Leaderboard

https://latenighter.com/features/analyst-network-late-night-talk-shows-became-unprofitable-in-2023/ And it was happening under Letterman too. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/david-letterman-s-late-show-by-the-numbers-214329990.html Read both of those articles closely. In 2009, The Late Show was pulling in the same ad revenue as all of late-night television in 2024. TV is a dying medium, it doesn't need conspiracy theories to explain why things are getting cut. EDIT: As a bonus, days before the Colbert cancellation announcement dropped, Nielsen reported that broadcast television viewership had dropped below 20% for the first time. You tell me how the show is magically extremely profitable when there's barely more people watching than there was under Letterman 10 years ago.

If Trump was so upset about Colbert, he'd be gone already. The show would have gone on summer hiatus and never returned. They would have paid out the rest of his contract and that would have been that. It would have been a drop in the bucket compared to the purchase price. They, instead, gave him ~10 months to continue to make jokes at Trump's expense. Not sure if you've been watching the same Trump I have, but the one I've been watching would have wanted him gone immediately, not next year. The show was losing money, it's that simple. His contract was up next May, they chose not to renew. It was cheaper to continue the show as-is than pay out whatever is left on his contract plus penalties. This isn't some grand conspiracy, it's the realities of the industry. Late night is dead.

Meanwhile, Newsmax, whose cable opinion channel is a direct competitor with Nexstar's NewsNation, is against the deal. They hilariously claims NewsNation is "left-wing" because for Newsmax, facts always get in the way of the narrative they want to push.

Agreed... This particular topic of CBS programming issues/debates/cancellations/etc should be moved to the CBS forum or the Speculatron...

Respectfully, what does CBS' decisions on programming have anything to do with Nexstar and Tegna merging? But the day Tegna would sell was nearly inevitable for a number of years by this point. They just don't have the scale in today's economy to survive as a standalone company and operate as a large player. Nexstar would be wise to divest stations in bigger markets especially. I'm personally very concerned about Knoxville, Charlotte, and Denver. Despite the apparent lack of language in the announcement, I suspect Nexstar will need to divest some stations. And certain aspects of the current rules literally require an act of Congress to change. I don't quite see this as a done deal, but time will tell.

If Nexstar actually tried to buy CBS, anti-trust laws would potentially come into play. I don’t see that happening in the near term if ever. I doubt that whoever made that graphic at WJZY had any special insider knowledge. It’s a poor interpretation of the corporate press release that was turned into a hastily prepared graphic. In my view, they read too much into the announcement. The official announcement is just an initial one. They should have said that Nexstar, WJZY’s parent company, has agreed to buy Tegna, which is WCNC’s parent company. And they should’ve left it at that. Anything more outside direct quotes is adding to the language of the actual announcement. I’m sure we will hear more in the coming weeks and months as to the exact scope of how this transaction will happen. The chances are high that Nexstar will need to divest some stations to get this through. Just because the rules may be adapted or relaxed, it does not mean that rule-making and laws go away. And it’s a maybe on rules changing, not a guarantee currently.

Even if I were to go down that conspiracy theory rabbit hole, they're doing Colbert a favor by having him slowly give up an incredibly unprofitable time slot. James Corden's Late Late Show was bleeding money and viewers when it was cancelled two years ago. Seth Meyers had to give up his house band and it might not be enough to save Late Night. Lilly Singh's show was canned four years ago and never replaced. To be very blunt, CBS is allowing Colbert to bow out with as much gracefulness as possible. It makes the network and owned-stations much more attractive to Nexstar. No one is going to run CBS with any degree of lavishness from the Paley or Moonves eras.

Bumping this thread... KIAH (CW 39 Houston) got their version of the KRON graphics, along with an updated logo and branding.

The way things are going, I sincerely doubt that this will be a huge priority for a new administration once 2029 rolls around. The damage would have been long done, there will have been even more consolidations, and there will be nobody left looking to buy. TV will be in an even worse and more precarious place than it is today. Who knows what the landscape will even look like? Who's to say that the affiliation model doesn't break down before then? The money is gone, and the viewers are fleeing towards the exits. The weather streamers are a huge flashing red warning light that these companies seem to be failing to notice. Weather was always one of the pillars of local news. It was one of the reasons local media executives thought they were invincible. "Everyone loves their local meteorologists, they can't get this anywhere else!" Yet, several of these statewide weather streamers, and none of the big name national ones, have any connection to local media companies. They're these startup operations with a shoestring budget, doing something that a company like Nexstar could get off the ground in a week. The reality is that I really don't think there's enough room here for there to be a huge amount of competition. Alabama could use a service that focuses on statewide severe weather coverage, but they don't need six of them, and whoever isn't first will really need to make waves to be noticed.

All kidding aside, while I totally believe Nexstar is going to try and acquire more, let's keep the discussion to the Nexstar-Tegna deal. Anything else is pure speculation, and there are appropriate channels for that. Otherwise, we'll cross that bridge (CBS or whatever) when we get to it.

