TheSpeedKing

3 minutes ago, GoldenShine9 said:

I'm a bit surprised Gray isn't going for some of those monopoly stations. They'd be a better fit for markets like Pocatello, Yuma and Greenville, especially since they can tie those stations to sister stations in surrounding markets. Maybe they will make a later deal?

Don’t expect Gray to make blockbusters or anything of that sort again unless they cash out of a few markets. They simply don’t have the cap space anymore to buy full-power. (36%, for reference)

3 hours ago, sanewsguy said:

Basically the former Northwest markets along with Memphis and Tulsa are going to the owners of the INSP TV cable network.

 

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/30/2413122/0/en/Cox-Media-Group-to-Sell-Television-Stations-in-Twelve-Markets-to-Imagicomm-Communications.html

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
 

But, we can now say goodbye to crummy news operations like KPVI’s. Though I’m still terrified because NP&G is now getting a monopoly.

Here in Ohio, I think that WHIO will be one of the last stations to be cashed out.

15 hours ago, Duc4TVNewsTalk said:

And now, KSNT had upgraded its logo and branding!

 

Huh? Is it 2012? 

3 hours ago, wabceyewitness said:

CBS Evening News recently ran a story that aired over a month ago on CBS Mornings, offered no update and even trimmed it down from its original package. 
 

more from FTV Live: 

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2022/3/24/recycling-the-news-at-cbs

I wish there was a “disgusted” reaction on this site.

On 2/27/2022 at 2:21 AM, Yankees4life said:

That leaves WVUE, KCBD, KAUZ/KSWO as the remaining stations with the old Raycom graphics

Updated. I’m thinking KSWO is next.

10 minutes ago, iron_lion said:

He needs to jump channels and guest host for Norah O'Donell, LOL.

Norah O'Donnell is the master controller of the entire CBS network. Who can replace her?

Just now, HoosierNewsie said:

Realistically speaking, a graphics package isn’t going to make or break a station. 

A graphics package definitely won't make a station, but it could make the station so much of an eyesore that the viewers associate the station with bad design. That discourages viewers from tuning in. Just look at WSB, which despite having a perfectly modern product is losing viewers at a faster than average rate.

On 3/14/2022 at 3:07 PM, GoldenShine9 said:

 

WSAV is still 2nd in ratings in the market, or has WJCL passed them? (I know WTOC is far ahead of both of them)

Any station using Nexstar NBC graphics is going to have their competition cream them. WJCL should've passed WSAV at this point.

39 minutes ago, GoldenShine9 said:

 

That would be a non-starter and likely could sink the deal.

The FCC allowed KAXT-CD to have virtual channel 1.

On 2/22/2022 at 11:48 PM, tyrannical bastard said:

It's been a while since I've chimed in on this thread....but going back to the ratings post that was posted back in November....

 

Newsmax getting 5 times the ratings of NewsNation should be setting off the alarm bells.  Nexstar could try to fix this, if they ramped up distribution of NewsNation on OTT platforms,  as digital subchannels, or even simulcasting some programs on their MyNetwork and independent channels.  But they seemed maligned to try and cook what's left of the goose that was WGN America, as people are leaving pay TV in droves, and the network that has 5 times the viewership on NewsNation could be in jeopardy itself if pay tv providers decide to pull the plug for them.

 

Nexstar really needs to seize this opportunity, because if they don't, the ratings will continue to suck and they will soon have to admit defeat.  It's well past time for Nexstar to get into the 21st century and take the streaming off their web sites and get more into the OTT realm!!!!

I'm also concerned with Nexstar's relation to NBC. It seems like WFLA and WCMH are the only Nexstar stations that seem to be caring about NBC in the slightest bit. They're also well behind their competition in terms of OTT capabilities. These stations do not need NewsNation on them at all. On an unrelated note, I've seen Nexstar leave its largest market stations alone whereas they forcefeed programming on their smaller market stations.

On 2/24/2022 at 9:46 PM, Myron Falwell said:

WFXT is the sixth-place station in a five-station town and where WHDH kicks their butts in all the time slots that matter. This isn't about retrans, it's a practical joke Apollo is making to Soo Kim.

Isn't WFXT the 5th place station in a 4-station market (WBZ, WCVB, WHDH and WGBH)?  I know WGBH is noncommercial, but all four seem to do exceptionally well in some way or another, but not WFXT!

2 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

Lol. You do understand that this is a national trend, right?

A trend for sure, but with the fact that Sinclair is broke, Nexstar is deliberately lowering the rankings of their stations, and both are over the cap, I think that their stations are ripe for divestment. 90% to the PE vultures, 10% to the networks. 

10 hours ago, Weeters said:

I was going to write something out defending the concept of TV graphic artists copying each other, but it's really not just a problem there. The whole industry copies each other's work. Look at how many stations just blatantly copied WSVN's format in the 90's and early 2000's. The whole industry functions by taking what works in one market and either improving on it or just straight up copying it.

