tyrannical bastard

Sinclair has been names to the Fortune 500 list for the first time. https://sbgi.net/pr-news/sinclair-broadcast-group-named-to-fortune-500-list/ In the 1000, Nexstar is about 60 steps below and other groups like Gray, Tegna, Graham and Meredith make appearances as well. Of course, the media giants like Comcast, Viacom and Disney are much higher on the list. Here's the 2021 list: https://fortune.com/fortune500/2021/search/

Sure did! https://youtu.be/2-rfCnW5VlE Here's the Robin Williams bit from one of his albums. https://youtu.be/EXC6LclzQsE The character even appeared in several episodes of Mork & Mindy.

Ernest Angley ministries posted a tribute to Rev. Angley on their YouTube channel. Some highlights of the young Rev. Angley when he was at his prime... A man who not only smoked, but smoked reefer... https://youtu.be/tKqilT6VHXs?t=1041 Ernest going on a healin' spree in India.... https://youtu.be/tKqilT6VHXs?t=7441 Much of the footage predates his time at WBNX, but pretty much paints the picture of the Rev. Angley most of the world knew (and Robin Williams parodied) before his ministry became embroiled in scandal and stories of local legend. While his ministry wasn't as crooked as some of the televangelists that have invaded the dial, it pulls from the same playbook, and has the comedic value that turns their actions into fodder. It sort of has that Peter Popoff vibe to it, you know it's too good to be true.

Outside of San Francisco (and maybe Sacramento), Pacific Time in the TV landscape is basically the same as Eastern Time? (with network news at 6:30, Access hour at 7pm, Primetime at 8, Prime news at 10 and late news at 11?) The temptation is there for sure to mess with the feeds and air things earlier if they can... Arizona is even wackier since they don't follow DST...

Back in the days before "corporate packages" took over station groups, and the looks had local variants to them. Go back even further to see individual stations contracting with a design firm to do their look, no matter who owned them!

That basically leaves 19, 26, 28 and 36 as the only semi-viable UHF stations ieft in the area, because they are all LD stations. 19, 26 (28 if it's approved) are all New Orleans stations, (WDSU, WGNO, and the possible future home of WYES). It's a problem in the western fringes because 15 is both WPMI and WNOL, and atmospheric conditions can cancel out WPMI. There was once a time when WFNA was on 27 (as 1.0), and WWL overpowered it after the repack! 36 is also the blowtorch that is WTVY, blasting out full power from Holmes County, FL and reaches just east of Pensacola. Thinking from a full-market perspective, if WALA was to pick either 19, 26, or 28, they could make it work from Baldwin County. 36 is too risky with the overlap into the eastern fringes. 26 and 28 are HC2 garbage and 19 is an HSN station. 36 is WGOX-LD, a church that hasn't quite figured out how to broadcast a usable signal, despite after years of trying....

It looks like a lot of Gray stations are moving off of VHF this go-around. Hopefully whenever the merger with Meredith closes, they will be able to do something with their stations stuck on VHF, including WSMV, KVVU, KPTV and WALA. WALA especially, since it is on channel 9, and so is the adjacent FOX station in Panama City (that Raycom used to own), so the viewers in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area are stuck in the middle between the fringes of 2 FOX affiliates on the same frequency. Mobile-Pensacola may be maxed out frequency-wise unless they can force one of the low-powered stations to move.

A perfect metaphor for all of the Ernest Angley scandal in the past decade or so, yet Ernest Angley never even owned it! On a clear day, that tower can be seen for miles....even from the Ohio Turnpike crossing over the Cuyahoga Valley.

Here's the timeline of WBNX, based on an article from Akron Beacon Journal...on June 30, 1985. The OCR is here, but it's messy. (Sammi here, adding a proper clip.) to sum it up... - Rex Humbard was the original applicant for Channel 55, and wanted to launch WCOT-TV (Cathedral Of Tomorrow) from the "tower" on the property of his complex. It was never finished, and WCOT never made it to air. - In 1980, Rev. Amer Shab petitioned the FCC to launch a new channel on Channel 55. He got a CP in 1984, and ran out of funds early in 1985. That was when Ernest Angley stepped in. - Ernest Angley purchased the TV studio and office complex on the Humbard site from Rex Humbard in 1984. He later bought Grace Cathedral (the Cathedral of Tomorrow) a decade later. He had the TV resources and experience from producing his programming at the-then "Grace Cathedral" in Springfield Twp. - Amer Shab hired a general manager, but Ernest Angley used Lou Spangler, the executive director of Ernest Angley Ministries as the General Sales Manager and had responsibility over programming. Likely soon after, it seems that Shab's group was bought out and Ernest Angley took over the operation. - The original call letters were to be WPSC, but they were changed to WBNX, later to be known as an acronym for Winston Broadcast Network and Christ (X). Winston, being Ernest's middle name. At the time, WBNX was part of an influx of new television stations in the Cleveland-Akron area, which included WOIO. WOAC had signed on in 1982 from Canton, shortly after WJAN became WDLI, after being sold from PTL to the David LIvingstone Ministry Foundation, when Jim Bakker was forced to sell it. Also, WCLQ was the re-incarnation of WKBF in 1981, opting for a mostly general-entertainment format with Preview subscription tv at night. It never thrived and by 1985, WOIO and WBNX were a serious threat, causing them to pick up HSN programming, first partially, then 24/7. WOIO ended up signing with FOX at it's launch in 1987, and WBNX bought most of WCLQ's programming inventory to program the station, and could now fill the day with program-length infomercials to keep it profitable. The programming boom of the 90's upgraded the station's profile allowing them to accept traditional advertising and lessen the dependence on per-inquiry ads and infomercials. WDLI would become full-TBN by the mid 80s, WOAC would drop out after a sale to Paxson in 1995 which replaced virtually all programming with informercials (and later at WAKC the following year). The WB affiliating with WBNX in 1997 cemented their place in the market and to this day, is a repository of current syndicated programming since the other stations do not have the room or desire to air it.

