CircleSeven 1944 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 The Paperwork Is Up!!! Paperwork for KTVU/KICU & WFXT/WHBQ was posted tonight, with the exchange agreement. Unless they make changes to the licensee name overtime (and it would be stupid not too), WFXT & WHBQ will be under KTVU's current licensee name, "KTVU, LLC". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 719 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 The Paperwork Is Up!!! Paperwork for KTVU/KICU & WFXT/WHBQ was posted tonight, with the exchange agreement. Unless they make changes to the licensee name overtime (and it would be stupid not too), WFXT & WHBQ will be under KTVU's current licensee name, "KTVU, LLC". If you check out the address of the transferee for the Harrisburg station being sold to Media General, it is at the office of what they call a "qualified intermediary" used for the purpose of effecting a like-kind exchange (in order to defer the tax on capital gains). I'm sure the same thing is going on here. That's why they are probably using the KTVU shell ... KTVU sells one station and replaces it with two stations. It is done for tax purposes. How do you think they'll handle WFXT? The Northeast is the wilderness for Cox and outside of KTVU, KFOX, and the few they picked up from CC, they don't have much of a record with Fox stations. I don't agree with that. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Dayton and Detroit can't be too different from Boston. I know Cox doesn't have a station in Cleveland, but they have 150,000+ cable subscribers there. (Detroit I threw in because Scripps-Howard has a station there.) Cable companies have to know how to sell advertising time so I'm sure they are well aware of what it takes to make money in those markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4174 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Unless they make changes to the licensee name overtime (and it would be stupid not too), WFXT & WHBQ will be under KTVU's current licensee name, "KTVU, LLC". Looks to me like Fox and Cox are handling this as a like-kind transaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 753 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I don't think anyone pointed this out, but the KTVU/KICU trade would mark the first time that Fox had acquired a news-intensive Fox charter station, since Cox did all of the expanding. Think about it, when they bought WTXF and WFTC, they both had just a primetime newscast (we know what happened to WFTC's news operation after Fox bought KMSP and swapped networks with WFTC). Every other Fox charter station they bought after the network launched didn't have a news department at all, WFXT's 10 p.m. newscast was produced by a cable news channel shortly before Fox bought it. BTW, I'd like some background on KTVU's news programming expansion outside of "The Ten O'Clock News", up to before the launch of its weekend morning newscasts (it's for a Wikipedia article on KTVU that I recently re-edited, but need to tweak a bit more with accurate info). I think they had a weekend 5:00 p.m. newscast before they ever added one on weekdays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 869 Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 WOFL had a news department, but they weren't news-intensive back in 2002. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundershock MN 169 Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I don't think anyone pointed this out, but the KTVU/KICU trade would mark the first time that Fox had acquired a news-intensive Fox charter station, since Cox did all of the expanding. Think about it, when they bought WTXF and WFTC, they both had just a primetime newscast (we know what happened to WFTC's news operation after Fox bought KMSP and swapped networks with WFTC). Every other Fox charter station they bought after the network launched didn't have a news department at all, WFXT's 10 p.m. newscast was produced by a cable news channel shortly before Fox bought it. BTW, I'd like some background on KTVU's news programming expansion outside of "The Ten O'Clock News", up to before the launch of its weekend morning newscasts (it's for a Wikipedia article on KTVU that I recently re-edited, but need to tweak a bit more with accurate info). I think they had a weekend 5:00 p.m. newscast before they ever added one on weekdays. As channel2 stated...WOFL says Hi. And, technically speaking KMSP was a charter affiliate. They were a Fox affiliate for the first two years of the network before the affiliation moved to then KITN, now WFTC. So, there have been a couple others. Although, both of their operations at the time of acquisition pale in comparison to KTVU's current operation. KMSP had a smaller but well established operation. WOFL's news department on the other hand was still relatively young. WFTC's news operation got hosed in that whole deal. Fox was pressuring affiliates (especially, major market ones) around that time...it's the same reason Meredith started a news department at WOFL a few years prior. Clear Channel finally succumbed to the pressure as part of an affiliation renewal. They started building an news department from the ground up and launched in April 2001. Clear Channel was already well down the road building WFTC's operation. But, then the Fox/Chris Craft deal happened and ended up closing in July 2001. WFTC basically ended up being a lame-duck almost as soon as it started. The Fox affiliation was going to move to KMSP...the only reason that it took as long as it did was because of the swap being engineered for WFTC. Fox had Clear Channel over a barrel basically telling them WFTC was on borrowed time as a Fox affiliate. So, Clear Channel swapped WFTC for KTVX & KMOL, now WOAI. By October 2001 the swap was completed and WFTC's six month old news department was in Fox's hands. It's a shame was only used for a year. And, now to tie this all back together. Part of the reason I don't think there will be mass layoffs at KTVU is it's not really Fox's style. I've gotten the impression they don't like the negative PR associated with mass layoffs...even more so when it relates to on air talent. When WFTC was neutered in 2002, moving into the KMSP building that spring/summer and then the affiliation swap that fall, the axe didn't start swinging right away. WFTC's newscast limped along until June 2006. During that span (late '02- early '05) Fox basically did a slow bleed reducing the newly combined newsroom through attrition and "non-renewals." Even the centralization and automation that swept across FTS in the late '00's was a slow drip. That's why I expect any major staffing changes at KTVU to be a slow process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 818 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Dragging whatever layoffs there may be (whether it's on-air or behind the scenes talent) out over a 3, 6, etc.. month timetable would be much worse long term than a massive layoff. Can you imagine trying to do your job not knowing if you're going to get the axe in 2 days, or in 3 weeks, or in 5 months, etc...? Plus, I highly doubt FOX cares anything about negative PR. They make whatever decisions they want without much care/concern of their viewers or employees it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 753 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 As channel2 stated...WOFL says Hi. And, technically speaking KMSP was a charter affiliate. They were a Fox affiliate for the first two years of the network before the affiliation moved to then KITN, now WFTC. So, there have been a couple others. Although, both of their operations at the time of acquisition pale in comparison to KTVU's current operation. KMSP had a smaller but well established operation. WOFL's news department on the other hand was still relatively young. Yeah, sorry. I meant to include WOFL in that as well. In the case of KMSP, though, while it was a Fox charter affiliate - apparently, the reason why Fox moved to WFTC was because it, like KPTV, was dissatisfied with the mediocre performance of the network's programming - it was a UPN affiliate (it had lost its O&O status when Chris-Craft sold its stake in UPN to Viacom) at the time that Fox bought in the Chris-Craft acquisition (one of a few news-producing UPN stations acquired in the deal, alongside KCOP and WWOR; KMSP and KPTV were the only ones involved in that deal to have kept their news ops to this day, although they spun off KPTV to Meredith nearly a year after the sale). In regards to the layoff speculation, Fox may have leaner behind-the-scenes staff, but I've noticed that Fox stations tend to maintain a large amount of on-camera personnel in their news departments. It usually ranges somewhere between just above 15 and up to 25 people on the on-air staff (including any used just as fill-ins). Even though the faces might change eventually, the size of the on-air staff won't change much (KTVU has close to the amount of news and sports anchors, meteorologists and reporters that quite a few Fox O&Os have, roughly close to 25 people). Interestingly, from back when KTVU was using the "Fox 2" brand on its newscasts, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube from a 2001 newscast which featured the Fox News logo on the station's mic flags (skip to 7:10). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 How long did KTVU use the "Fox 2" brand for its newscasts? And I wonder why they stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skbl17 188 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 How long did KTVU use the "Fox 2" brand for its newscasts? And I wonder why they stopped. KTVU used the "Fox 2" branding for their newscasts from 2001 until 2002 or so. Honestly, I'm not sure why they stopped either. I do know that every now and then the "(KTVU) Fox 2" branding is used in promos for Fox shows and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jero23 105 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Yeah, sorry. I meant to include WOFL in that as well. In the case of KMSP, though, while it was a Fox charter affiliate - apparently, the reason why Fox moved to WFTC was because it, like KPTV, was dissatisfied with the mediocre performance of the network's programming - it was a UPN affiliate (it had lost its O&O status when Chris-Craft sold its stake in UPN to Viacom) at the time that Fox bought in the Chris-Craft acquisition (one of a few news-producing UPN stations acquired in the deal, alongside KCOP and WWOR; KMSP and KPTV were the only ones involved in that deal to have kept their news ops to this day, although they spun off KPTV to Meredith nearly a year after the sale). In regards to the layoff speculation, Fox may have leaner behind-the-scenes staff, but I've noticed that Fox stations tend to maintain a large amount of on-camera personnel in their news departments. It usually ranges somewhere between just above 15 and up to 25 people on the on-air staff (including any used just as fill-ins). Even though the faces might change eventually, the size of the on-air staff won't change much (KTVU has close to the amount of news and sports anchors, meteorologists and reporters that quite a few Fox O&Os have, roughly close to 25 people). Interestingly, from back when KTVU was using the "Fox 2" brand on its newscasts, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube from a 2001 newscast which featured the Fox News logo on the station's mic flags (skip to 7:10). I remember that period some years ago when they did have the FOX News logo on their mic flags which was interesting at the time because only O&Os had that logo on their flags... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 I remember that period some years ago when they did have the FOX News logo on their mic flags which was interesting at the time because only O&Os had that logo on their flags... was it for stations that could do a spur of the moment live shots ether for FNC or the Fox News Edge (the wire service)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bsean 138 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 A secret staffer comes off as a pompous ass and deflect the attention elsewhere, and one that posts anonymous statements saying everything nice about local station's format and question (or speak negatively) about a group's format. And also WBZ is very private to the public, most notably claiming "personnel" matters when the ND was unexpectedly got let go recently. I don't intend to profile people, but I'm really disappointed of your honesty. If people think I am nutty making statements about KTVU being liberal, ok I'll rescind the political part. TVNT isn't the forum for politics, but I will standby the liberal style format (which involves theme packages graphics, etc), the allegedly "middle" of the road reporting, but the Affluenza ridden communities shouldn't be the focus. WBZ winning in the snobby audience is not surprising given how European the graphics looked and how progressive the theme package was towards a traditional news format. Their format again was a stab to the heart of the working people who aren't "in the bubble" or has that "full name"/Do-You-Know-Who-The-Hell-I-Am? crowd. Again I'll say this for the last time, Boston is suburban DMA. Boston goes to sleep at 8:00 in most neighborhoods, is that the area you want to cover only less than a million people and the audience that doesn't watch the news like they used to? Why such the negative tone? I come on here to engage in non confrontational conversation and read others thoughts and then I come across your "liberal" rant. So not needed or wanted. If I wanted political views shoved in my face, I'd go to cable news. Don't bring that here and ruin everyone else's experience. