GoldenShine_10

I think losing the SEC was the last straw for Gray and CBS in Atlanta, as that was their most reliable ratings draw (other than a couple of Falcons game, which Gray could bid for the OTA rights of cable and streaming games anyway). I've also heard that, in the southern edge of the market, people are more likely to watch WMAZ for CBS programming and related news, even though it's a Macon station.

Since the NFL still requires streaming-exclusive games to have a local broadcaster air them, that would be an easy gain for Falcons games on Gray, without CBS prices.

When does the affiliation agreement with Tegna expire?

I think the best option is to keep WANF as all-Atlanta and focused on the area, while WPCH acts as a regional superstation with the sporting events and state coverage (for things like the Legislature), with the latter also becoming a subchannel on Gray's other channels in the state. For example, in Savannah, WPCH could go on 11.3 or 11.4 or something.

I can see Gray doing just that. I could also see it being a regional superstation that becomes a sub on Gray's other Georgia stations (although they'd probably want to go from 95% coverage to 100% coverage as they are missing Chattanooga and Jacksonville in the corners of the state).

What was the *best* company?

I'm surprised they are buying the others too, since they would essentially be a local owner in Greenville.

That leaves the stations in Greenville and Pocatello.

As I posted in Speculatron, that will be nearly impossible.

I forgot about Charlotte, and actually Nexstar conflicts there too. That said, Nexstar has an easier deal overall, as the conflicts are smaller and they have largely paid off their debt from other recent deals, while Gray still has a lot on the board. But who else would be bidding? Tegna is in flux. Scripps has major financial issues. Sinclair is still poison in the industry. Allen has lost a lot of his support. This may be too much for Hearst and especially Graham (both are private as well).

Gray would have to sell in Atlanta and I believe that's it. Nexstar would have to sell in Dayton, and again that's it. I don't think they have enough at this time. Nexstar would be better positioned, although Gray could be the divested Dayton station. That said, there would be about $1 billion saved in that the station that Gray would have to let go of would be WSB, and that's worth a lot of money.

I believe that station had by far the biggest backlash of any of them. It would probably garner Allen the most money as well if they decided to sell it.

They probably see it as going away, or perhaps it was #5 last year?

Perhaps if something dramatic happens? KFVS might try for it too, but it has poor coverage in the eastern part of the market. Still, for one of the few independents left in the business (I wonder if someone like Nexstar has tried to buy WPSD but either was rejected or seen as unable to complete a deal??), that would be a huge coup de grace.

I could see WPSD trying to more aggressively target that area through its newspaper (maybe a Carbondale bureau) and hire at least one of the laid off meteorologists.