Sinclair...Again

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

Let me post the paperwork. I know I'm late but better late than never.

 

On this ninth media company acquisition by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, two years and over three weeks after the announced of the Four Points Media acquisition, the paperwork was posted on Thursday morning, hours after the announcement of the sale. Sinclair will be paying New Age Media $90M. Sinclair will properly own WOLF, WQMY (they're treating this as a satellite of WOLF) & WGFL, while assigning WSWB, WTLH & WNBW to Michael Anderson's Cunningham Broadcasting, and WTLF to Stephen Mumblow's Deerfield Media. Anderson will pay Sinclair $5.722M ($4.184M for WTLH, $1.09M for WSWB & $448K for WNBW), while Mumblow will pay Sinclair $472K for WTLF.

_____________________________________________

 

Also it appears that last Monday, the FCC has greenlighted the TOC of KDBC from Cunningham to Sinclair proper. So it looks like, KDBC could be joining the other Titan stations in Omaha, Sioux City & Fresno on the consummation chain, should that occur in the days ahead.

______________________________________________

 

I also want to make a correction. On my last post I stated that WTVC produce its 10pm news for WFLI. I meant its sister-station WDSI. So my error on that.

 

I don't know whatelse they're planning on swallowing, since the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on eliminating the UHF Discount has now happened, and it would likely get the Report & Order, when its all said and done. But like I stated earlier, these devils will find some sort of slick-ass way to acquire more stations, Discount or not. I still can't get over that they haven't made a deal with the Chattanooga spread.

 

I assumed that the next takeover would've been the Milt Grant stations. But after their unsuccessful bid of the Local TV, the only market Sinclair could grab from the Grant pool is their flagships WFXR/WWCW. Since they will acquire WSET. They could acquire the Davenport duo (KLJB/KGCW), probably the same way like getting the New Age flagships in NEPA, but those (like the New Age ones) don't have an in-house news op. The Huntsville & Eau Claire ones might not be under their radars, since it's only a single station, and neither of those have in-house news ops. Since Gray lighted up Excalibur, maybe they might have some chump change to acquire WEUX/WLAX and maybe WFXS in Wausau, since Gray owns WEAU & WSAW in those Wisconsin Markets.

 

I also had this on my mind for the longest. What was it if Sinclair didn't get the Allbritton stations. What would've happened if Hearst and Tribune would've gotten the Western chunk. Hearst already owned KHBS/KHOG in NW Arkansas & KOCO in OKC. Should Hearst acquired KTUL & KATV, it would've Fit Like A GLOVE. Tribune could've also benefit, since Local TV was already in NW AR and OKC, getting Tulsa & LR would've also fit like a glove too. The eastern part would've been more challenging, but the west would've made tons of sense.

 

 

Although I wasn't shocked that they changed the licensee titles, because I've say it happening with Scripps. Back prior to February 2010, almost all of them were "Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company", and after that, it was "Scripps Media, LLC". Also Univision changed the licensee names of the UniMas affils too from Telefutura to UniMas (i.e. WXFT is "UniMas Chicago LLC"). No applications were made to change the names of those licensee titles. But I was shocked that they'd decided to not follow their "WXXX Licensee, LLC" standard and went with something different. They even rename the KIDK/KXPI licensee titles too, despite being sold to another entity, and that could probably get the greenlight soon. They'll probably do this should the Allbritton ones get the greenlight and finalized.

 

So right now, Sinclair still waits for the Anderson proper Cunningham transfers (unwinding that trust), WWCP, the Barrington & Allbritton applications. October is fast approaching. Could the Barrington stations finally get the greenlight on that month. I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

Does Sinclair intend to hold on to their radio acquisitions?

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

Does Sinclair intend to hold on to their radio acquisitions?

 

To me, I'm not sure. They haven't came out and said that they're dumping the cluster. And they also haven't said that they're expanding that portfolio either.

