bad that WPIX is leaving Scripps. But this was always a “rent, don’t buy” arrangement.

Even with the outsourcing, there is no reduction of competition in the New York area, since WPIX is still a unique voice and looks to be operated as such. What's happened to (W)WOR in the past several decades is much worse, first to skirt around the RKO General scandal, and to gradually move operations back to NYC over time, making their efforts to serve New Jersey as a mere formality in their license. And with the sales price, given the rank of WPIX (5th?) versus where WGN stands, the price may be fairer. Fader wanted WGN for 60 million and Cunningham almost got WPIX for a mere 15 million.

I don't have any insider information, but I can't imagine that things are good over there. Just spent a week at home in Chicago and channel surfed. It's amazing how lackluster the product they're putting out is compared to the other stations. It's just not nearly as polished as the other stations. Extremely disappointing in market #3. One of the glaring things I found in watching is that Brad Edwards is unlikeable. I don't know who in their right mind though replacing Johnson with him was a good idea. I half expect him to try and sell me a used car at an inflated price. He's not a good anchor, point blank. He doesn't seem invested in what he's doing and comes off at not genuine AT ALL. I don't know exactly what can right the ship over there, or if anything can.

I'm glad to hear that Mission is buying WPIX. This is a smart move on Nexstar's part. Hopefully the deal is allowed to go through.

Technically, what's to stop Nexstar from operating WPIX? Mission will hold the license and programming, and that's the extent of FCC jurisdiction. If there's some random UHF station that Nexstar wants to buy for "ATSC testing" or for some other purpose, then they can get that for half-credit. Where does Nexstar stand on their cap at this point? This is a one-off transaction, so even with how the Sinclair-Tribune deal fizzled, as long as it's Mission calling the shots and buying at fair market value, there shouldn't be a problem. Sinclair failed miserably with "getting" WGN by finding one of their buddies to sell to, at a significant discount. At stake is WPIX's carriage on YTTV (which was a group deal with Scripps for the other Tribune castoffs). This would make it the lone CW affiliate carried by a Mission or Nexstar owned station. Nexstar wasted no time in pulling WMYT from the Charlotte market (since FOX had it carried before). Hopefully a larger deal emerges that includes all of their CW stations and WGN eventually. This is a major hole in many markets. The timing on this was likely deliberate to see the end result of the FCC's decisions on Sinclair.

As long as Nexstar is being truthful and not pulling any of the stunts Sinclair tried to pull off, they might be ok. But anything is possible.

Looks like Nexstar was on a "mission" to get WPIX after all. https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/251137/mission-broadcasting-buying-wpix-from-scripps/

I don't necessarily see a Biden FCC being something that puts in new regulations and stops the endgame of consolidation. Do you remember what happened the last time a Democratic president was in charge of the executive branch? Nexstar went from being a company with nothing in the Top 50 markets to being in Top 10 markets and Sinclair tripled in size. if anything regardless of party I see a greater reversal, especially if you end up with certain companies stuck in a catch-22 where they are too big to acquire yet too complicated to break up without causing a bigger mess (see Hearst, Meredith, Coxpollo). I'm certain Nexstar is trying to come up with some plan to enter Atlanta and Boston by some means necessary, especially with both a gaping hole in their networks and markets Tribune foolishly walked away from.

They're 35 years late on the draw for that, aren't they? That's about how long its been since they became an O&O through the CapCities/ABC merger, and WABC, KABC, WLS and KGO had been using the "Circle 7" pins even then.

I have noticed that as well... isn't the CBS eye added way earlier in the production workflow compared to the likes of NBC and ABC? Like, I have a hard time believing that the eye was added by a single master control point when its situated in slightly different locations in almost every program.

Joy Reid is taking over the 7pm timeslot.

Yeah, that was the problem. SS&K didn't really add anything new, the hosts had good chemistry but there's just so many other alternatives out there that the show pretty much gets lost in the shuffle. I'm still surprised that The Chew didn't get a revamp.The show had enough uniqueness to stand out from the crowd. All the show needed was a couple new hosts to spice things up, I. do wonder if ABC has been thinking to bring one of their primetime classic game shows to daytime, seems like an easy move with their relationship with Fremantle.

Former WVEC and WTKR anchor Jane Gardner has passed away after numerous battles with cancer.