T.L. Hughes

Just hours ago (on the penultimate day of its 2023 session), the Oklahoma Legislature overrode Stitt’s veto of H.B. 2820, the OETA authorization bill, with the necessary two-thirds votes in each chamber. The State House passed it, 73-23, and the State Senate passed it, 38-6, allowing OETA to continue operating through 2026. (It was among 13 bills among the so-called “tantrum 20” vetoed by Stitt that were overridden in today’s session.) I should note that this is actually the second OETA-related bill that Stitt vetoed in the past year. He also vetoed H.B. 1009, which was passed by the legislature during the 2022 session and would have allocated $8.1 million in funding for upgrades to OETA’s Warning, Alert and Response Network (which relays EAS alerts statewide in the event of severe weather or endangered missing persons) in October 2022.

Conceivably then, WTTA’s existing 8:00 p.m. news would be moved to 10:00 p.m. upon joining The CW, putting it in direct competition with WTVT for the second time (after the in-house/NewsCentral hybrid effort under Sinclair ownership). It would just mean WSNN would have exclusivity in the slot, since it already has a newscast that technically competes with the WFLA-produced 8:00 news on WTTA.

According to the FCC signal contour maps, WSNN’s signal significantly overlaps with WFLA/WTTA in Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, so turning WSNN into a repeater of either station seems to be out of the question. There’s also significant overlap with WFLA/WTTA in terms of news programming, as WSNN competes with both stations in the same timeslots on weekdays and weekends (including the 7:00-9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. slots, where WTTA carries newscasts); the only timeslots that either has to themselves are 4:00 p.m. (WFLA) and 10:00 p.m. (WSNN) as well as certain mid-afternoon and weekend slots that WSNN exclusively programs (1:00-3:00 and 3:30-4:00 p.m. weekdays, and a few morning, midday and prime time slots on weekends). Another open question is what happens to WSNN’s existing studios, and if Nexstar will turn them into a Sarasota bureau for WFLA, regardless of whether their news departments merge.

When I first read this, I thought, "they should really be expanding their morning newscasts into the 4:00 a.m. hour, not the 10:00 a.m. hour." It doesn't make sense for a top-50-market station to not have their morning news start before 5:00 a.m. these days. (I still think it's weird KOKH is the only English-language news operation in OKC that starts its morning news at 5:00, while the Big Three affiliates start theirs at 4:00 or 4:30 a.m.)

Important note, Deegan made history as the first woman to be elected as mayor of Jacksonville, which had been the most populous U.S. city with a Republican mayor (a status that will be assumed by Fort Worth and its mayor, Mattie Parker, once Deegan—who ran as a Democrat—is inaugurated). Considering her husband, Tim, is still chief meteorologist at WTLV/WJXX, what will Donna's election mean for his status with First Coast News? He did cede his slot on the 11:00 p.m. newscast last June, which Lew Turner (who had been working and still works on Good Morning Jacksonville) was assigned to as Deegan chose to reduce his workload to the early evening newscasts.

Since I can't post about this in the thread for the WBRE/WYOU package (as its now archived), I'll note here that both stations adopted new standardized logos on Monday (May 16). Both designs are based on their Eyewitness News logo, which has been modified to incorporate the logos for both stations in newscast opens (both logos being displayed during simulcasts, and either the WBRE or the WYOU logo being displayed during newscasts exclusive to either station). The layout of the call letters and NBC Peacock in the WBRE logo makes it strongly resemble the station's 2004–08 logo (since both designs, as well as the new WYOU design, use Arial Black for the callsign). For comparison's sake, here's the 2004 logo: ...and here's the new wordmark version (although the resemblance to the older design is more apparent in the EWN-style logo):

This occurred a couple of weeks back. Kevin Stitt is leaning into the far-right culture war against the LGBTQ+ community (not exactly the smartest move when even a sizable chunk of Republicans support same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination laws protecting that community) by justifying his veto, but it's mainly tied to a dispute between Stitt and the Oklahoma Senate over his tax credit and education proposals (including a voucher-style tax credit for use in private schools), which resulted in Stitt vetoing any Senate-backed bills to pressure that chamber's leadership to pass his proposals into law. However, it's garnered him criticism even among Oklahomans (myself included, as I grew up watching PBS programming on OETA and, when OETA ran it as a secondary PBS station for Oklahoma City, KAUT—not just PBS Kids programs, but the Oklahoma News Report, when it was still a five-night-a-week broadcast, and selected other shows) for jeopardizing OETA's future to score political points.

Technically, the resurrection of Court TV by Scripps predated that company's purchase of Ion by about 15 months.