Nothing. We just have one or two conspiracy theorists here who are absolutely convinced that they know what Nexstar will want to buy after swallowing Tegna. Hopefully one of the moderators will clean things up and move all the non-Netflix-buys-Tegna posts to another thread.

I too agree that Nexstar would be smart to divest stations, especially the larger market stations, including Denver and Charlotte. I'd even add places like Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Columbus (Ohio), Sacramento, San Diego, Portland (Oregon), Hartford-New Haven, Norfolk, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Buffalo, to name a few. As for who'd buy up divested stations would be a different discussion for a different day.

And by pure “coincidence” they got their deal done to be sold days later. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a damn duck. No one is arguing the world is what it was a decade ago, let alone multiple decades. But the timing and manner of the Colbert affair says all that needs to be said. It doesn’t matter if it was the orange baboon directly or the FCC staff doing some wink wink/nudge nudge in the background. Anyone with an ounce of common sense understands what happened.

Technically, it was Paramount Global who "fired" Colbert.

This!!! There's nothing like seeing Nexstar boast about record profits on the corporate page, while employees in stations as high as middle markets are making fast food level wages. Now as much as I hate consolidation, what is the alternative?

trump's ego loves when he is the center of attention, whether good or bad. He wants people talking about him. And if it's not in his favor, he gets to grandstand about it. It is his form of self gratification. Just like the North Korea style praise he gets from all around him. He literally gets off on it. And many have found it to be a smart strategy to get his positive attention including the Europeans the other day. He will milk Colbert's satire until the lights at the Ed Sullivan Theater are shut off.

Can you please cite me evidence that it was losing money other than Paramount management saying so?

Then why did Skydance fire Colbert? lol Leave it alone if you're going to sell it. I call bullshit. I mean, given Scripps stock price, so will KMGH. Local news will be completely controlled by Nexstar in Denver.

which only one party? Obama ignored court orders twice - D.C. then FISA - to stop NSA surveilance that vacuumed everyone's emails, texts, calls, browsing etc... data without subpoenas, this started in the 90s by Bill Clinton and only a whistle blower brought it to light in 2011. Also, ignored court order on War Powers act because they felt "kinetic military action" in Libya didnt apply and could do it without asking congress. Most or all "ignored" orders were from district courts, which as the name implies can't issue lawful orders beyond their ... districts ... and that was rechecked recently. If lawful orders are ignored the courts have a mechanism to get a handle on it - contempt of court. Bill Clinton got one of these in 1999 when he didn't comply with court mandated discovery in Paula Jones' case. Carr could ignore anything he wants, that would end up helpful to whoemever ends up in court with him, and in the process end up costing Nexstar a few (hundred) million in breakup fees and unwinding the deal as these things usually go.

Why do folks make such subjectively inaccurate statements based on personal biases? Of course people still watch local news–perhaps not in the same numbers they once did, but the viewers are there. And if you're not one of them, then don't assume everyone else is.

KDVR has recently overtaken KUSA from what I've heard from those in the market. Additionally, KDVR houses the master control hub for like 60 of Nexstar's stations. They're actually one of Nexstar's most successful and profitable stations I believe. Not to mention they own KWGN, a CW affiliate, which Nexstar also owns the majority of. Fox News even has offices in the building. It's far far easier to gut KUSA than it is to upend KDVR. But you're right, consolidation really isn't bad! Merging stations and laying off hundreds of people with thousands of years of experience while local management and the executive offices continue to get massive bonuses is fantastic. Not to mention Nexstar's phenomenal yearly pay raises of...1-2%.

Overextending? I present the following to you without further comment. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMVmeLKuBG_/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

Here's hoping at the very least, should these stations be consolidated that Nexstar will keep separate shows with separate anchors, using a shared pool of reporters. That's how it's done in markets that have undergone consolidation. The other option is to pre-record another show to air alongside the other station's news. One studio with one staff and putting out the bare minimum on the secondary station. Then, there's the straight simulcast. Probably the worst option, but can be spinned in a way to make it look different than what's airing on the other station. Either way, it's a lose lose for everyone. More work for less unique product.

I remember when TBS was a superstation.

local news still does numbers, sure, but who's watching? Most viewers are now over age 50, and aging, advertisers only want certain demos and increasingly go to the web/streaming to find them instead of shooting for fish in a barrel. Worse, OTA-only viewers are something like 63 year old on average with $25K income. Take WCPO in Cincinnati. In 10 years they've lost 73% of 11pm newscast audience. Their 6AM is down 55%. Similar situation at the other stations / https://www.wvxu.org/media/2024-05-24/may-ratings-drop-tv-news-cincinnati Conservatives have wanted PBS defunded for a long time, he didn't have to convince them. He appeared to go soft on that at some point during the negotiations and got checked.

Newest reporter/former CBS 2 Intern Victor Jacobo joins from Houston.

