Fisher Communications for sale?

[PelicanGuy 117]

Seattle-based Fisher Communications is looking to boost shareholder values. One of those methods include the possible sale of the company, which owns 20 TV stations in the West.

 

The annual shareholders meeting has been pushed back to June.

 

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020098055_apusfishercommunicationsstrategicalternatives.html

[bhratbrat 423]

Hope Sinclair doesn't get 'em

[Glimmer 238]

Hope Sinclair doesn't get 'em

Doubtful. I could see Scripps going for them, or perhaps Hearst in order to grab new west coast flagships beyond KCRA. Meredith is a possibility (they were one of the bidders for McGraw-Hill) but I doubt they can own KATU as well as KPTV/KPDX.

[CircleSeven 1944]

I dunno. Sinclair already has one station in Fisher's Territory (even though Fisher is not in this market) and that's KTVL in Medford from a previous acquisition. You know, that company with that 'little torch'. Anywho, I would love to see Scripps get KOMO 4 & KATU, should Fisher comes to that conclusion, while selling the rest (CBS & Univision stations) to another firm. I wouldn't be shocked if yes, "buy-thirsty" Sinclair or Nexstar getting the Fisher CBS cluster. Like I said, they need to slow they roll with their buy-desparado before they end up writing a check their asses can't cash.

[MidwestTV 1173]

Doubtful. I could see Scripps going for them, or perhaps Hearst in order to grab new west coast flagships beyond KCRA. Meredith is a possibility (they were one of the bidders for McGraw-Hill) but I doubt they can own KATU as well as KPTV/KPDX.

Scripps just shelled out a bunch of money on the stations that they just bought from McGraw-Hill, so I sort of doubt that they're very interested in buying again at this poin.

[detroiter313 178]

Hope Sinclair doesn't get 'em

And neither will Nexstar. I was pretty much hoping that Young Broadcasting would acquire some of Fisher's stations, but then again, Young Broadcasting came out of bankruptcy 3 years ago when it incurred a debt load from purchasing KRON (the former NBC and current MyNetworkTV affiliate in San Francisco) back in 2000, so it looks like Young won't be buying stations any time soon.

[bammy9 26]

I think that ABC or maybe Post-Newsweek will pick up KOMO if Fisher sells the stations...

[mre29 1340]

I'm nowhere near any of the markets that Fisher has a station in (wrong coast), but I will say this: I *LIKE* their websites. It'd be a shame -- no, an injustice -- if komonews.com (or katu.com, or, really, any of the others) get turned into typical Nexstar sites.

[A3N 996]

I can't really see ABC in the mix for any of the Fisher stations, but Scripps or Cox might be good fits. If I'm not mistaken, Scripps still has quite a bit of reserve cash available since they took out a loan to purchase the McGraw-Hill 4.

[bhratbrat 423]

I cant envision Nexstar in the mix so that will be a save. Fisher has some real valuable properties (well at least the KOMO cluster and KATU in Portland)

[effseesee 101]

I can't really see ABC in the mix for any of the Fisher stations, but Scripps or Cox might be good fits. If I'm not mistaken, Scripps still has quite a bit of reserve cash available since they took out a loan to purchase the McGraw-Hill 4.

Cox could make a play for KATU, but they would have to spin off KIRO to get KOMO. Keep in mind that Fisher has radio stations in Seattle that Cox might be interested in.

 

I think that anyone who wants to buy one or both of the tv crown jewels will also have to take some of their less desirable TV properties (i.e. Yakima, Idaho Falls).

[bhratbrat 423]

that will be the case. I think Fisher's 3 most valuable assets are KOMO, KATU, KBOI.

[Jess 1110]

For the billionth time, people, DISNEY DOES NOT BUY TELEVISION STATIONS. EVER.

 

I don't know why ABC ALWAYS comes up in these sorts of threads. They haven't made a major acquisition since 1995 (and since those were sold off, they haven't made one since 1985!), and their eight station group seems to be doing just fine. In fact, they're worth more than the actual ABC network. It's better to have eight stations that are, for the most part, either strong contenders for market leader or ridiculously dominant, than twenty stations that are more scattered in their success.