I don't think WCMH (which used a variation of the WFLA graphics) stood up to WBNS very well. Morris copied WCMH to complete their $50 look. 

On 2/28/2022 at 2:24 PM, EricTheEnthusiast said:

WDSU switched their news to HD around the same time as WGNO debuted its HD news and new graphics and set. I can't remember which station was first, but they were both around the same time.

Their Wikipedia pages haven't been updated, but it says both are in widescreen SD. WDSU switched to HD in August of 2020. I don't think WGNO is in HD yet, but feel free to correct me.

7 hours ago, qunewsguy said:

New promos released by WLS featuring Proxima Nova fonts and a decidedly different end screen. 

 

That's a retool of their existing package with new fonts. New promo graphics generally don't mean much.

9 hours ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

Okay, at this point, which shows are being renewed???

Infomercials and newscasts lol. Zero originality here.

Just now, CLETVFan said:

Maybe they could retool with Judge Jerry...Seinfeld!!!  That would do better!

That's likely to be an NBC programme, not syndicated.

53 minutes ago, who?cares said:

WTTV is on a temporary set. It’s more like random walls decorated with stone, and a couple of newsroom shots. It’ll be interesting to see what Nexstar comes up with. The WTTV studio is SMALL.  Prior to becoming CBS4, Studio B was home to Hoosier Lottery , which was shoved into a conference room. 

They couldn't just get rid of WTTV to someone who wants it? I know that Nexstar kept it and tossed WISH into the bin, but Indy could use some decent ownership.

8 minutes ago, J1975am said:

Wait: Isn’t Maury Povich calling it quits with his show at the end of this season?? That alone might be the reason why the show will soon be off WJZ’s airwaves…..

And that's why CBS is doing this. Also in every other market, CBS can create a local news monopoly at this timeslot or create competition against independents/CW affiliates airing local news.

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:

Scott Jones is reporting that all CBS O&Os will launch a 9am newscast soon.

 

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2022/3/7/more-news-in-b-more

The end of Maury on WJZ? Never thought I'd see that day...

3 minutes ago, kfc513 said:

Was browsing through Tristan Bresnen's portfolio and I noticed a new look he produced for News Channel Nebraska. But it looks like a repurposed version of WFLA's graphics from 2016-2020 (that was also used on sister stations WKRN, WCMH and KELO). It's mostly the same besides it mostly being red instead of blue, as well as different looking Lower 3rds and Full Screens. Here's his case study: https://tristanbresnen.com/copy-of-currents-news-v2

 

 

WFLA 2016:

 

 

News Channel Nebraska 2022:

 

I notice the News Channel Nebraska version is using more "WHDH-esque" fonts. It's already a dated look.

It's not the WFLA variant. KMID has kept the package default font of Montserrat. They're keeping it as close to WKRN as they can.

18 minutes ago, Nelson R. said:

Why would NBC dump WCNC for Bahakel? I mean WCNC isn’t much better but if they wanted WCCB they would’ve signed on in 1978. WCNC is already home of the NBC News Channel headquarters and where would they go? What is HC2? 

Two reasons: cost and a lower dial position. I suggested that WCCB absorb the WCNC news department so they would be the new home for the Charlotte bureau of NBC News. HC2 Holdings is a company that owns several dead-end LPs in the US and they're hungry for some full-power stations. They own the Azteca America Spanish-language network. 18 is a far more accessible virtual channel number than 36.

12 minutes ago, mre29 said:

 

Well, yes. But if the FCC does approve it, it should be with a requirement to divest stations in (going off the top of my head) Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Memphis, and Seattle.

 

Again going on my point, the only logical buyers will be the networks (excluding Disney/ABC) or dead-end owners:

WXIA/WATL to NBC, WSB retained
WCNC dumped to a dead-end owner like HC2, NBC affiliates with WCCB and acquires the WCNC newsroom, a far cheaper option. WSOC is kept.

KIRO dumped to HC2 or whatever, KING retained, KSTW becomes a CBS O&O
WHBQ to Fox, WATN retained 

Both WTLV and WJXX will be dumped, NBC affiliates with WJXT,  WJAX/WFOX retained. ABC could go to an LP since "Disney does not buy"

25 minutes ago, Myron Falwell said:

It's also the logical end result of the M&A mania of the past few years, where there's no one left to buy stations but private equity vultures. (BTW, the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates today, so this was filed right at the deadline.)

I think even private equity is tired of OTA stations. Only the networks can buy. On a slightly related note, WSYX will be the market leader in my home market in a matter of weeks if this deal is allowed to go through, unless NBC is able to do something about this. 

19 hours ago, jd285 said:

WJMN has announced that they will start to air local newscasts on the weekends starting this spring, airing at 6pm and 11pm for an hour long. In addition, they will also carry NewsNation’s Morning in America from 7-10am starting on February 28. 

This means that this is the only way to get NewsNation OTA. Interesting they’re going with national morning news.