Media General merging with Meredith

[tyrannical bastard 3471]

There is no way that new company is letting go of a cash cow like WFSB. Mark my words, Sinclair will purchase WTNH and WWLP. Sinclair likes being in state capitals and with their new national Sunday show launching this fall, they would love to be in Connecticut. Because even though it is shrinking as a market, it still is home to a lot of movers and shakers.

 

Also I'm not sure why a previous poster was surprised Media General kept the duopoly in Providence - a successful duopoly with Big 4 affiliates almost always takes in more cash than even one strong station like WJAR.

 

WFSB and WSHM are tied at the hip. WWLP is the dominant station in Springfield AND a major LIN hub that Media General acquired. If anything is going to be sold, it's WGGB....and Sinclair may want them back.

 

Since WSHM is low-powered, it has no effect on duopoly regulations.

[TennTV1983 743]

The problem with Nashville is that the major stations (WSMV and WTVF) are using VHF for DTV, while WKRN has UHF. Could a facility swap be in the works?

That used to be the case for WTVF until three years ago when they moved their main signal back to UHF and converted their VHF signal into a translator. Although WSMV's signal is on the higher end of the VHF spectrum compared to WTVF's former one, I really don't see a transmitter facility swap happening.

Now if Sinclair wanted to take a bigger piece of the market, they could dump WZTV, move FOX to WUXP, abandon WNAB and trade up to WKRN in the process.

The interesting position they put themselves in is that they DOMINATE the ability to counter-program the other 3 stations.....which makes them the only game in town to have extended AM shows and a 9pm news.

Going after WKRN could jeopardize that and if WTVF or WSMV acquires a second station in the process, they would certainly attempt to compete with "WZTV".

Keep in mind that WNAB is not directly owned by Sinclair as they only handle the sales and operations of that station (although there was a time when they were trying to acquire it outright under a "Failing Station Waiver"). I really don't think they're going to make a play for WKRN as that would put them in a very tough legal situation even if they were to shift WUXP's programming onto a subchannel of WZTV in the process.

[AJClementeFan69 477]

WFSB and WSHM are tied at the hip. WWLP is the dominant station in Springfield AND a major LIN hub that Media General acquired. If anything is going to be sold, it's WGGB....and Sinclair may want them back.

 

Since WSHM is low-powered, it has no effect on duopoly regulations.

 

What happens to Western Mass News if WSHM gets split with WGGB? I'd imagine the news op would have to go with WGGB in that event...otherwise you're asking a potential buyer to buy a newsless station. They'd either have to start a new separate news operation or run it as a newsless station -- either one probably eats away a chunk of the station's sale value...

 

Separating the WSHM/WGGB combo seems like it would be messy any way you slice it. My guess is they're either sold together or kept together.

[scrabbleship 427]

What happens to Western Mass News if WSHM gets split with WGGB? I'd imagine the news op would have to go with WGGB in that event...otherwise you're asking a potential buyer to buy a newsless station. They'd either have to start a new separate news operation or run it as a newsless station -- either one probably eats away a chunk of the station's sale value...

 

Separating the WSHM/WGGB combo seems like it would be messy any way you slice it. My guess is they're either sold together or kept together.

 

WSHM wouldn't be that big of a breakup, only 5 hours a week of Western Mass News are exclusive to them. It's quite fluid of an asset actually and their big plus is the 10ish Patriots games they have. Pairing with WWLP would not be that difficult and they could always move WSHM's programming to the slightly more powerful WFXQ-CD.

 

One odd feeling I have is that MMG will find some way to swap the .2's with Fox going to WWLP and CW to WGGB. It would make a hypothetical sale of WTNH and WGGB to Hearst easier given that company's total aversion to Fox though.

[elfuego35 89]

I'm pretty sure atlnews2 is right that there aren't enough stations for another proper duopoly in Portland.

 

1. Media General currently owns KOIN;

2. Meredith currently owns KPTV/KPDX;

3. Sinclair owns KATU/KUNP;

4. Tegna's in the process of buying KGW outright from Sander;

5. Tribune owns KRCW;

6. ION Media owns KPXG;

7. TBN owns KNMT;

8. Oregon Public Broadcasting owns its network of PBS stations.

 

That's all the full power stations I could find in the Portland market and it's right at the minimum eight separate owners. There could always be some obscure full power tucked away somewhere in the outskirts, though.