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jero23 105 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 was it for stations that could do a spur of the moment live shots ether for FNC or the Fox News Edge (the wire service)? I believe it was for the Fox News Edge wire service. During that time I saw quite a few stories filed by KTVU that aired on other Fox affiliates during newscasts especially the O&Os. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 The west coast Newsedge producer is in love with KTVU. He or she will literally put KTVU's most mundane SFO-centric stories on the "pump" that are of no interest outside the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 While WTXF only had a primetime newscast, it was a pretty established one by the time Fox came in - 10 years old at that point. They probably would have expanded to a morning newscast a lot sooner had they not been owned by TVX/Paramount. That ownership kept things very lean. They didn't replace their 1986 set until Fox came in. But The Ten O'Clock News was really a fantastic, established newscast that started with a bang (recruiting Howard Eskin, then the main sports guy at channel 3, and NBC reporter Lee McCarthy), and only got better as time went on. It wasn't a rinky-dink operation by any means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Block 1488 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I believe it was for the Fox News Edge wire service. During that time I saw quite a few stories filed by KTVU that aired on other Fox affiliates during newscasts especially the O&Os. KTVU never left Newsedge. The use and abandonment of the Fox branding for news was likely just that — a branding decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha 2878 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 KTVU never left Newsedge. The use and abandonment of the Fox branding for news was likely just that — a branding decision. Most affiliate agreements, including those of Fox, require network affiliates to join the network's news exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 The west coast Newsedge producer is in love with KTVU. He or she will literally put KTVU's most mundane SFO-centric stories on the "pump" that are of no interest outside the market. I can't blame them. KTVU is one of my favorite Fox affiliates to watch as well...for now anyway. Let's see if Abernathy can find a way to screw up something that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I don't like KTVU's news that much. Way too bland and boring for my tastes. The anchors are like robots. They read the news with no emotion or personality whatsoever. KRON 4 is much better and Fox needs to look at a class example like KRON on the way they can improve KTVU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I don't like KTVU's news that much. Way too bland and boring for my tastes. The anchors are like robots. They read the news with no emotion or personality whatsoever. KRON 4 is much better and Fox needs to look at a class example like KRON on the way they can improve KTVU. It's obviously a personal opinion and although it's a valid one, it seems to differ from basically the rest of the Bay Area market. KRON is dead last in the ratings in SF. If anything KRON should be looking at KTVU because KTVU is still tops at 10PM as well as in the mornings. Bland and boring apparently sells in San Francisco. And that actually makes sense, KPIX, KGO, and KNTV are pretty much run the same way KTVU is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 It's obviously a personal opinion and although it's a valid one, it seems to differ from basically the rest of the Bay Area market. KRON is dead last in the ratings in SF. If anything KRON should be looking at KTVU because KTVU is still tops at 10PM as well as in the mornings. Bland and boring apparently sells in San Francisco. And that actually makes sense, KPIX, KGO, and KNTV are pretty much run the same way KTVU is. You can remove KGO from that since KGO is crap and tabloid small market journalism at its finest. I don't think it's KTVU's style so much as the people watch it do so because their parents watched it when they grew up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I can't blame them. KTVU is one of my favorite Fox affiliates to watch as well...for now anyway. Let's see if Abernathy can find a way to screw up something that works. I don't mind KTVUs news. I guess my objection is the story selection the newsedge makes. It's like pulling teeth to get stories out of the other regions, especially SW (TX, NM, LA, etc) but we'll get two packages on the Oakland Bay Bridge construction that doesn't mean a damn thing to anyone but those who use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I was watching 24:Live Another Day and WFXT cut in during a commercial break for the storms in the Boston area (yeah they had a Tornado warning to the point where they had to evacuate Fenway Park.) What got me going was the stinger they were using for the storm open. Clearly not a Fox O&O cut. I know they used Video Helper for cuts for years though. And I doubt how in the hell can WFXT get away of using mandated themes? I think its because they are "special" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
News 9 Viewer 100 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 VideoHelper is mainly a production music library. Virtually all stations and networks use pieces of production music for cues that their main news music package doesn't have an appropriate cut for. Fox 25 using pieces of production music has nothing to do with it being "special". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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