Leaderboard

It's been on billboards for weeks, but the new news logo has made it to promos.

I think he was referring to the logo at the end. A pretty generic logo IMO, but that's apparently what they're going for this September. I expect the logos for the other seven stations to look more or less the same.

Let's clarify something up... its no longer used on O&Os but is STILL used by affiliates. KWTX Waco and the Griffin duo of KWTV OKC and KOTV Tulsa are such examples.

Thank you Captain Obvious

Another factor for the sale; WFLA and WTTA share UHF High 9. WSNN is on UHF 26. You move that transmitter to Riverview at the same height as the full-powers, and you've got a solid UHF signal serving the most important parts of the market to simulcast WFLA and WTTA and can keep WSNN's main signal in 720p (safe bet they dump all the Scripps subchannels which already air on WXPX). WSNN already news-shares with WFLA, so there may be no on-air changes outside a transmitter move and having WSNN cover the non-prime slots (including the presumptive 10pm WTTA show) in lieu of WFLA.

Liking the visiuals on the top video, but the gum drop music

Days infamously films 8-10 months ahead so the other soaps will be affected a lot sooner than days will.

Gina said she's not retiring, but I'm not buying that, long-term. I give her 2 years. Melanie isn't getting any younger, either, so MAYBE they're future-proofing their main evening line-up, but that still doesn't explain the multiple one-show anchors during non-traditional hours. Again, most of those folks carry other assignments (traffic, sports, field reporting), but it still feels cluttered.

Too bad WJZ never used enforcer. I always wanted to watch them without having to do so on a resync video from the Internet.

That was in January. I stand corrected regarding Days' success on Peacock. That was out of left field and I did not expect that. When Passions went to The 101/DirecTV it was gone at the end of that season. None of that matters however if the writers' strike continues going on for several more weeks/months. No new episodes of Days will be produced.

Los Angeles isn’t New York. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. All those people that tune in expect the same basic product they are getting now. What you are suggesting is like New Coke.

Days hasn’t gone to Peacock to die. It’s one of Peacock’s most streamed series if not the most. And the show that replaced it on NBC is pulling 500,000 less viewers than Days.

Also missing: Local stations. Not everyone can get their local stations with an antenna...

Back to decline of local news, I believe shrinking newrooms and the rise of the Multi Media Journalist position is a huge contributor. I'm seeing so many local stations with less than 10 reporters who have to edit, film, write and report all in one. Unfortunately, the increased work load hasn't translated to higher pay, especially not now with shrinking revenue streams. But a job requiring reporters to move to small market boondocks -- often away from any familial financial support structure--must pay better. It's crazy that people employed in television are paid retail level wages and need to live with roomates despite working a job requiring a bachelor's degree. To add to that, reporters are locked into to two to three year contracts sometimes with post employment non compete clauses. IMO get rid of or shorten contracts for reporters (at least those being paid low in smaller markets). Stop post employment non competes (in states where it's legal). People care more about where anchors land than reporters. This is a big ask but raise the pay. It allows people from diverese fianncial backgrounds to enter the field. A job requiring a degree should at least pay $1K a week, or at the very minuimum allow for the worker to have all basic needs met. Have realitic deadline and story output expectations as newsrooms shrink. Many reporters are qutting the industry over burnout. Journalism is a great and exicitng field but it has major drawbacks.

Ditching that news theme is one thing. But replacing it with This Is The Place? Really, Gray?? Really??

With Allen, I just can't see a similar mess happening. Less station conflicts and he's a smarter dude compared to Kim who had more money than sense really.

Did Gray get their lawyers from the Dollar Store? I can't see how getting fined for grabbing this station violated 1st amendment rights. Of course, they should argue for FCC picking and choosing who to punish for transactions like these

The “wake up with..” is not too new, but updated to have Ken edited out. A more recent promo (“a new day is a new start! Start new with…”) has also been edited to remove Ken. crazy idea: I think WABC shouldn’t replace Ken and should instead elevate Heather and Sam to co-anchors. Go the route of GMA with three anchors and just have Heather and Sam trade off some of the stories with Shirleen being the main “news” person.

I'm interested in them too. I'll buy them. Talk is cheap. Sinclair obviously saw its stations as being more lucrative than the Tribune stations, or it would have gotten rid of them and completed the Tribune transaction.

I really think Tegna needs to lay low on any future M&A takeovers for a good while.

That didn’t take long. Byron Allen is already saying he’s interested in TEGNA.

All roads lead back to Soo Kim and his failed attempt to get on TEGNA's board via proxy a few years ago. He never went away.

I second that.

I’m just glad everything is back to normal for now, btw I think the NAACP was backing Soo Kim always disregard them. Standard should just turn over those stations to Tegna. If they didn’t wanna be bought than why did they ask? Now I’m wondering why they put themselves in this mess anyways. So options are limited, I mean Byron could buy all of Tegna with very minor conflicts.

While one big M&A was terminated last night, another deal is about to reach the finish line...... Nearly seven weeks after filing the paperwork, the FCC has greenlighted this WBBH deal.