 

Tribune doesn't necessarily have to keep KRCW to stay under the cap. Since they already count Portland as a market they are in, they can buy either KOIN or KPTV/KPDX, and sell KRCW without much consequence, and I would imagine there is more value in KOIN or KPTV/KPDX then in KRCW. In this case, I feel KRCW is Sinclair bait to pillage for either KATU-DT2 or KUNP-DT2

 

Besides, Tribune has a Dreamcatcher they can use if they want to keep KRCW.

[tyrannical bastard 3471]

When it's all said and done, both companies have had established hubs in place. Meredith's and the LIN MCs are based on geography, where Media General's legacy operations (pre-Young) are largely by affiliation. Im not sure if the Young stations were ever hubbed....

 

The strange thing about WALA was that it was built as a spoke for Emmis, got their own MC under LIN, became a LIN hub several years later, Meredith dissolved the hub, and recently moved WALAs MC to THEIR Atlanta hub... If they get spun off, hopefully they will be able to re-activate their own MC....

 

Graphics wise, it's been kept along the divisions of the acquired companies. Since there are a lot of CBS and NBC affiliates, management may keep up the pace of upgrading the graphics to quasi "O&Os" it would look better than some of the packages introduced over the past several years.....

[mrschimpf 2063]

When it's all said and done, both companies have had established hubs in place. Meredith's and the LIN MCs are based on geography, where Media General's legacy operations (pre-Young) are largely by affiliation. Im not sure if the Young stations were ever hubbed....

 

If I remember correctly, Young was hubbed to Lansing, Richmond and Nashville, with a few stations here and there (KRON specifically) self-operating.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

After Drewry buys I'm sure Raycom would want to jump in this ship. If not who to say Nexstar would snatch up WALA, WHNS etc. I always wonder why Meredith didn't have an operation in Des Moines, but I feel WHO, WNEP should of been apart of Gray.

 

I do think KFOR/KAUT should totally go to TEGNA, but also do a swap with KOCO going to Scripps with WTVF going to Hearst. [scripps has this massive hard on for ABC]

 

Alabama, S.Carolina & Tennessee are totally in the fold for Raycom & CBS seems to have a great relationship with Tribune and totally can see KOIN with Tribune.

Yeah I was very surprised that Meredith didn't buy WHO-TV when Local TV put their stations (including KFOR/KAUT). I think I could see KOCO going to Scripps but I can't see WTVF being swapped to Hearst I see WKRN being swapped to Hearst because like Scripps Hearst also have a big hand on ABC so trading one of the ABC stations to the other big ABC affiliated station group (KOCO to Scripps) and sending WKRN to another big ABC affiliated station group (in Hearst) the only reason why I can't see Raycom being involved in this is because they're tied up with trying to buy the Drewry stations but if they could I might see Raycom buy WALA and WHNS but I think with Tribune being one of the big Fox affiliated station groups I think buying WHNS, WALA and KOIN plus the Dreamcatcher stations that they operate is why I see some of their stations (including KFOR and KAUT) being sold to another group. I also could see the New Orleans duopoly of WGNO and WNOL being traded as well but I'm not sure if any station group would be interested in it (I'm sure Scripps would be though because Hearst, TEGNA are both ruled out due to their ownership of WDSU WWL and WUPL respectively). Cox Media Group might be an interesting group for WGNO/WNOL due to them operating Cox Sports Television in New Orleans.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Tribune doesn't necessarily have to keep KRCW to stay under the cap. Since they already count Portland as a market they are in, they can buy either KOIN or KPTV/KPDX, and sell KRCW without much consequence, and I would imagine there is more value in KOIN or KPTV/KPDX then in KRCW. In this case, I feel KRCW is Sinclair bait to pillage for either KATU-DT2 or KUNP-DT2

 

Besides, Tribune has a Dreamcatcher they can use if they want to keep KRCW.

