CircleSeven

Sinclair has completed the channel switch of KRCG in central Missouri from VHF 12 to UHF 29.

Couple of things...... After nearly nineteen months, the FCC has finally approved (R&O) the KTVL channel switch (10 > 16). It comes after the station settled with that LP religious broadcaster in Medford. Also, a small M&A. The Lilly brothers of Brian (WICU (SJL)) & Kevin (WSEE (Lilly)) have teamed up to form Condado Holdings. That firm will acquire Erie's LPs WEPA-LD and WXTM-LD from Commercial Assets, Inc. for $105K.

New M&A. Owners of the former Fox affiliate in the Central Coast is selling its station. Seal Rock Broadcasters is selling now CW affil KCBA to VistaWest Media for $1M. The paperwork included an SSA & an Option agreements between NPG (owners of KION) & VistaWest.

So follow up regarding KTVL's move to RF 16. Last fall, I mentioned that a religious broadcaster (which operates on that same allotment) filed an objection to KTVL's move because it would "lose" its "unique voice" in the Medford area. It appears there is a settlement between KTVL & theDove Media. theDove has agreed to withdraw its objection to the petition (with prejudice). And once KTVL's petition is approved, theDove will file a displacement application to move KDSO-LD from RF 16 to RF 24. KTVL will reimburse theDove (up to $23,420) the expenses relating to KDSO-LD's channel move, including the costs of acquiring and installing the new RF 24 facility. KTVL also agreed not to start operations on RF 16 until KDSO completes its move to RF 24. So in other words, this religious broadcaster wasn't going to move unless there was some sort of financial incentive involved. That's basically what it came down to.

New M&A. Gray is getting a new LP. Ths time in southern New England. They're acquiring WWAX-LD (formerly W27ER-D) from Triple Seven Media for $900K. Even though its COL is Westmoreland, NH, its antenna facility is located 63 miles south in Holyoke, MA (near Springfield). Gray is in the process of moving that other LP (WSHM) to WGGB's tower (expanding its contour). Wouldn't be surprised if it move this new LP to that facility as well, should it get the FCC greenlight.

New Petition. RNN has filed to have Norwell, MA's WWDP to vacate VHF 10 and move to UHF 36. I would've rather see WGBH (RF 5) or WSBE (RF 2) move to this allotment than a station that only shows wasteful infomercials and shopping channels.

New M&A. Bert Ellis is selling Anaheim, CA's Independent station KDOC to TCT (Radiant Life Ministries) for $41M.

Philadelphia's first Black TV reporter Trudy Haynes passed away at the age of 95.

The FCC is asking the parties for new information in regards to this transaction. From Bloomberg:

Mentioned about it back in March. The deal was greenlighted on May 11. It has yet to be consummated.

It seems when they close to completing an LP deal (WKSY deal was approved today), a new LP deal comes up. They're getting Selma, AL's K35OX-D from Richardson Communications for just $40K. And also this needs to be mentioned, remember Gray announced they're building that new production facility at the former car plant near Atlanta? Well earlier this week, Gray had struck a deal with NBCUniversal for NBC to lease and operate the facility, once its up and running in 2023. From the press release:

Hold the phone. When they last switched to the current (WVLT) pack? 2019?

This question comes up because on the station's website, there a background on the header that looks similar to that graphic pack. Don't know if or when a graphic change will be in effect. Probably won't happen until after the station moves down the street to Blackstone (Kiewit) Plaza.

WITI morning anchor Angelica Duria is leaving after 12 years at the station.

So a couple of advocacy groups (i.e. Common Cause & Public Knowledge) have asked for more information and extension of time so they can file their oppositions of this deal. The FCC has granted a limited extension of time to file. So anyone who wants to file a deny petition, the new deadline will be June 22. For oppositions to the deny petitions, you'll have to file those by July 7. And for replies, you'll have to file those by July 18.

Sad news for the ABC family. Walter Liss, former GM of WABC and later becoming the president of the ABC Owned Television stations, passed away earlier this week. He was 78. He started as a promotions manager at WPVI. Some of you might not know that he was credited for writing the lyrics to Al Ham's iconic "Move Closer To Your World" theme song. Before going to Channel 7, he was also GM of Fresno's KFSN.

Today (5/19), the FCC announced the ten qualified bidders who have advanced to participate in Auction 112, which will begin on June 7. BEK Sports Network, Inc. Gray Television Licensee, LLC Major Market Broadcasting of North Dakota, Inc. Marquee Broadcasting, Inc. Radiant Life Ministries, Inc. Sinclair Television Group, Inc. SJL Television Inc. TV-49, Inc. Ventura Media Communications, LLC Venture Technologies Group, LLC The ones listed as not qualified are Estrella Television, RxDIO.com, LLC, Renard Broadcasting, and previously-announced Redwood Empire Public Television. Also to mention, four entrants have claimed a "New Entrant" bidding credit. BEK Sports, Ventura Media & Venture Technologies have a 25% credit. And SJL have a 35% credit.

Well it only took seventeen & a half months and three amendments. But the WDVM minor modification app (moving its signal a bit south so it can reach the D.C. viewers), was finally approved by the FCC today. Here's the contours of both. The upper one is the current signal, and the lower one is the proposed new signal.

And if there's a vacant channel available, why get rid of an LP? There's always some value for another set of spectrum. Anywho, new R&O today. And good news in West Virginia. FCC has greenlighted WDTV's move from VHF 5 to UHF 33.

Whether they move the big station (WVII) or not (which I'm not taking about), that's up to them. Should that PBS station be sucessfully in its petition, Rockfleet going to have to displace that LP to a new allotment. Anyway, we have one R&O. KSCW (12 > 28)

Should that change go in effect, LP Fox station WFVX-LD would have to find a new channel to go to, since they're on 22. And LPs don't get allotment protection.

Let's get back to the Gray talk. Two things today. Last week, I was reading article about Gray's Q1 earnings. And it mentioned about they've added more local news, as "three syndicated shows came to an end". So earlier, I read the transcript of their earnings call and it stated this: Now PeopleTV was already announced its ending back in March. But I haven't seen any releases from your usual publications about the ending of Right This Minute. But that show's Facebook page hasn't been updated since April 29. __________________ Also, Gray's LP-picking continues to roll. This time in St. Louis. They're getting KDTL-LD from Word of God Fellowship (Daystar) for $1M.

It's been mentioned before, but Gray owns the trademark "First Alert Weather".

Gray just bought an LP in Macon (W21EN-D) and had that signal modification app approved today. I'm hoping they'll expand that signal contour in the future.

This might explain all of this LP buying.... Gray announced it has expanded its partnership with Telemundo to carry the network in 34 markets. The 22 new markets are primarily in the Southeast.