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Media General merging with Meredith


TheRob

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Gannett/TEGNA is also one of the more honest companies because it's willing to dispose of assets to meet its ambitions (such as selling off KMOV to Meredith in favor of keeping KSDK), and isn't interested in loopholes either.

That one's a bit of a subversion, since when it was still part of Gannett, what is now TEGNA originally attempted to acquire KMOV, KTVK and KASW as part of the Belo deal, although they intended to operate the existing Gannett properties and the acquired Belo properties in St. Louis and Phoenix separately from one another.

 

It was only until the FCC asked Gannett/TEGNA to restructure the deal did they find buyers for KMOV (Meredith, due to issues the FCC had with Gannett possibly having undue control of advertising share in St. Louis with the pairing of KSDK and KMOV), KTVK (also to Meredith) and KASW (originally to have gone to SagamoreHill and operated by Meredith, before the latter restructured that deal by selling KASW to Nexstar and acquiring KTVK outright). All three were originally going to go to Sander Media, but Sander mainly wound up with just the properties they couldn't buy because of conflicts with their newspaper properties in the end because of the sales to Meredith (the Sander deal in Phoenix was the only way Gannett could have gotten KTVK and KASW without having to sell the Arizona Republic).

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With all these mergers and acquisitions taking place, I think it's time for Graham Media Group to sell its stations possibly to MG. (except maybe sell KPRC/WDIV to NBC)

 

They have not acquired any television stations in a very long time, nor does it seem that they are interesting in growing.

 

Maybe they are next to be acquired...

With all these mergers and acquisitions taking place, I think it's time for Graham Media Group to sell its stations possibly to MG. (except maybe sell KPRC/WDIV to NBC)

 

They have not acquired any television stations in a very long time, nor does it seem that they are interesting in growing.

 

Maybe they are next to be acquired...

 

The Meredith deal might not even pass muster with stockholders...if it does...it will be the last major buy for (M)MG.

 

Who knows if they can afford this upcoming buy let alone another one.

 

The artist formerly known as Post-Newsweek would make a lot of sense for MG (zero overlap) but I just don't see it happening.

The artist formerly known as Post-Newsweek would make a lot of sense for MG (zero overlap) but I just don't see it happening.

 

Graham Media (the former Post-Newsweek) almost went to seven stations back in 2008 when it tried to acquire WTVJ from NBC. Had this acquisition been approved, we would've seen a South Florida version of Gannett/Tegna's WJXX/WTLV, but due to lack of FCC approval, along with concerns from the people against media consolidation and the economic conditions around that time, the deal was called off, PNS sold WPLG to Berkshire Hathaway back in March 2014.

Graham Media (the former Post-Newsweek) almost went to seven stations back in 2008 when it tried to acquire WTVJ from NBC. Had this acquisition been approved, we would've seen a South Florida version of Gannett/Tegna's WJXX/WTLV, but due to lack of FCC approval, along with concerns from the people against media consolidation and the economic conditions around that time, the deal was called off, PNS sold WPLG to Berkshire Hathaway back in March 2014.

 

It didn't help that P-N tried to thrown in WLTV and WSCV into the equation to make WTVJ look like some three-bit independent rated in sixth place in the market because of the 'big mean Spanish stations', despite the fact WLTV is just plain dominant no matter how you look at it and WSCV is a sister station to WTVJ that would have to do anything to make their English-speaking sister look good. P-N's cockiness in that deal (along with them willing to throw out WTVJ's perfectly fine HD-ready studio as they were building their new one) killed it from day one, community reaction and FCC lack of action notwithstanding.

With all these mergers and acquisitions taking place, I think it's time for Graham Media Group to sell its stations possibly to MG. (except maybe sell KPRC/WDIV to NBC)

 

They have not acquired any television stations in a very long time, nor does it seem that they are interesting in growing.

 

Maybe they are next to be acquired...

 

Cox would be the more appropriate suitor for Graham as opposed to MG/MMG. Graham has stations it owns or operates everywhere Cox has radio except Detroit. All they need to do is sort out their Florida stations due to Cox owning WFTV in Orlando, WFOX/WJAX in Jacksonville, and WPLG in Miami being Warren Buffett's property. Outside of Florida, Cox would reunite KONO radio in San Antonio with KSAT-TV (the former KONO-TV), merge its Houston radio powerhouses with KPRC-TV whom it already partners with for hurricane emergencies, and return to Detroit via WDIV 22 years after selling WKBD.

Cox would be the more appropriate suitor for Graham as opposed to MG/MMG. Graham has stations it owns or operates everywhere Cox has radio except Detroit. All they need to do is sort out their Florida stations due to Cox owning WFTV in Orlando, WFOX/WJAX in Jacksonville, and WPLG in Miami being Warren Buffett's property. Outside of Florida, Cox would reunite KONO radio in San Antonio with KSAT-TV (the former KONO-TV), merge its Houston radio powerhouses with KPRC-TV whom it already partners with for hurricane emergencies, and return to Detroit via WDIV 22 years after selling WKBD.

 

Graham/Cox is a deal about 15 years overdue for reasons already mentioned though I wonder one thing. If radio overlap mattered why didn't WOAI appear on their radar when Newport was dismantled.

 

Finding someone to take WKMG wouldn't be difficult - Tegna, Scripps, Sinclair, and (M)MG all have operations nearby and would love another major market. Jacksonville would be problematic for a variety of reasons given the current makeup of the market and sharing arrangements.