I'd like to know as well ... The 1999 WLBT package looks very similar as well. I'd almost say that it has a VDO vibe to it.

For the record, I would like to show the structure known as "Rex's Erection" To the left is Grace Cathedral, and to the right is the WBNX studios/offices as well as the former Cathedral Buffet. The round building is a senior apartment building that may have originally been developed by Rex Humbard as he was developing the site. On the top is what's left of the State Road Plaza. The section north of Portage Trail has already been demolished (the dirt pile), so this picture is probably circa 2009-2010. The tower was started in the 1970s and topped out at 494 feet out of a planned 750. It was to have a revolving restaurant at the top, and be very similar in appearance to the Calgary Tower. Issues with the IRS and SEC put a halt to it and Rex Humbard moved on to other things. As for WBNX, the original plan was for Rex Humbard to launch WCOT Channel 55 using the structure as a TV tower as well and renovate the current WBNX building for that purpose. The UHF History page (no longer active) took issue with the fact that Rex Humbard sold the construction permit to Ernest Angley. Supposedly, that never happened, and Channel 55 was up for grabs for a new applicant. Years later, a group called Akron-Rhema Television, headed by Rev. Amer Shab was the founding owner of WBNX. He started the station, and brokered it to Ernest Angley's Winston Broadcast Network (like the forerunner of an LMA) and eventually sold to him outright. The tower stood there for years until it was sold at a sheriff's sale to Mike Krieger, an owner of a farmer's market/health foods store up the street. He made a killing selling tower space to cell phone companies as they began taking over. So it stands today, even though it's never had anything to do with Ernest Angley, WBNX, or any antics thereof.

Even WQHS seems out of place. The only reason they became Univision was because of the package deal with USA Broadcasting when they sold out. Byron Allen seems out of place for them, even though WBNX airs several of his shows. He's focused more on major network affiliates and I don't see the others budging any time soon, maybe if he gets hold of Tegna eventually.

Not to mention they also have a sizeable presence on YouTube, and an "online bible college". Hopefully the internet absorbs this one. I'd imagine the flock has been declining for years and that the property would have better use for commercial purposes. They still have the original "Grace Cathedral" in Ellet/Lakemore as well. I think even the WBNX building (with the former Cathedral Buffet) original use was a a short lived discount store in the 50s-60s, while the former State Road Plaza across the street was new and exciting. Maybe even the owner of "Rex's Erection" would throw it in to a developer for finishing of Rex Humbard's original vision?

WBNX does have dearth of programming because 3,5 & 8 have so many local and corporately-owned shows on them, plus the fact that the CW ended up on WUAB, so the market would be really under-stationed if WBNX were to go away as an independent. Worst case scenario, WOIO could convert 19.2 into My19 or something, and buy up all of the programming. Given how WUAB is on the same frequency, some subchannels would have to go away should they want to make it HD. Maybe keep Circle but Bounce and Dabl would be moved elsewhere. Isn't Dabl still on WQHS?

