CircleSeven

I've made a discovery while reading the Q1 earnings report this morning (this was before they'd announce they acquiring WCAX). So they did operate the outlets under an LMA on April 1st. No wonder why they launched the websites so early. But was surprised they didn't place the LMA on the paperwork, like they did with the Withers deal. Now they're keeping up with the same LMA practice with the WCAX deal starting June 1. Is Gray going to scrape up every other Independent entity in the country? Some of y'all mentioned the United stations. If I had my way, I would piecemeal it. Give Prather KEYC, and give Gray WWNY. But both Watertown & Mankato marekts are closer to the incumbent Prather markets (Utica & Rochester, MN) even though Plattsburgh, NY (which is in the Burlington market) and Watertown are both closer to the Canadian border. But should United sell its stations wholesale, then I would say Gray over Prather.

Longtime WRC anchor Jim Vance announced his cancer diagnosis on tonight's 6pm newscast. He didn't elaborate on the type of cancer he had, but said that he vowed to continue anchoring the 6pm news "when he can", while doing treatment. Let's hope he can recover from this.

Lots of paperwork this morning. First, some closings. Three names have now gone away in the broadcast TV world. Calkins have completed its sale its three stations on Sunday (4/30) (even though it was announced in a press release Monday (5/1), the 4/30 date was stated in the FCC closing papers). WTXL & WWSB went to Raycom, while WAAY went to Heartland Media. Withers completed its sale of WDTV/WVFX to Gray on Monday. Gray has operated the duo since last June. Withers owned WDTV since 1973. And Diversified has completed its sale of its two stations to Gray. The WCJB one was closed Monday, while the WABI one was closed on Tuesday (5/2), ending 64 years of family ownership of the TV outlet (and 68 years in broacasting altogether; it founded WABI-AM in 1949). Here's a little tidbit, this was the same firm that gave Perry Sook his first television station in 1996. And look how his company have ballooned since........ Diversified, Withers & Calkins. RIP to Horace Hildreth & Russell Withers. Now even though they're no longer in the TV world, they're involved in other businesses. Withers is not out of the broadcasting biz entirely, as it continues to own several radio stations in the Jackson Purchase region (southern IL, Paducah-Cape Girardeau). Calkins owns newspapers in Pennsylvania & New Jersey, and has recently launched some digital services, including OTT. And Diversified has a thriving convention/trade show business in the U.S., Canada & overseas. Second, the transaction of Laughlin, NV station KMCC by Cranston TV to Entravision was greenlighted yesterday (5/3). Finally, last month someone asked if the stations owned by Alaska Telecom, GCI (through subsidiary Denali Media Holdings) are included in the transaction to Liberty Media. Here's the paperwork for KTVA (that and the other Alaska stations are included in this sale). When the deal closes, the parent company General Communication Inc. will become GCI Liberty, Inc. but the Denali subsidiary and the licensee names will stay a status quo. This will be the first time in six years Liberty is involved in a television station. They previously owned the former CBS O&O WFRV from 2007 to 2011.

WFLA is adding at 7-9am newscast on WTTA. But it won't go in effect until August 7.

It might've not been a simulcast, but probably was a replay from its 11am (or an earlier) NECN broadcast. If it would've been an NBC Boston simulcast, you would've saw a graphics with a font that's used on the NBC broadcast. __________________________ So unrelated to this... The NY Daily News posted that Gray Television has sued two people for using false names & materials to get booked on WEAU's local program, "Hello Wisconsin".

Yes, NECN simulcast some NBC Boston broadcasts. But it looks like this newscast aired exclusively on NECN at the time this graphic was shown.

One of my pet peeves is have two separate voiceovers talents in the same news open. I also didn't like it when TMJ4 did it. Here a recent KGO AM open featuring KABC-TV & The View's VO Virginia Hamilton & KGO's new VO Dustin James Leighton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=pIcWjWrBl8Q;t=136

Dish Network & Hearst reached a retrans deal tonight. I'm sure that Sweeps & postseason play (NBA/NHL) wasn't the factor in getting the deal done.

Could one of them move to 20? Or would that interfere with the NBC trash talkers?

Ain't that a Nexstar thing?!

The WDTV/WVFX deal was greenlighted today. FSW paper (in doc.) Wouldn't be surprised if both Diversifed & Withers deals get closed in tandem.

Elgas was filling-in for Ravi on both nights, two weeks prior (4/8-9)...

Jummy was more of a "Breaking News/Live Desk" anchor instead of sitting at the desk with main anchors Lenny & Autria taking turns reading headlines in a "three-anchor format". However yes Eat, Jummy would fill-in anchor when one of the main anchors is away. Speaking of two meteorologists, WJLA uses two for GMW. It isn't like they use two simultaneously like some stations have (like WKBW & at one point WEWS). Eileen Whelan anchors the 4:30-7am show on 7, while Veronica Johnson does the 7-10am portion on NewsChannel 8. Johnson also weather anchors a separate 6-7am show on NC8 entitled "GMW Express". I don't think you need to have two weather anchors on the same show at the same time (especially if both are in the studio, and there's no severe weather event). That bothered me when I saw two weather anchors on WEWS's morning show, and I was like why? Just a waste.

The deal has not been finalized yet. It has been approved, but not wrapped up. They have 90 days to consummate the deal, but they'll probably close it out far sooner than that. Once it's closed, then you can say "Welcome to Gray, TV5".

[quote=TexasTVNews, post: 171595, member: 32]Tegna and MGM to launch a live syndicated daytime show in the fall. http://deadline.com/2017/01/bold-daytime-show-syndication-tegna-media-mgm-1201887578/ Follow up. The program that was suppose to been named BOLD, will now be named Daily Blast Live. The program will launch on the Tegna stations instead of a full national syndication launch (in which they weren't able to get clearance in other markets). And it will only produce seven live feeds instead of 13 (which was originally planned).

The WABI/WCJB deal was greenlighted today. The WDTV/WVFX one is still waiting for the greenlight. Sixty-four years of family ownership of television stations is about to come to an end soon.

Getting out of the Sincrap hellhole is always an improvement!

Looks like former WSVN & WDSU anchor/reporter Adrianna Hopkins is going to be Jummy Olabanji's replacement on WJLA's morning newscast, Good Morning Washington. She will start on May 29th. Jummy is leaving the station to become the new weekend evening anchor at WNBC at the end of this month.

The Diversified & Withers deals are still pending. The Diversified one didn't include a LMA when they filed the paperwork last month.

So it's happening again tonight. The "super"-late news will be aired at 12:45am. Guess this will be a common occurance as long they have the rights to the auto show special.

New GM #22. Former GM of the Weigel South Bend LPs Jeffrey Guy, has been appointed as new VP & GM of WJTV/WHLT in Mississippi.

The Lilly stations are back on DirecTV.

Now it appears that more have bolted WRIC.

That's a shame. He was one of the greats at 32. Won't forget his Saturday night "Chicago's Most Wanted" segments he did for many years.

Also in Richmond. A receptionist and a janitor. Really? Also, is anyone surprised by this news? Hollywood Today Live will end production at the end of the month (4/28). Since he's not in the syndicated biz, Sook was never for it to begin with.