In the market I grew up in, Nexstar (or one of its sidecars) controls 3 stations. It's just one newsroom, and the same news program repurposed over and over again. The other major station is owned by Sinclair, and is a shell of itself. How this is in the public interest to have such consolidation of news, considering alternatives like newspapers are pretty dead thanks to consolidation and cuts by either Alden or Fortress (dba as Gatehouse/Gannett). A 15 sec Tik Tok video from a questionable source is not a credible replacement for all the newsrooms cut. I can't see how this is good news from a viewer's standpoint.

Half-hour 9pm? On the Fox O&O in market #3? That's awful. Should have kept the hour-long 9pm and slotted CST after at 10pm.

Awful name.

The deal likely sets in stone any branding standards that the Fox affiliates have to abide by. Aside from stations like WBRC, many will have a tough time trying to rebrand like many of Gray's other stations.

A version of the package with square elements instead of circles is also in use for KTLA promos, though that's been for several months. No sign that it'll amount to anything more, for them.

I already like it better than the actual CBS package.

Nexstar's WPRI has picked up the WPIX package

This is over 10 years old at this point, but it shaped the way I was going to approach news design in the future and I think what is outlined here is still relevant today. It made me rethink broadcast design from what was trendy toward designing with a focus on audience experience. Then I left the station I was at and went to an O&O group with a Linear Drift package and all that went out the window.

I"m glad that the industry is (mostly) over the gratuitous use of 3D. Flat and simple is here to stay and if it has some accents to it, all the better. I just wonder if Nexstar has some new looks up it's sleeve. The CBS, NBC and FOX packages are getting stale. And with GrayOne taking over their stations, the look that mirrors it needs to go as well. Lord help us whenever WJW has to change their look. Hopefully that won't be for another 5-6 more years they way they use things like sets.

Nexstar's WATE has upgraded their graphics to the PIX 11 graphics. They have also modified their logo to a more flat look. Had a hard time getting pics from the live stream

I have to give them snaps for also incorporating an updated version of “Instant Classics” into the music that’s going along with this package. I’m starting to wonder if this becomes the new overused typeface in news graphics because it’s also reminiscent of the ones used in the recent Coxollo refresh. (WSB, WFTV, KIRO, etc.)

I was thinking the same thing.. I feel that WPIX got shafted graphics-wise.. They are rather cheap looking for the #1 market... Had they gotten this in a blue color, would've been way better.. I really hope they can continue with these smashing packages... The Nexstar "CBS Package" and "NBC Package" are definitely showing their age and could use a great refresh with something along these lines....

Package as seen on their 2:00 PM newscast — here I was thinking KTLA was alone on that. Nexstar is really inconsistent. They can drop bangers like this on KRON 4 and WXIN, yet do a mixed job on WPIX, and totally suck on News Nation. At least their stations don't all look the same like Sinclair's. Ranking station group aesthetics from best to worst, I'd say: Tegna, Hearst, Graham (they're declining), Nexstar, Gray, Scripps, Sinclair.

The supers have the FOX O&O, and even the Cox vibe to them. It even seems like a modern take on Media General's "circle" package that WCMH debuted in 2011. But it would be a good look to roll out to other markets. The existing looks are beginning to look a little stale by now. And the WDCW package needs to go...yesterday.

I had the same thought. The viewer...doesn't care.

It's about time KRON gets some love. They've been tossed aside and for the longest time given cheap, uninspiring graphics. This is a step in the right direction. After watching the morning newscast, this is definitely a huge improvement. I could easily see Nexstar rolling this out to their independent stations.. I could easily see KTLA getting this in a blue palette

My one complaint is that the color palette and font selection is a little too similar to the KTVU / Fox O&O look. It's not a dead ringer by any means, but it's very very close. With that said, it's quite nice. It looks well thought-out, and it reminds me a bit of the first look KRON had in the post-NBC days. Seeing a bespoke graphics package for just one station is always rare and refreshing these days. I always assumed Nexstar would have eventually forced stations like KRON and KTLA into some kind of half-cooked standardized group look. Oh, one more complaint: a 3:30 pkg on new graphics? KRON really competing with KPIX here on who can regularly self-congratulate themselves all day long.

Both KWTV and KOTV debuted new graphics and music tonight as KWTV debuts a new set.

Oh hey look, another Nexstar knockoff graphics package. Not bad tho and I like Breakthrough but also like 360 tho....

I'm human and we can all make mistakes like put things in the wrong thread. Thanks for being perfect and taking the passive-aggressive way to help (and deleting your original gripe from the looks of it)!

I edited them I have more but for some reason it won’t let me upload them it shows up as a black screen.

Remember, there's no rule saying you can't crop your pics before posting.

It just occurred to me... This package is essentially an updated version of the 2015-ish KOIN package...

They also dumped the "ABC" from their logo. Probably an isolated occurrence, unlike the slow purge that Gray has been doing to many of their stations. I like it better than the WDCW package for sure. I just hope Nexstar has some new looks in the wings since the current packages are starting to get stale.