TBD has drifted some from its original internet content format in the last year; it added reruns of Wipeout, Fear Factor and TruTV's World's Dumbest, which now populate the network's nighttime lineup. Not that it was always focused solely on online content and viral videos, since it used to air documentaries and indie films as well until 2021 (although it dropped the indie films about a year or two before). So, it's not necessarily targeted mostly towards Gen Z anymore, it's trying to lean more into Millennials, too.

The only connection to weather on the show is host Jon Kelley referring to Byron Allen (who is a regular panelist on the show) in many episodes as "the proud owner of The Weather Channel." But, yeah, there's absolutely no point in why FYSA is even on the late night (11:00-midnight ET) schedule; it fits AMG's other networks (like TheGrio, This TV and Comedy.tv), but it sticks out like a broken leg on The Weather Channel. If any show should fill that hour, it should be either one of its other long-form shows or a forecast program similar to the former Evening Edition to serve as a live counterpart to Fox Weather @ Night (and as a weather-focused counterpart to the live shows airing during that hour on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News). To be fair, this isn't the first questionable programming decision that TWC has made; under both NBCUniversal/Bain/Blackstone and Allen Media ownership, it aired movies with tangential (at best) connections to weather. "Flick and a Forecast" in 2009-10 featured such films as Wind (a film set during the America's Cup boat race), Misery (which takes place during a snowstorm) and The Perfect Storm; not realizing why airing movies on a network about weather didn't fare well the first time, TWC tried this idea again in January and February of this year, with the weekend evening "Winter Movie Fest" block.

A commenter on the Deadline article had the exact same thought:

This would be the first duopoly for the San Diego market, since none could be formed under the “Eight Voices test” requirement that the FCC proposed for elimination in 2017, and the Supreme Court unanimously upheld in 2021 as part of a broader challenge to the rule changes made as part of that (not quite) quadrennial review under Ajit Pai’s chairmanship. Under that rule, the U.S. side of the market fell short of the required number of full-power stations needed to allow a duopoly. It only has six full-power stations (five commercial stations [including one O&O in KNSD] and PBS member KPBS), hence why Fox, UPN, The CW and MyNetworkTV had to default to affiliating with stations across the border in the Tijuana area at various points, aided by KUSI choosing to operate as an independent for most of those networks’ existences (though, CMIIW, it did carry UPN for a time early in the network’s run).

The one way CBS could shed KSTW to a commercial owner, if tax penalties weren’t an issue, is if they sold it to Sinclair to pair with KOMO, and Sinclair sold off KUNS in turn, in a way that turns it into a standalone operation. I’m not sure if TelevisaUnivision has the cap space to buy KUNS in such a scenario; Entravision might have an easier entry into Seattle.

Nexstar owns KRON and most of The CW, and Fox owns KTVU/KICU and MyNetworkTV, so that’s an easy shift.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that WMYD and WKBD each land teams (the Red Wings and Tigers on WMYD and the Pistons on WKBD, or vice versa). It’s also not impossible that WMYD takes The CW and snags a contract with one major-league team (e.g., the Pistons). Even if both stations acquire sports rights, I’m not sure if it makes sense for there to be two general entertainment independents in Detroit in this day and age (even-larger markets like New York, LA, Chicago and Philadelphia can make it work, but even that’s complicated to sustain there).

Not to mention the article’s reference to CBSNS entertaining offering sports on the stations indicates it’s looking to poach some major professional sports teams from Bally Sports and AT&T SportsNet. Half of the affected markets have teams carried by networks owned by either group (Bally in three markets, AT&T in one), meaning Paramount is likely to scout for teams in Tampa, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Seattle, Philly, Sacramento and San Francisco are served by Root Sports Northwest and the NBC Sports Philadelphia, California and Bay Area channels, respectively. Though its less likely that WPSG can take the 76ers, Flyers and Phillies, KMAX can take the Kings, and KBCW can take the Giants, As, Sharks and Warriors for now, and the prospects of getting the Mariners and Kraken to be able to move to KSTW are unclear; NBCUniversal doesn’t seem to be getting out of the RSN business just yet and Root Sports’ status is questionable as while minority partner Warner Bros. Discovery is getting out of the RSN business, the Seattle Mariners majority own the network.

KRON and WPHL are kinda givens (as is WTTA to answer @AdamTheJ’s question), since Nexstar owns 75% of The CW and owns those stations. You also left out the Hearst-leased One Magnificent Morning block.