[CircleSeven 1944]

For the billionth time, people, DISNEY DOES NOT BUY TELEVISION STATIONS. EVER.

 

I don't know why ABC ALWAYS comes up in these sorts of threads. They haven't made a major acquisition since 1995 (and since those were sold off, they haven't made one since 1985!), and their eight station group seems to be doing just fine. In fact, they're worth more than the actual ABC network. It's better to have eight stations that are, for the most part, either strong contenders for market leader or ridiculously dominant, than twenty stations that are more scattered in their success.

THANK YOU!!!!

 

ABC is fine with the eight they already have right now. I think they are in way better shape than the three other network O&O groups. ABC is already at 23% of the country with the eight they have. The example for the latter, Sinclair, with over 80-sum' stations in 47 markets at nearly 27% of the country (so they claim).

[TennTV1983 743]

Cox could make a play for KATU, but they would have to spin off KIRO to get KOMO. Keep in mind that Fisher has radio stations in Seattle that Cox might be interested in.

 

I think that anyone who wants to buy one or both of the tv crown jewels will also have to take some of their less desirable TV properties (i.e. Yakima, Idaho Falls).

Don't know how the ratings are in Seattle, but the only logical way a company would do that is if the station they're acquiring performs better in the ratings than the station they currently own.

 

If Fisher were to sell off their assets, which they may or may not do altogether, we may end up with a similar situation that happened with the Newport stations, and that's the last thing that should ever happen.

[mre29 1340]

What if Fisher sold everything outside of Seattle and Portland?

[Jess 1110]

THANK YOU!!!!

 

ABC is fine with the eight they already have right now. I think they are in way better shape than the three other network O&O groups. ABC is already at 23% of the country with the eight they have. The example for the latter, Sinclair, with over 80-sum' stations in 47 markets at nearly 27% of the country (so they claim).

In the 2012 ranking B&C did of the groups by revenue, ABC was fourth. However, since #1 Fox and #2 CBS are duopoly heavy they obviously outperform NBC and ABC. (yes, NBC has Telemundo duopolies but those are run mostly as a separate group.) But ABC's stations, on a per-station average, are probably the strongest performers. Having the top four stations in the top four markets will do that. The stations are efficiently run, a legacy of the CapCities era, and I'm sure the profits are reinvested back into the stations themselves.

 

More importantly, however, let's look at who owns the purse strings: Disney. ABC is a key part of Disney, but it's a small part of Disney. It's nowhere near as central to the company as its theme parks, movie studios, licensing operations, and sports broadcasting juggernaut are. It doesn't ignore ABC, of course, but it's more inclined to focus on those glamour efforts.

 

I mean, pretend you're Bob Iger. You're the head of Disney. You're sitting on assloads of cash because, well, you're Disney (and also because ESPN.) You could go out there and buy a couple of mid-market television stations that will always have volatile cash flow because of the whims of advertisers. Or, you could go out and buy, I dunno... Star Wars, which is FREAKING STAR WARS and whose licensing is essentially a money tree.

 

Hmm, I wonder, which one would you get?*

 

*Please do not answer this rhetorical question with the answer "The Television stations!!!" or I WILL MURDER YOU WITH THE FORCE.

[24994J 5276]

In the 2012 ranking B&C did of the groups by revenue, ABC was fourth. However, since #1 Fox and #2 CBS are duopoly heavy they obviously outperform NBC and ABC. (yes, NBC has Telemundo duopolies but those are run mostly as a separate group.) But ABC's stations, on a per-station average, are probably the strongest performers. Having the top four stations in the top four markets will do that. The stations are efficiently run, a legacy of the CapCities era, and I'm sure the profits are reinvested back into the stations themselves.

 

More importantly, however, let's look at who owns the purse strings: Disney. ABC is a key part of Disney, but it's a small part of Disney. It's nowhere near as central to the company as its theme parks, movie studios, licensing operations, and sports broadcasting juggernaut are. It doesn't ignore ABC, of course, but it's more inclined to focus on those glamour efforts.