There’s a very good chance that Tegna stands pat. Standard General was the only party really driving a sale (yes, Byron tried to crash the party but the odds were stacked up against him). The L taken by Standard General is such that they may have to sell off their measly four stations to Tegna.

I was glad when Fox Weather Wild got canned, simply because it allowed the addition of another hour of live weather programming. I do agree that it should have been kept at least on a semi-regular basis, not as a nightly show. It was cool to see Kendall host the show today from Chicago, not because of severe weather, but because of really nice weather.

Correct, the multiple monitor setup has been replaced by an ultra high resolution seamless display panel identical to sister station WSVN. Right now the latest work involves the 7 Weather Center. It has been gutted, is under a full renovation and will make it's debut in a few weeks. 17 years in that current weather center, wow! Last to come will be the revised graphics and music package, most likely in a month or so based on current info.

I would create a show dedicated to Social Media Influencers and Pranksters. That'll definitely draw an audience.

Broadcast primetime TV is a mix of stale sitcoms, tons of stale and stupid reality shows, the same washed-out crime dramas (i.e., CBS's THREE FBI: "Insert Here" shows, multiple NCIS shows, multiple CSIs) and the same washed-out medical dramas. Then they jump the shark, add relationships to the shows instead of focusing on the premise of the program. The Good Doctor used to be about an autistic savant doctor. Now, it's about his relationships with women and the relationships between other doctors/nurses at the hospital. Grey's Anatomy - same thing. The Goldbergs keeps going even though the 'kids' are now in their early-to-late 20s. I don't know how they do, the show has jumped the shark since the loss of George Segal and Jeff Garlin's departure. Abbott Elementary isn't that bad, on the other hand, and nor is Ghosts on CBS, but sitcoms for the most part have no life to them anymore. And yes, political messaging has destroyed many of these primetime shows. They just can't seem to have an unbiased plot on a drama or sitcom anymore - it has to show activism in some way. Game shows - you can't seem to find any contestant on any primetime or daytime show (except maybe Jeopardy!/Wheel) that isn't on five energy drinks' worth of caffeine. The Price is Right is one of the biggest examples, but even the last few primetime shows (The Wheel, Beat Shazam, Press Your Luck) are like this too... Late night TV shows have also declined to new lows. Same jokes about former President Trump EVERY NIGHT on every single show. We get it, I can't stand him either, but he's no longer POTUS. Surely is there anything else to make fun about? Segments are mundane and cookie-cutter compared to previous hosts (Leno's Headlines, Craig Ferguson, Geoff and Secretariat, Carnac on Johnny Carson). They have little to no creative value to viewers. I love Bill Maher, but I don't watch any other late night show. That ship sailed when Letterman, Ferguson, and Leno retired. Even the soap opera fans are noticing extremely poor writing and the lack of nuance on Y&R, B&B and General Hospital, compared to 20-30 years ago. Days already went to Peacock (to die, probably). It looks as though the rest of the soaps are also on life support. Do NOT get me started on cable TV. What was entertaining (Cubs games and Bozo on WGN, great movies and Night Tracks on TBS, Cartoon Express on USA etc.) has become a wasteland of binge-watching repeats, zillions of commercials (of which Limu Emu gets at least 1/3 of the airtime), and reality shows that keep getting worse by the year. TruTV aired 'Jurassic World' last night. The channel for live, rolling court coverage and analysis is now running not just hours of Impractical Jokers, but also MOVIES. What gives! Nickelodeon = zillions of SpongeBob repeats with oodles of commercials. Food Network = tons of food competitions, very few how-to cooking shows. Where art thou, Essence of Emeril, Barefoot Contessa, etc.? TWC spends all night running Highway Through Hell repeats (and all day on weekends) and once in a while, they will shove those away if there's major tornadoes. The ghosts of Dr. John Hope and Dave Schwartz haunt the studios, I bet. What was Chuck Roberts and Gordon Graham on Headline News 24 hours a day has turned into WEST WING repeats. Oh, and a zillion Forensic Files showings. Might as well call it TNT2 at this point. TLC's constant reality garbage, same with Bravo, USA, MTV, Discovery Channel. GSN's constant Harvey Feud repeats, too! Isn't he on a few other cable channels...TVLand maybe? Honestly, I'd be fine only getting ESPN, ESPN2, and a few other sports networks a la carte. The rest of cable TV is garbage. Yes, that includes CNN/FOX News/MSNBC. Honestly, I stopped watching TV for the most part after the start of the pandemic. And for the most part, except for some sports, and maybe the local news, I haven't come back. I would rather watch a classic movie or Seinfeld repeat than 95% of what's on TV nowadays. RANT OVER.

Wouldn't it be better to just lease time on one of these sidecar stations? Or does the FCC not allow that?

Why would you assume that once Ed passed they would sell? Ed never had no reason to sell, and he said it himself. i'm sure he told his kids not to give in to corporate pressure. Yes, the family has other business properties. The small family own stations are trying to hold on to their business holdings, and they come from an old school generation.