 

If I was on their shoes, I would focus more on their overly, outrageously counted-television cluster, and not worry about the radio. But selling the radio cluster could also do some damage, because for many years KOMO 4 has promoted AM 1000 like a hawk, during their news and afterwards. Similar to WGN promoting AM 720 on Channel 9.

 

So we just have to see. Although I'm thinking that Sinclair would unload them in the future (since they're probably won't acquire anything else on the radio side, thanks to CBS, Cumulus & Clear Channel having everything, and my true feeling would love to keep the Seattle thing a status quo), I wouldn't care what Sinclair does in either scenario. Because we've seen surprises already these last 24 months, it ain't nothing we haven't heard that would top the Fisher & Allbritton acquisitions. And have we now reached the century mark of the stations they've acquired staring with Four Points on 9/8/11? Isn't it like 103 now?

[GoldenShine9 1513]

 

To me, I'm not sure. They haven't came out and said that they're dumping the cluster. And they also haven't said that they're expanding that portfolio either.

 

If I was on their shoes, I would focus more on their overly, outrageously counted-television cluster, and not worry about the radio. But selling the radio cluster could also do some damage, because for many years KOMO 4 has promoted AM 1000 like a hawk, during their news and afterwards. Similar to WGN promoting AM 720 on Channel 9.

 

So we just have to see. Although I'm thinking that Sinclair would unload them in the future (since they're probably won't acquire anything else on the radio side, thanks to CBS, Cumulus & Clear Channel having everything, and my true feeling would love to keep the Seattle thing a status quo), I wouldn't care what Sinclair does in either scenario. Because we've seen surprises already these last 24 months, it ain't nothing we haven't heard that would top the Fisher & Allbritton acquisitions. And have we now reached the century mark of the stations they've acquired staring with Four Points on 9/8/11? Isn't it like 103 now?

 

From my count, 107 they have added or about to add (and only 2 - WLAJ and WLWC - were subsequently sold elsewhere, with 2 more - KIDK and KXPI - in the process of being sold after being "inherited" by Sinclair).

 

If they sold the radio cluster, that is more money to buy even more TV stations though.

 

Re: the Grant stations, I think they were trying to get them, but part of that master plan was only if they got both Local TV LLC and Allbritton (giving them duopolies in 3 of their 4 markets). The fact they missed out on Local means that at least the Quad Cities and Huntsville stations would be pointless to them, especially with no other stations likely to hit the market in those markets anytime soon, leaving only the Roanoke-Lynchburg stations as value to them. So it may not happen after all.

[sanewsguy 511]

Someone had too much fun on Wikipedia. Look what I found on WFSB's wikipedia page:

The date of the edit was September 26, and the same IP address also modified their DT subchannels to "Me-TV" and "The Country Network" on the same day (Me-TV doesn't have a Hartford affiliate currently, and The Country Network doesn't even exist anymore having changed it name to "ZUUS Country").

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

From my count, 107 they have added or about to add (and only 2 - WLAJ and WLWC - were subsequently sold elsewhere, with 2 more - KIDK and KXPI - in the process of being sold after being "inherited" by Sinclair).

 

If they sold the radio cluster, that is more money to buy even more TV stations though.

 

Re: the Grant stations, I think they were trying to get them, but part of that master plan was only if they got both Local TV LLC and Allbritton (giving them duopolies in 3 of their 4 markets). The fact they missed out on Local means that at least the Quad Cities and Huntsville stations would be pointless to them, especially with no other stations likely to hit the market in those markets anytime soon, leaving only the Roanoke-Lynchburg stations as value to them. So it may not happen after all.

