The Frog

WPNT's listings show CW programming starting on Sept. 1

The CW Lands Rights To Atlantic Coast Conference College Football & Basketball Games Through 2026-27

In addition to finding a strategic partner for ESPN, Iger said that he was “open to selling or spinning off Disney’s legacy cable networks, including FX and NatGeo, and its broadcast group, ABC Networks.” Man, Fox made out like bandits when they did.

The CW President Dennis Miller on Reinventing a Broadcast Network and the Future of Upfronts (Video)

The last exec from the old CW regime is leaving.

For the month of May, NewsNation was up triple digits in both total primetime viewership and in the key advertising demographic of viewers aged 25-54—with 102-percent year-over-year growth in the former and 100-percent growth in the latter.

The company’s next distribution challenge comes up in August when Sinclair Broadcast Group’s affiliation agreements are up for renewal. Sinclair has reportedly not been happy with the lack of communication from Nexstar regarding some of its decisions and declined to be interviewed for this story. Another key affiliate, Weigel’s WCIU Chicago, has another year on its affiliation agreement.

Nexstar has found some pocket change to renew it, albeit with a smaller cast and budget.

With Inside the NFL taking a slot in the fall, CW is revising their schedule.

Sook: “We, as the owner of The CW, are constructing a new affiliation agreement template that is going to allow affiliates to opt out of The CW deal with the virtual MVPD and cut their own deal — or they can opt in to the deal that we have already established for them.”

Both parties are happy with its performance, so it'll probably continue.

Asked by Nathanson what the company has learned from broadcasting LIV so far, Sook quipped, “What we’ve learned is you probably don’t want to switch to the app with a three-man playoff with Dustin Johnson in it with three holes to go. But usage of the app on Sunday was up 340%, so life wasn’t all bad.”

The announcers said CW stations were ending coverage but it would continue on the CW app, so it wasn’t like it was cut off without warning. They went 30 mins over their allotted broadcast time due to a rain delay. Those watching the live simulcast on the app had uninterrupted coverage. (DJ took it in a three-man playoff. Great round of golf.)

Asked about last week’s long-expected news that eight CBS stations in major markets are ditching their CW affiliations and going independent, Sook said three Nexstar-owned stations in the same markets appear to be on track to become CW affiliates.

Walker survives the Nexstar axe, but the spin-off wasn't so lucky.

Nexstar appeared to have developed a cozy relationship with KUSI since they took LIV Golf in lieu of KFMB, and now it’s culminated in an outright sale and a future CW affiliation. As for KFMB’s agreement, I think both parties would pursue an early exit from that. I think this is going to go down in other markets as well. Nexstar and Tegna appear to be at odds over CW, stemming from the latter’s refusal to carry LIV.

Eight CBS Stations To Ditch CW And Go Independent This Fall

The CW (or ION) is being floated as a home for the Pac-12.

NBC dropping 10pm is still considered a 'real possibility' for the 2024-25 season.

Another round of layoffs for the network.

The broadcast schedule is out. One difference this year is all games will air on linear TV, with a majority on broadcast (Fox & NBC) with higher profile lead-ins. Instead of Peacock exclusive games, all NBC and USA Network games will simulcast on Peacock.

You’ve got your wish.

Sook said advertising on LIV Golf was selling “very well” and that Nexstar stations were generating three times the revenue from LIV Golf than it was getting from other network programming. Sounds like they're happy with it.

CW Acquisition Has Already Paid For Itself, Nexstar CEO Perry Sook Says Sports beyond LIV are also in the crosshairs of Nexstar, Sook said. Without offering specifics, he said the company is evaluating “sports opportunities that could bleed into primetime.”

Scripps Sports: Phones ‘Already Ringing’ as Regional Sports Nets Implode