The Frog 395 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 CBS chief Les Moonves bows to no one in his love for broadcast TV. But after seeing the high prices the FCC has commanded in its current wireless spectrum auction, even he is willing to consider offering TV station airwaves for a share in the return. “We’re not saying it’s an absolute ‘no’ when you see those numbers,” he told investors today at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in NYC. “It looks attractive to a CW duopoly” and independent stations that CBS owns. “We can have our cake and eat it too, and make a lot of money.” https://deadline.com/2014/12/cbs-les-moonves-spectrum-all-access-stephen-colbert-1201317470/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3N 996 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Should CBS decide to get involved, I'm guessing KSTW and WUPA are on the top list of stations to be dumped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTVNews 1367 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 What are the odds if CBS keeps KSTW and WUPA, acquire KIRO from COX, and WGCL from Meredith? Just asking, because I know its not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4225 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Should CBS decide to get involved, I'm guessing KSTW and WUPA are on the top list of stations to be dumped? Don't forget WTOG and WLNY. WTOG especially sticks out like a sore thumb since CBS traded their Tampa radio cluster to Beasley. WLNY really is only useful as an additional "must-carry" in the NYC cable market. And... that's about it. What are the odds if CBS keeps KSTW and WUPA, acquire KIRO from COX, and WGCL from Meredith? Just asking, because I know its not going to happen. Far more likely that CBS will sell the intellectual properties of KSTW and WUPA to Cox and Meredith, respectively, and then hand in the licenses. I don't think this is by accident, what with CBS trying out subscription streaming for their O&Os. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3N 996 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 What are the odds if CBS keeps KSTW and WUPA, acquire KIRO from COX, and WGCL from Meredith? Just asking, because I know its not going to happen. What interest does CBS have in expanding in those markets? Moonves has made it pretty clear in that article that he is willing to shrink his tv portfolio if the money is right. Aside from a few CBS affiliates in AFC markets, CBS is not interested in expanding its O&O's and even with the NFL, their interest in acquiring more stations is minimal- at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frog 395 Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 Fox is looking to do the same. Murdoch, who spoke earlier at the conference, also said selling some spectrum from the 28 stations owned by Fox Broadcasting Co. could happen at some point. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-les-moonves-cbs-selling-stations-20141210-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frog 395 Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 Tribune as well. Liguori says he’s open to the possibility of letting the FCC auction off some of his stations’ airwave spectrum to wireless broadband providers– a process expected to take place in 2016. https://deadline.com/2014/12/tribune-media-peter-liguori-investors-wgn-original-shows-1201320406/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrabbleship 427 Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Tribune as well. https://deadline.com/2014/12/tribune-media-peter-liguori-investors-wgn-original-shows-1201320406/ I would say RIP to WCCT, KXNW, KZJO, and perhaps KAUT except that selling them would cause subchannel chaos in those markets. What other stations could be effected? Dogs like WDCW and WSFL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvcg66b3r 97 Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 What about Sinclair? Some of the spun-off stations I mentioned over on Speculatron could fetch millions in the auction. http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/13921-stations-at-risk-of-shutdown/page-2&do=findComment&comment=124950 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4225 Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 What about Sinclair? Some of the spun-off stations I mentioned over on Speculatron could fetch millions in the auction. http://forums.tvnewstalk.net/index.php?/topic/13921-stations-at-risk-of-shutdown/page-2&do=findComment&comment=124950 I thought of S!nclair, too. Add Nexstar as well. Of course, their duopoly shell owners will also be able to net some nice $$$ once the JSA rules officially kick in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundershock MN 169 Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I hate to rain on everybody's parade here. But, what did you expect them to say? These guys are all heads of public companies. They have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. They can't really come flat out and say "nope never going to happen." They'd have shareholders on their rear big time. They gave non-committal answers because they pretty much have to. They might participate under the right conditions or they might not. It's much ado about nothing. I really expect the "spectrum speculators", public stations and mom & pop stations to comprise the majority of participating stations. I don't expect the "major broadcasters" to join the fray in the same vein. They could throw their hat in the ring here and there. But, I also suspect they'd be the first to drop out unless there is really low participation in that area. And, let's not forget that broadcasters have other options besides simply going off the air. They could "channel share" or move to VHF for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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