 

The only reason why I can't rule out the Quads is because of their acquisition of the New Age flagships which neither one station (WOLF/WSWB/WQMY) in that triopoly have an in-house news department (just like KLJB/KGCW). You could possibly say it's pointless, because Sinclair didn't get the bigger prize from the Local TV deal, bum-ba-da-daaa WNEP 16. But somehow, they did get it anyway. Now I wouldn't also rule out any one of the other competitors to insert their shell cards (Shield, Mission & Dreamcatcher) to acquire KLJB/KGCW. But if that's not the case, I wouldn't rule out Sinclair getting the duo in the Quads. And besides Sinclair is already in three other Iowa markets (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and pretty soon Sioux City). Both Sinclair & Meredith missed another opportunity to acquire a Des Moines station, when Citadel announced it was selling WOI to Nexstar.

 

But seeing that New Age wants out, I think the Milton Grant is ready to unload too, whether its Sinclair or any other group. All the Grant stations involved are basically shell bate.

 

I can't believe I'm saying this, (barring any long waiting processes) but by early 2014, there will be totally new owners of the big-3 in the Quads.

[TVIntheDesert 183]

 

Someone had too much fun on Wikipedia. Look what I found on WFSB's wikipedia page:

 

 

The date of the edit was September 26, and the same IP address also modified their DT subchannels to "Me-TV" and "The Country Network" on the same day (Me-TV doesn't have a Hartford affiliate currently, and The Country Network doesn't even exist anymore having changed it name to "ZUUS Country").

 

Don't forget Meredith is stubborn with subchannels (except for Flint/Saginaw). They've all but ignored my calls to flip KPHO 5.2 from a lousy weather loop to Antenna TV, even though there is much more demand for the latter.

[TVIntheDesert 183]

 

 

But seeing that New Age wants out, I think the Milton Grant is ready to unload too, whether its Sinclair or any other group. All the Grant stations involved are basically shell bate.

 

 

Hasn't Milt Grant been dead for nearly a decade? The station group still bears his name, but I believe is controlled by creditors.

[CircleSeven 1955]

Hasn't Milt Grant been dead for nearly a decade? The station group still bears his name, but I believe is controlled by creditors.

I know he's been gone for a minute. I should've typed, the "overseers" of the Milton Grant stations or just "Milton Grant's" should be ready to unload. Right now, some trust firm is running his estate. It looks like they filed a TOC (posted today) to have a guy name Cabell Williams to be the sucessor of the stock of the Milton Grant stations.

 

Remember the creditors got involved in Grant's first venture when he was bankrupt in the late 80s.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

Does Sinclair intend to hold on to their radio acquisitions?

KOMO AM/FM is a powerhouse all-news radio station, and shares staff and resources with KOMO-TV. KVI (all-conservative talk) and KPLZ (adult CHR) are along for the ride. Outside of KPLZ, they mesh pretty well with the S!nclair philosophy.

 

Not to say that S!nclair doesn't sell off KOMO AM/FM, with the succeeding owner operating it as-is alongside the TV newsroom. (Recall that Group W and NBC did the same thing, moving all-news WMAQ/670 into the NBC Tower with WMAQ-TV - the Tower was completed well after GE sold off NBC Radio and WMAQ - and both stations shared staff and resources up until Viacom shut down WMAQ in favor of WSCR "The Score.") But right now, they don't need to do anything.

 

I am, however, curious as to when Armstrong Williams gets his own call-in show on KVI. You know THAT'S coming...

[Rusty Muck 4374]

So we just have to see. Although I'm thinking that Sinclair would unload them in the future (since they're probably won't acquire anything else on the radio side' date=' thanks to CBS, Cumulus & Clear Channel having everything, and my true feeling would love to keep the Seattle thing a status quo), I wouldn't care what Sinclair does in either scenario. Because we've seen surprises already these last 24 months, it ain't nothing we haven't heard that would top the Fisher & Allbritton acquisitions. And have we now reached the [b']century mark[/b] of the stations they've acquired staring with Four Points on 9/8/11? Isn't it like 103 now?

 

A doomsday scenario would be for S!nclair to buy all or part of Clear Channel. Bain Capital would be more than happy to unload them.