As mentioned in the Winston Broadcasting thread in corporate chat, the Rev. Ernest Angley, owner of WBNX-TV and Ernest Angley Ministries has passed away at the age of 99. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/05/pentacostal-televangelist-ernest-angley-dies-at-age-99.html At one time, his Ernest Angley Hour could be seen across the country on various TV stations on Sundays. He followed in the footsteps of Rex Humbard, buying his former megachurch The Cathedral of Tomorrow and used this complex to eventually establish WBNX-TV. WBNX, once a sleepy independent station launched in 1985, it forced WCLQ Channel 61 into full-time HSN programming, only after being resurrected in 1981 (after Kaiser's WKBF went off the air in 1975.) They benefited from WJW picking up FOX, and the Fox Kids programming ending up on WBNX, making that Kids Club one of the largest in the country at the time. They ended up picking up the WB from WUAB, who was also UPN, and eventually overtook them in the ratings as WUAB faltered under Raycom. The CW favored them and the ratings wins continued. All while Angley's presence on the station was limited to twice (then only once daily) airings of his Ninety and Nine Club, and maybe some free ads for the Cathedral Buffet, also located on the premises. They eventually started a subchannel that aired repeats of 90&9 as well as music programs. Billing themselves originally as "The Family Giant", the station took the extra step of bleeping out mildly-offensive words like "hell" "damn" and the like. Later when newer shows didn't permit such editing, the practice stopped. Ernest himself objected to WB's "Charmed", but there was nothing he could do about it and it aired as scheduled. Often parodied for his preaching, faith-healing and eternal hairpiece (even by Robin Williams and the Bizarre show in Canada), the last several years were marred by scandal and accusations, leading to foreclosure attempts on the church and properties. This may have played a role in the abrupt end to WBNX's tenure as a CW affiliate, with it going to WUAB. He was in ill health for the last several years, as guest hosts have hosted his TV programs, and eventually his preaching duties.

MeTV is the only Weigel network not on WBNX. They carry all of the others (Movies!, StartTV, Decades, H&I). Plenty of room should they get MeTV and the new secondary network planned.

Well, looks like TVBD did the others I was looking for including WTHR, WOIO/WUAB, and WSBT. Was the original WOIO "nineteen" package a work of TVBD or just John Christopher Burns? And at what point did he leave TVBD?

That's probably up to the board that now controls the church and WBNX (set up while Angley's health was failing). It's seems more likely now that Ernest has passed and it was the same story when Rex Humbard resigned from his own church in the 80s (moving to Florida), setting the stage for WBNX (originally owned by another related entity and purchased by Angley) and the later purchase The Cathedral of Tomorrow and related entities soon after. Easy duopoly bait for Tegna, Scripps (since Inyo owns WVPX and WDLI) or Nexstar. Or it could be sold to someone like Marquee or even Weigel to be a repository of subchannels. I doubt they'd try to keep 55.1 as an independent like they did with flagship WCIU before it picked up the CW.

Well, I guess it's their prerogative to run Tegna as status quo for the time being. Now if the company gets into financial trouble somehow and the shareholders and creditors revolt, then that's a different story. Maybe if Standard General coughs up "moral objective"...cough cough enough money to make them an offer they can't refuse.....clearly it wasn't enough to do the trick this time around.

Some that come to mind: VDO - They did the original 2000 WFLA package that was later adapted to the Media General stations before the Giant Octopus one they originated for HD. They also did the 1999 "News Center" package for WSYX and WTTE. Later they did some of the former Emmis stations including the 2003 packages for WVUE and WALA. EQ Vance - they did the updated WWL package, and later in the 2000s, they did the WEWS HD package that was also used on WVUE pre-Raycom. I'm curious who did the "Balls and Walls" package, as well as the company that did the 1995 WOIO/WUAB "Cleveland Television News" package, among others (including WTHR, WXIX, and even WKRC?) Also, whoever did the 1997 WJW package (the one with the clocks, keyboard shots in the background and Non-Stop's "Power News".)

WEAR still has theirs as well (complete with the fish tank from the old set). They're probably due for an upgrade in the next several years. Over in Mobile, WPMI's set is nearing a decade. It was a Devlin set put in by Newport Television, much like the one installed at WHP in Harrisburg, also a Newport station at the time.

Roku has now pulled YouTube TV from its channel store. Existing users still have access to the channel....for now. https://deadline.com/2021/04/roku-removes-youtube-tv-from-platform-anticompetitive-1234747416/ I'm not going to be happy if this channel goes away because I use Roku for YouTube TV on almost every TV I have. I have a few fire sticks, but I prefer Roku since it's less cluttered and not overrun with Amazon content.

Well, WJKT has finally switched to WREG's orbit, and is now simulcasting select WREG newscasts. But still no news at 9pm. https://changingnewscasts.wordpress.com/2021/04/29/catch-up-post-29-wjkt-wreg-wsmv-wwsb/ You would think that WREG could squeeze out a 9pm show, but apparently not. And then there's the new logo.

The NFL is much more set in their ways game-wise to maximize viewership on TV, with their consistent game times and network deals. With the other leagues, the games are much more random in their placement, so they need a source that can air them live, because of the frequency and irregularity of the games. By nature, an netlet station or RSN is more geared towards airing these games, aside from marquee matchups or league championships carried by the major networks.

Well, the whole "retransmission consent" wars could be taken up a notch. Roku vs. Google. Roku warns that YouTube TV could be dropped from the platform https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/roku-warns-that-youtube-tv-could-be-removed-from-platform/ ...and Google's reponse https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/google-responds-to-rokus-warning-about-dropping-youtube-tv/ Time to dust off my chromecasts and Fire sticks. I'm preferential to the Roku platform, but given the lag in securing some of the newer services (HBOMax, Peacock), their behavior is getting a little concerning. They've already taken down Spectrum's app, but existing users can keep using it if they still have it.