And that's where Tribune has some options because in the event KOIN can't be sold to Tribune outright they have Dreamcatcher they could spin off to. I highly doubt it because I'm sure Tribune would like to buy the stations Dreamcatcher has now (WNEP in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania and the Norfolk, Virginia duopoly of WTKR and WGNT) so as a consequence Tribune will have to sell some of the stations that they got in their portfolio.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

I've seen several posts say that Tribune can form a duopoly with KRCW, are there enought stations in Portland to have another duopoly ?

 

Also does anyone think that Tribune will sell off CW standalone stations (KDAF, KIAH, WDCW, WSFL, KRCW) in order to get below the cap and make a move at more stations? KRCW, WDCW, KIAH, and KDAF could all easily be sold to Tegna .

 

 

 

(Side note I always hear comments about the Speculatron, what is this? I don't see it listed anywhere on the site. I'm new, sorry)

I'm not so sure about KDAF and KIAH being sold because that's where Tribune's NewsFix programs originates from so no way Tribune gives up KDAF or KIAH I don't think they'll give up KRCW either because should they buy KOIN it would form a duopoly with KRCW. I think they sell WHO-TV to MMG giving MMG another flagship station (as their corporate headquarters will be based in Des Moines) KFOR/KAUT to either Scripps or TEGNA WDCW to TEGNA and WSFL goes to Warren Buffet's Station group and forms a duopoly with WPLG. This will allow Tribune to buy KOIN and the Dreamcatcher stations. As part of it Tribune wouldn't be able to buy either WALA or WHNS as they would most likely go to Cox Media Group under this particular scenario.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

If KOIN is sold off, who might have a play for it?

I was thinking that Tribune would buy KOIN but because they're over the 39% cap plus FCC would slam Tribune if they use Dreamcatcher as a sidecard. So I think they either end up with Hearst or Scripps.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

ABC should definitely buy KOIN, make it an O&O, brand as "Eyewitness News," and build a new set from Jack Morton immediately, because.

Why in the world are we having a discussion about ABC buying stations? ABC DOES NOT BUY STATIONS PERIOD!!! Case Closed!!!

[C Block 1488]

Why in the world are we having a discussion about ABC buying stations? ABC DOES NOT BUY STATIONS PERIOD!!! Case Closed!!!

 

I already said in plain English a few posts after it for those who didn't get it that I was obviously joking.

 

It was a joke...

[atlnews2 557]

Why are people saying that Tribune will sell WHO-TV? Tribune isn't going to give up a station in political ad heavy Iowa, it is too valuable to give up.

[tyrannical bastard 3471]

Aside from a few cosmetic changes (like the redo of WKBN or new graphics at WATE)....has there really been ANY sweeping change in the overall look and feel of Media General's properties since LIN was absorbed? Really the only major change was changing most websites to the old LIN platform....

 

I have to wonder if MMG will once AGAIN go back to WorldNow, especially since Meredith uses them....for now...

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Why are people saying that Tribune will sell WHO-TV? Tribune isn't going to give up a station in political ad heavy Iowa, it is too valuable to give up.

They'll have to give up something in order to acquire something In my opinion they want to get into the Des Moines for that reason and one of their headquarters when the merger gets completed will be in Des Moines.

[NEOMatrix 1295]

I just thought of something. In Las Vegas, it will mean that every Big 4 station has changed hands in the last two years.

[LTSC1980 96]

I just thought of something. In Las Vegas, it will mean that every Big 4 station has changed hands in the last two years.

 

KLAS: Landmark→Nexstar

KTNV: Journal→Scripps

KSNV: IWCC→SBG

KVVU: Meredith→MMG

[TheRolyPoly 1847]

KLAS: Lookwood→Nexstar

KTNV: Journal→Scripps

KSNV: IWCC→SBG

KVVU: Meredith→MMG

 

*KLAS: Landmark → Nexstar

[CircleSeven 1944]

KLAS: Lookwood→Nexstar

KTNV: Journal→Scripps

KSNV: IWCC→SBG

KVVU: Meredith→MMG

 

Did you mean Landmark?

