More Consolidation

[effseesee 101]

Belo's KMSB/KTTU in Tucson to shut down operations. Raycom's KOLD will take over operation of the stations for Belo.

 

http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/news/belo-to-shut-down-kmsb-fox-and-kttu-kold-to/article_ca805f3c-0fbd-11e1-b47c-001cc4c002e0.html

[T.L. Hughes 760]

Three things I need to get off my chest about this:

1. First things first, it seems weird that Belo would turn over operations of KTTU and KMSB to Raycom/KOLD, when Nexstar Broadcasting sued Granite Broadcasting for doing the same thing, allowing one company to control multiple network affiliations in the same market (though Nexstar's case for Granite's Fort Wayne virtual duopoly was more because Granite was controlling ad sales for a station it owned outright and another it operated but was owned by another company, whereas it's not exactly the same here as Belo will still handle ad sales for KMSB and KTTU, but it's close enough).
   
2. Secondly, the FCC needs to do away with or limit the requirements for SSAs, LMAs and JSAs, as they are basically ways stations circumvent the duopoly rules (really, they sidestepped FCC rules before it allowed duopolies) and only allow control of no more than two stations in the same market through what it already defines for duopolies (10 full-power stations in the same market with eight unique "voices" after a formed duopoly, with the only exception being for stations considered to be failing, where a waiver can be obtained, and even then there has to be valid proof of its failing status). There is really no need to throw a third station in the mix; if the FCC doesn't allow three full-power stations to be owned in the same market, they shouldn't allow a SSA/duopoly combo. They also need to allow at least some autonomy between the SSA or duopoly partners, keeping most operations separate (more or less like what Canada's CRTC permits with twinstick station operations there). There is no need for people to lose jobs because one station group that already owns a station wants to acquire a second station owned by another.
   
3. Thirdly, my main gripe with Fox affiliates entering into news share agreements is that the network never required its stations to carry both early and late evening newscasts like what NBC, ABC and CBS stations do (most Fox stations lack early evening news). NSA partners who produce news for Fox stations just produce a newscast at 9 or 10 p.m. (depending on time zone) and two hours in the morning from 7-9 a.m. NSA partners should really be simulcasting the pre-7 a.m. morning news and air at least one early evening newscast (either simulcast, produced solely for the Fox station or a mix of both) on the Fox station, similar to what Indiana's NewsCenter, First Coast News and Hawaii News Now do with the Big Three stations that make up those news shares.