Not just KCPQ, KZJO was offloaded, too. The CW’s best option in Seattle is to cut an affiliation deal with Tegna for KONG. Sacramento is an awkward situation as Nexstar only has KTXL, meaning that The CW’s only options in that market are being relegated to a subchannel of KTXL, cutting a deal with Hearst to put the network on KQCA, or buying a low-power station. Detroit has two options, WADL or WMYD, though I’m not sure about the latter as Scripps may be angling to acquire rights to the Pistons, Red Wings and/or Tigers from Bally Sports Detroit should either or all or them bail from that network. That creates awkwardness for MyNetworkTV as well as WJBK is the only station Fox owns in Detroit, meaning there’s a possibility that, unless WMYD were to somehow take MNTV back (uncertain for the same reasons for why it might hold off on trying for the CW affiliation), The CW and MyNetworkTV may end up sharing airtime on WADL. (Pittsburgh may be in the same boat, if WPNT were to affiliate with The CW,.) KRON taking over the CW affiliation in San Francisco would give Fox credence to finally move MNTV to KICU. Philly, in the case of MyNetworkTV, is a major question mark; Fox only has WTXF there, and there aren’t many good options for the service to move (other than maybe Fox buying WMCN), once The CW moves to WPHL, meaning the same issue with Detroit applies here.

Sinclair is a unique situation, considering Diamond Sports’s bankruptcy (largely resulting from the loss of vMVPD carriage in concurrence with the acceleration of cord-cutting following its purchase of the group from Disney, though some appear to blame the absence of sports events on the then-Fox Sports regional networks in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though it’s possible both can be factors) may be impacting the company’s bottom line. Sinclair has also had debt issues for decades, and nearly went bankrupt at least once before; the Bally Sports mess, buttressed by its boatload of station acquisitions during the 2010s as its was getting out of financial trouble, only put them back into that situation. In hindsight, it seemed difficult for a family-owned station group to maintain the diverse portfolio it has with such a large number of stations, and not run into financial difficulties. That’s why most family-owned broadcasters only run 10 or fewer stations, and a handful of miscellaneous properties (take Griffin Media for example, which in addition to owning KWTV/KSBI and KOTV/KQCW [both of which have Sinclair stations as competitors], also runs an outdoor advertising business [technically two subunits serving its two main markets, which are branded after its respective CBS stations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa], a cluster of radio stations in Tulsa, and a statewide news-based radio syndication network). Most successful family-owned broadcasters that still exist (like the Griffins) know that they must keep their portfolios manageable to maintain stewardship long-term, something the Smiths chose not to do.

Again, if Sinclair’s having financial problems that they have to cut newscasts, cut entire news departments and cut outsourcing agreements, they need to either start selling stations to provide an infusion of cash or, at least, completely spin-off Diamond Sports Group if it’s becoming an albatross around Sinclair’s neck. It seems it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the company to maintain the large portfolio it has, while dealing with the financial problems with Diamond Sports that may be responsible for the cuts. Any more cuts to news departments, and we’ll probably see members of Congress send a critical letter demanding an explanation.

Maybe. But, considering a Texas judge presiding over the company’s bankruptcy allowed Diamond to pay the MLB teams they weren’t able to wholly compensate 50% of the fees for their 2023 cycle, anything’s possible. It seems, at least, that some sort of settlement or a court ruling that the teams held the right to exercise the clause (regardless of whether they notified Diamond/Bally Sports beforehand), assuming there was an insolvency clause in the Suns/Mercury contracts that allowed them to seek other broadcast agreements in the event Diamond ever filed for bankruptcy, would likely be coming down the line.

The deal may run into legal issues as Diamond Sports alleges the deal between Gray, Kiswe and the Phoenix Suns violates their contract with the team that was part of a broader deal with its NBA partners that runs through the 2024-25 season.

…and thus marks the beginning of the end of Bally Sports Arizona. Diamond Sports already lapsed on fee payments to the Diamondbacks (a recent court ruling did allow the company to pay half of what it owes to the MLB teams it missed payments to) and the MLB is considering reclaiming its broadcast contracts to its teams; losing the Suns and Mercury means it’s only a matter of time before the Diamondbacks and Coyotes head for the exits.

Clearly, there was some miscommunication, since KWTV initially reported on-air Thursday morning that SkyNews 6 was being sent to assist their coverage.

Both of Griffin Media’s news helicopters sustained damage from a severe weather outbreak that affected Central Oklahoma on Wednesday. One is repairable, the other likely needs replacement. KWTV’s helicopter, SkyNews 9, lost its windshield after accidentally getting hit by large hail by a supercell that produced a tornado near Cole (which was preliminarily rated an EF3). Pilot Jim Gardner was not pleased, and was forced to make an emergency landing: KOTV’s helicopter, Osage SkyNews 6, OTOH, was destroyed for the second time in about 15 years. It was brought over by the station to help with KWTV’s coverage of the storm aftermath, but had the misfortune of parking for the night in a hangar at Shawnee Regional Airport, which was struck by another tornado (from the same supercell that spawned the Cole tornado) that struck the western part of the city just over two hours later (estimated to be at least an EF2): KOTV lost its previous helicopter in June 2007, after it crashed in Sand Springs after clipping the satellite dish of an ENG truck while filming a promo.