Cox would be the more appropriate suitor for Graham as opposed to MG/MMG. Graham has stations it owns or operates everywhere Cox has radio except Detroit. All they need to do is sort out their Florida stations due to Cox owning WFTV in Orlando, WFOX/WJAX in Jacksonville, and WPLG in Miami being Warren Buffett's property. Outside of Florida, Cox would reunite KONO radio in San Antonio with KSAT-TV (the former KONO-TV), merge its Houston radio powerhouses with KPRC-TV whom it already partners with for hurricane emergencies, and return to Detroit via WDIV 22 years after selling WKBD.

 

 

I think Hearst would be perfect match for Graham Stations WDIV under Hearst would probably be the best thing. Could you see WDIV News or WDIV 4 News or just go back to NEWS 4? Hearst has operations in Florida so in Yeah poor WKMG no bueno, but a swap would have to happened for WKMG. KPRC, KSAT, WJAX has Hearst written all over the operation. Even though "WPLG" no longer a Graham station but, there getting a cut somewhere. I could see WPLG under Hearst and WPBF & WKMG under G/TENGA.

 

I always felt Cox should buy Scripps. Scripps would have the publishing side of newspapers and Scripps Interactive would have the cable outlets such as DIY, Food Network, Cooking Channel, etc.

Cox Media with their websites, tv/radio... Can you see it Cox & Scripps Media Inc.

I think Hearst would be perfect match for Graham Stations WDIV under Hearst would probably be the best thing. Could you see WDIV News or WDIV 4 News or just go back to NEWS 4? Hearst has operations in Florida so in Yeah poor WKMG no bueno, but a swap would have to happened for WKMG. KPRC, KSAT, WJAX has Hearst written all over the operation. Even though "WPLG" no longer a Graham station but, there getting a cut somewhere. I could see WPLG under Hearst and WPBF & WKMG under G/TENGA.
That's exactly what I was thinking! Except for WPLG because it's already owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Also, I disagree with cbs4dallas about NBC buying KPRC and WDIV, because I just don't see NBC buying another station. Besides, why would NBC want more stations if they sold some of their stations to Media General back in 2006?
That was my point exactly, as a matter of fact Graham Media Group should have sold WDIV & KPRC to NBC in the first place.

Or to Berkshire Hathaway, Hearst, or, if neither of them, MMG. Besides why would NBC want WDIV or KPRC let alone any more stations?

That's exactly what I was thinking! Except for WPLG because it's already owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Also, I disagree with cbs4dallas about NBC buying KPRC and WDIV, because I just don't see NBC buying another station. Besides, why would NBC want more stations if they sold some of their stations to Media General back in 2006?

 

Market size! WNCN, WCMH, WVTM, and WJAR were not in very large, network-attractive markets! (in the 2005-06 season, I believe WNCN's market was the only one that was even in the top 30) Also, I believe that they were attempting to maximize profits/cut costs for their then-GE overlords, and flogging a bunch of TV stations made for an easy payday (it helped that MG greatly overpaid for them).

 

I'm not sure NBC would be interested in buying KPRC or WDIV, or if Graham would be interested in selling those stations to them.

I think Hearst would be perfect match for Graham Stations WDIV under Hearst would probably be the best thing. Could you see WDIV News or WDIV 4 News or just go back to NEWS 4? Hearst has operations in Florida so in Yeah poor WKMG no bueno, but a swap would have to happened for WKMG. KPRC, KSAT, WJAX has Hearst written all over the operation. Even though "WPLG" no longer a Graham station but, there getting a cut somewhere. I could see WPLG under Hearst and WPBF & WKMG under G/TENGA.

 

Wouldn't the Houston Chronicle be a potential issue here?

 

I always felt Cox should buy Scripps. Scripps would have the publishing side of newspapers and Scripps Interactive would have the cable outlets such as DIY, Food Network, Cooking Channel, etc.

Cox Media with their websites, tv/radio... Can you see it Cox & Scripps Media Inc.

 

This would actually make a lot of sense especially if there is a massive power struggle among the Coxes in the coming years once Anne Cox Chambers dies. Outside of the mess that Tulsa would be it would be a very clean deal

That's exactly what I was thinking! Except for WPLG because it's already owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Also, I disagree with cbs4dallas about NBC buying KPRC and WDIV, because I just don't see NBC buying another station. Besides, why would NBC want more stations if they sold some of their stations to Media General back in 2006?

 

The Outlet Four were all in small markets. Yes, NBC tried to unload WTVJ to P-N, but that sale died after the Great Recession hit. But they did buy out LIN's minority stakes in KXAS and KNSD at that same time.

 

But back on topic... NBC is in the Great Comcast Industrial Complex. Even if they wanted to buy any other stations like KPRC or WDIV, the feds and activists would be haggling over it endlessly.

what will this mean for KRON?

That station is still spectrum cash-in bait and everyone knows it.

Bingo. Methinks that MMG is hedging on that spectrum sale to pay off quite a bit of their outstanding debt from all these M&As.

 

Besides, the resulting intellectual property of KRON (which isn't that much, they are a decaying husk of their former selves) can be spun off to any other station group with relatively little issues.

There is absolutely no chance that NBC is selling off KXAS. It's in market #5.

 

Also, KRON is a dead horse at this point. Young destroyed that station and there is no discernible hope for its future.

Also, KRON is a dead horse at this point. Young destroyed that station and there is no discernible hope for its future.

MG will make off like a bandit when they turn in KRON's license in the FCC spectrum auction.

 

What about KNSD? Could MMG buy that from NBC?

Why? NBC is finally investing in the station, plus there is synergy between KNSD and KNBC.

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