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

A doomsday scenario would be for S!nclair to buy all or part of Clear Channel. Bain Capital would be more than happy to unload them.

 

And you'll know that's not going to happen.

 

Anywho, it appears one of the Titan stations was formally closed yesterday. KPTH. So I assume the others are going to follow, maybe with a formal announcement soon?

[bhratbrat 437]

Truly doubt it with the consideration of the government shutdown that you will be hearing a lot more from the FCC for now at least.

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

Truly doubt it with the consideration of the government shutdown that you will be hearing a lot more from the FCC for now at least.

 

I meant the formal announcement from SBG on the closing of the Titan stations (since all the stations were greenlighted a few days back), not the FCC. We know FCC and the other gov't agencies are on lockdown. So any M&A deals that hasn't been greenlighted yet, won't be greenlight today, and/or the days followed, should the shutdown continues that long.

 

EDIT 11:45am/ET: The B&C pointed out this morning that since the gov't are on lockdown, the FCC has suspended the "Merger Review Shot Clocks", where they have this "informal" period of 180 days to review any M&A, but we know some have even laster past those 180 days before they come up with their decision. They stated that those clocks will start back up, within two days after the shutdown gets averted.

 

It's not going to matter, many of these deals including the Sinclair/Allbritton and the Gannett/Belo, Media General/Young & Tribune/Local TV weren't going to get the immediate greenlight anyway. We just got to wait a tad bit longer, that's all.

[NewsMaster 226]

Someone had too much fun on Wikipedia. Look what I found on WFSB's wikipedia page:

 

The date of the edit was September 26, and the same IP address also modified their DT subchannels to "Me-TV" and "The Country Network" on the same day (Me-TV doesn't have a Hartford affiliate currently, and The Country Network doesn't even exist anymore having changed it name to "ZUUS Country").

KPHO's article has the same thing.

 

EDIT: And WGCL as well.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

KPHO's article has the same thing.

 

EDIT: And WGCL as well.

 

Eh, to be fair. Sinclair can't do a worse job with WGCL than Meredith has so far. Sounds like someone was really bored though. Maybe it was that James Ciehola guy.

 

(still can't figure out how WGCL is so poorly run when they also own well-run stations like KCTV)

[sanewsguy 511]

 

Eh, to be fair. Sinclair can't do a worse job with WGCL than Meredith has so far. Sounds like someone was really bored though. Maybe it was that James Ciehola guy.

 

(still can't figure out how WGCL is so poorly run when they also own well-run stations like KCTV)

 

local management, particularly their GM. I honestly don't know why Lane Michaelsen left Scripps' flagship to join Meredith's flagship as ND...

[sanewsguy 511]

Could the Barrington sale to Sinclair close soon? I found this video from KRCG on YouTube.

[yt]T77ThnoKCAo[/yt]

 

p.s. That thing about Columbia having more journalists per capita than DC is BS. They are referring to the journalism students at Mizzou who pass themselves off as "journalists" but are still in school (the school owns the NBC affiliate and a major daily newspaper in the market as well as other media outlets). Oh well, guess they can spin it to make themselves (and the market) sound better than it really is.

[hathawaynson2 39]

 

Could the Barrington sale to Sinclair close soon? I found this video from KRCG on YouTube.

[yt]T77ThnoKCAo[/yt]

 

p.s. That thing about Columbia having more journalists per capita than DC is BS. They are referring to the journalism students at Mizzou who pass themselves off as "journalists" but are still in school (the school owns the NBC affiliate and a major daily newspaper in the market as well as other media outlets). Oh well, guess they can spin it to make themselves (and the market) sound better than it really is.

 

Was there the copyright 2013, Sinclair Broadcasting Group with this video?

[skbl17 188]

Due to the partial federal government shutdown, the FCC will not approve any pending merger requests. As such, pending mergers (Belo & Gannett, Tribune & Local TV, Sinclair & Barrington and Sinclair & Allbritton, among others) will not be reviewed at this time.