 

I mean, pretend you're Bob Iger. You're the head of Disney. You're sitting on assloads of cash because, well, you're Disney (and also because ESPN.) You could go out there and buy a couple of mid-market television stations that will always have volatile cash flow because of the whims of advertisers. Or, you could go out and buy, I dunno... Star Wars, which is FREAKING STAR WARS and whose licensing is essentially a money tree.

 

Hmm, I wonder, which one would you get?*

 

*Please do not answer this rhetorical question with the answer "The Television stations!!!" or I WILL MURDER YOU WITH THE FORCE.

[bixpchiphead 105]

For the billionth time, people, DISNEY DOES NOT BUY TELEVISION STATIONS. EVER.

 

I don't know why ABC ALWAYS comes up in these sorts of threads. They haven't made a major acquisition since 1995 (and since those were sold off, they haven't made one since 1985!), and their eight station group seems to be doing just fine. In fact, they're worth more than the actual ABC network. It's better to have eight stations that are, for the most part, either strong contenders for market leader or ridiculously dominant, than twenty stations that are more scattered in their success.

And to be fair, Flint/Saginaw and Toledo were purchased by CapCities/ABC and Disney signed off on the purchase.

[TennTV1983 743]

And to be fair' date=' Flint/Saginaw and Toledo were purchased by CapCities/ABC and Disney signed off on the purchase.[/i']

And Disney's reason for buying CapCities/ABC was not to own broadcast stations, but to have an ownership stake in the ABC network itself. Same case with Comcast when they bought a majority stake in NBCUniversal, except their interest had more to do with owning more cable networks and less on dealing with the broadcast side of things (although they have invested heavily on the NBC network and its O&Os since then).

[bhratbrat 423]

Maybe Gannett could make a play but I am thinking that maybe what could happen is Fisher divesting itself of other properties and potentially only keeping KOMO or KOMO/KATU

[effseesee 101]

that will be the case. I think Fisher's 3 most valuable assets are KOMO, KATU, KBOI.

KVAL (and the soon to be duopoly with KMTR) is much more valuable than KBOI.

 

What if Fisher sold everything outside of Seattle and Portland?

Then be prepared for more stations owned by Nexstar.

 

And to be fair, Flint/Saginaw and Toledo were purchased by CapCities/ABC and Disney signed off on the purchase.

Those stations were only purchased as insurance, in case WXYZ bolted for CBS and ABC was left on a weak UHF station.

[CircleSeven 1944]

 

Then be prepared for more stations owned by Nexstar.

The only overlap is in the Bakersfield market, since they're planning to snab KGET 17 (FCC has yet to approve on that), and Fisher owns KBAK 29 . Unless cousin Mission comes to play.... But Bakersfield have too few outlets so I don't think Nexstar will pull a Mission.

[CircleSeven 1944]

The Seattle Times have a great article about this matter and one of the names that came up and one of the users here mentioned it, is that Hearst could also be a possible forerunner of the stations. Hearst owns the online-only publication, former print daily, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. I don't think Hearst will grab the entire group.

 

Whoever will get the stations. If its Cox, Maybe CBS can buy KIRO, they own KSTW 11 and it gives CBS another duopoly. But if Fisher does sell, I think one group (one of the big groups) will get just KOMO 4 & KATU (if its Cox, Hearst or another company that has a companion radio firm, they'll probably take the radio 1000 AM too), a separate group will take the CBS cluster, and another group can take the Univision stations (maybe Entravision can come to play on that). If I have to pick between Cox, Hearst or Scripps, I would pick Scripps.

[Big Country News 435]

I'm nowhere near any of the markets that Fisher has a station in (wrong coast), but I will say this: I *LIKE* their websites. It'd be a shame -- no, an injustice -- if komonews.com (or katu.com, or, really, any of the others) get turned into typical Nexstar sites.

SeattleSource360.net!