[T.L. Hughes 752]

FTR, the comment I made in my earlier post about WSPA and WYCW being operated under an LMA, it slipped my mind that WLOS and WMYA were the LMA pair in Greenville. Strike that.

 

I was thinking that Tribune would buy KOIN but because they're over the 39% cap plus FCC would slam Tribune if they use Dreamcatcher as a sidecard. So I think they either end up with Hearst or Scripps.

 

I'm not so sure it works that way. The FCC ownership caps are based on national market coverage by a single station owner. Although KOIN has a large translator network, as the other Portland stations (including KRCW) do to varying degrees, you would think the way it is structured that a KOIN/KRCW duopoly would be legal in any event, unless the translators add enough coverage to the cap to where it would prevent Tribune from buying KOIN. However, even though KOIN has a few more translators than KRCW does, I doubt buying the former along with the translators it does own would add more than .1% to Tribune's national market coverage.

 

They'll have to give up something in order to acquire something In my opinion they want to get into the Des Moines for that reason and one of their headquarters when the merger gets completed will be in Des Moines.

As far as Tribune selling any stations to obtain others, I doubt that will happen.

 

BTW, since Meredith Media General will have two headquarters, how will that shake out? Will each facility split operational responsibilities for the combined company's individual units (i.e., the Des Moines office running the publishing unit and the Richmond office handling the operations of the broadcasting and digital media unit)?

[tvmidwest 1]

I thought I had read that HQ for magazines/print will be in Des Moines and the TV HQ will be Richmond.

 

I'm also not sure why everyone thinks Meredith Media General will try and get WHO from Tribune. Meredith has had their HQ in Des Moines for longer than WHO has been around and the station has been for sale in the past and Meredith never purchased it. Even if Tribune needs to get rid of something to gain something, I'm not convinced it will be WHO.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

FTR, the comment I made in my earlier post about WSPA and WYCW being operated under an LMA, it slipped my mind that WLOS and WMYA were the LMA pair in Greenville. Strike that.

 

 

 

I'm not so sure it works that way. The FCC ownership caps are based on national market coverage by a single station owner. Although KOIN has a large translator network, as the other Portland stations (including KRCW) do to varying degrees, you would think the way it is structured that a KOIN/KRCW duopoly would be legal in any event, unless the translators add enough coverage to the cap to where it would prevent Tribune from buying KOIN. However, even though KOIN has a few more translators than KRCW does, I doubt buying the former along with the translators it does own would add more than .1% to Tribune's national market coverage.

 

 

As far as Tribune selling any stations to obtain others, I doubt that will happen.

 

BTW, since Meredith Media General will have two headquarters, how will that shake out? Will each facility split operational responsibilities for the combined company's individual units (i.e., the Des Moines office running the publishing unit and the Richmond office handling the operations of the broadcasting and digital media unit)?

I think it could go either way if Meredith Media General wants to be in Des Moines they could go after KCCI and just swap one of the station in one of the 6 conflicted markets to Hearst if they wanted to but if they got their eye on WHO-TV so be it. As far as the 2 headquarters are concerned it could go either way. We'll just have to wait and see how Tribune is able to buy KOIN but that 39% cap limit is making me unsure about whether Tribune should buy KOIN. On that part again, it could go either way.

[bixpchiphead 105]

As tvMidwest pointed out Meredith up to this point has not shown interest in owning a station in their hometown. Going through history the closest to Des Moines that Meredith had stations were Omaha (WOW radio and TV) and Kansas City (KCMO radio and TV, Nee KCTV).

 

In the past twenty years or so, Des Moines big 3 affiliates have all changed owners at least once. To my knowledge, Meredith has not entered the bidding for any of them at any time. The question is why is that?

[oklahomanewsman 210]

As tvMidwest pointed out Meredith up to this point has not shown interest in owning a station in their hometown. Going through history the closest to Des Moines that Meredith had stations were Omaha (WOW radio and TV) and Kansas City (KCMO radio and TV, Nee KCTV).

 

In the past twenty years or so, Des Moines big 3 affiliates have all changed owners at least once. To my knowledge, Meredith has not entered the bidding for any of them at any time. The question is why is that?

My thoughts exactly.