[sanewsguy 511]

 

Due to the partial federal government shutdown, the FCC will not approve any pending merger requests. As such, pending mergers (Belo & Gannett, Tribune & Local TV, Sinclair & Barrington and Sinclair & Allbritton, among others) will not be reviewed at this time.

 

Yes, I knew that. Sorry for not clarifying. But I'm sure after this shutdown crap is over with, then it shouldn't be too much of a wait.

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

Yes, I knew that. Sorry for not clarifying. But I'm sure after this shutdown crap is over with, then it shouldn't be too much of a wait.

 

And despite those apps being filed more than six months ago (March 18, specifically), you would think it could be anyday that they'll finally gets the greenlight. And even if this lockdown gets lifted, they'll probably have to wait a tad bit longer, with an even a more FCC workload. And prior to the Gannett, MG & Tribune acquisitions, you had that Barrington & the Nexstar/ComCorp deals that have yet to be approved. And by the way the FCC has docketed those four latest big M&As this summer, they're not to hesistant to take their time into greenlighting these deals.

[CircleSeven 1955]

 

And you'll know that's not going to happen.

 

Anywho, it appears one of the Titan stations was formally closed yesterday. KPTH. So I assume the others are going to follow, maybe with a formal announcement soon?

 

Guess what, y'all. As expected, here's the announcement of the closing of the Titan Stations. That means both Sinclair & Nexstar now completed acquiring properties in both Fresno & Bakersfield, in a matter of months. Also KBFX, which use to be a relay of KMPH back in the day, use to be own by Pappas, now both stations reunite as sister-stations again for the first time in eight years, under new ownership.

 

What it did not announce, was the upcoming consummation of CBS affiliate KDBC from Cunningham to Sinclair proper.

 

We will not see any of the consummation notices, because the FCC has closed its website because of the federal lockdown.

 

Also, Titan Broadcast is not gone completely. It still operates Independent LA station KDOC, and the other chunk of independents that's owned by "spectrum speculator" NRJ TV, LLC. Those stations except for KDOC, would probably cease post-auction time.

[tyrannical bastard 3953]

I'm trying to get my hands around if WHP will soon be known as "Local 21 News" because......

 

Their website is local21news.com and now....

 

Their facebook page is titled Local 21 CBS News, WHP Harrisburg..... (kind of unwieldy....don't you think?)

 

yet all the while, the CBS 21 News logo is prominently featured on all their pages. :bang:

 

Either they're planning an overhaul of their branding, (or not....) or it's just part of the hot mess that their internet department has become after the relaunch of most of their sites from newly-acquired stations in their current form...

 

It's only going to get worse if they don't add the staff when they multiply the stations they could soon be controlling...

[CircleSeven 1955]

Now the Department of Justice is issuing a "Second Request" asking Sinclair & Allbritton more info about the proposed acquisition on the Charleston & Harrisburg properties.

 

I guess they forgot about Birmingham...or they probably not worried about Birmingham...

 

...Well Anywho, this is the second time this summer that the DOJ asked for the Second Request on a planned merger. On August 23, the DOJ issued a "Second Request" on the merger between Gannett & Belo.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

I'm trying to get my hands around if WHP will soon be known as "Local 21 News" because......

 

Their website is local21news.com and now....

 

Their facebook page is titled Local 21 CBS News, WHP Harrisburg..... (kind of unwieldy....don't you think?)

 

yet all the while, the CBS 21 News logo is prominently featured on all their pages. :bang:

 

Either they're planning an overhaul of their branding, (or not....) or it's just part of the hot mess that their internet department has become after the relaunch of most of their sites from newly-acquired stations in their current form...

 

It's only going to get worse if they don't add the staff when they multiply the stations they could soon be controlling...

 

Examples like that are why I'm skeptical that Sinclair can maintain control as it grows so fast.