Media General merging with Meredith

[A3N 996]

What about KNSD? Could MMG buy that from NBC?

Why are you coming up with all these scenarios? There's been no indication that NBC is looking to buy or sell stations. KNSD is a nice side piece for NBC in that they don't invest too much into the station, yet get some extra cash from it.

[mardek1995 200]

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

If they do that then they'll effectively leave California. Unless you consider Media General's corporate office in LA, in which case, they'll technically stay there (assuming they still have corporate offices there after merging with Meredith).

Why are you coming up with all these scenarios? There's been no indication that NBC is looking to buy or sell stations. KNSD is a nice side piece for NBC in that they don't invest too much into the station, yet get some extra cash from it.

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

You mean in the same way WNBC, WCAU, and WVIT have synergy? In that case, if NBC is to announce the purchase of a station, they should buy KPRC from Graham or KXAN from Media General to create synergy between either station and KXAS, especially the former since its market size ranks #10, which is a decent size for a network O&O.

[Surplus Engineer 38]

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.

 

Scripps doesn't own any newspapers anymore. They spun those off as Journal Media Group back in April.

 

And they spun off the cable properties like DIY, Food Network, etc all the way back in 2008. It's a separate company entirely

 

Interestingly enough, SNI bought out Cox's share of the Travel Channel in 2009.

[TVNewsLover 730]

If they do that then they'll effectively leave California. Unless you consider Media General's corporate office in LA, in which case, they'll technically stay there (assuming they still have corporate offices there after merging with Meredith).

 

You mean in the same way WNBC, WCAU, and WVIT have synergy? In that case, if NBC is to announce the purchase of a station, they should buy KPRC from Graham or KXAN from Media General to create synergy between either station and KXAS, especially the former since its market size ranks #10, which is a decent size for a network O&O.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but WCAU and WNBC do have synergy.

 

As for NBC buying more stations, the stations you suggested have to actually be for sale first in order for NBC to buy them. I'd imagine they would unload WVIT if a buyer were to appear. Can you stop with the stupid questions already?

[mardek1995 200]

Besides the merger, Media General sings new long term affiliation deal with ABC.

http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/abc-and-media-general-announce-long-term-deal/155267

Back on the original topic, the new long term affiliation agreement with ABC won't be affected by Media General merging with Meredith since Meredith only owns one ABC affiliate (which might be sold).

[Rusty Muck 4225]

If they do that then they'll effectively leave California. Unless you consider Media General's corporate office in LA, in which case, they'll technically stay there (assuming they still have corporate offices there after merging with Meredith).

Which is just as well. KRON was destroyed by a solid decade of poor decision making under Young Broadcasting. No one in San Francisco cares about KRON anymore.

 

Because Media General has incurred so much debt after buying out the Young Broadcasting chain and merging into LIN (plus whatever debt Meredith has) if there is a chance to pay off some - or a lot - of that debt by handing in the spectrum of an also-ran standalone in the tech capital of the world... you take that chance.

[scrabbleship 427]

Which is just as well. KRON was destroyed by a solid decade of poor decision making under Young Broadcasting. No one in San Francisco cares about KRON anymore.

 

Because Media General has incurred so much debt after buying out the Young Broadcasting chain and merging into LIN (plus whatever debt Meredith has) if there is a chance to pay off some - or a lot - of that debt by handing in the spectrum of an also-ran standalone in the tech capital of the world... you take that chance.

 

Aside from KRON which stations realistically have a chance of becoming spectrum bait? The remaining Vaughan/Shield stations are the only ones that come to mind.

[SS8609 59]

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 has its own radio cluster in San Antonio -- one that does not include WOAI radio, but does include the KONO stations that spawned what is now KSAT-TV. I think Cox is most likely holding out for when Graham puts itself on the market, which means a potential reunion with KONO radio and possibly even a call name change.

 

It also wouldn't surprise me if Cox was required to take in ALL Graham stations, which means it would have to sell WFTV/Orlando and WFOX/Jacksonville (WJAX belongs to a Cox-controlled shell corp).

 

If that were the case, for WFTV either ABC or Scripps would pursue the ratings beast in the land of Walt Disney World. ABC would see Disney-esque synergies, whereas Scripps would see partnerships with WFTS/Tampa. At least with WKMG (the former WDBO-TV whose radio parents are now in Cox's hands), we don't see CBS pursuing the also-ran. If Cox goes the route Gray is going with the WSBT stations in South Bend (radio to Gray, TV sold off), TEGNA would be apt to pair with WTSP across I-4, and Sinclair could see an opportunity in a very competitive metro for presidential elections to tilt the election in the GOP's favor (WFTV to Sinclair would absolutely destroy the station).

 

As for Jacksonville, WFOX would be put up for sale no matter what. If Cox were to buy Graham (and by this extension WJXT), WFOX would become a prime opportunity for Sinclair or MMG to gain a foothold in Jacksonville. (Tribune is already, as I said, too big for its britches, otherwise they'd be in the mix, too.) Look for Cox to move CBS back to WJXT (which still has the leading newscasts in the market 13 years after dropping CBS) at all costs, even if it means pulling off a Gray or Sinclair on WJAX.

 

Which is just as well. KRON was destroyed by a solid decade of poor decision making under Young Broadcasting. No one in San Francisco cares about KRON anymore.

 

Because Media General has incurred so much debt after buying out the Young Broadcasting chain and merging into LIN (plus whatever debt Meredith has) if there is a chance to pay off some - or a lot - of that debt by handing in the spectrum of an also-ran standalone in the tech capital of the world... you take that chance.

 

KRON is a textbook example of how not vetting the suitors can bring a station tumbling down. The only saving grace KRON has at this moment is if NBC acquires the station's assets in spectrum and decides to combine its San Jose operations -- basically by combining KRON's IP with KNTV's people plus a few KRON castoffs (primarily from before the deYoungs cashed their chips in) such as Gary Radnich. And that is even more complicated than the fall of KRON itself. You also have the issue of KRON operating out of ABC's facilities and also the question of "what's in it for MMG?", plus all the $$$ NBC invested in KNTV and its sister properties.

 

And even there, MMG would not resolve its debt concerns. They also have the prospect of having to combine stations it operates in JSA/SSA deals (WAGT/Augusta, KNVA/Austin, WBDT/Dayton, etc.) not to mention blowback from shareholders and the FCC.

[AJClementeFan69 477]

Is this "KRON as spectrum bait" thing an actual solid rumor or is it offhand speculation or something people on this board came up with? Just curious...

[ToriElectra 291]

Is this "KRON as spectrum bait" thing an actual solid rumor or is it offhand speculation or something people on this board came up with? Just curious...

KRON was once a great station in the 80s and 90s, while it was owned by The San Francisco Chronicle- unfortunately, when NBC tried to buy them in the late 90s, Young Broadcasting outbid them, and when NBC decided to buy the South Bay's ABC station KNTV 11, it all went downhill. Talent fled, budgets got smaller, they affiliated with MyNetworkTV. Even Media General doesn't seem to be doing anything, outside of selling their old studios and forcing them to move in with KGO. The rating have been dismal for years and the news isn't very good. There's not much MMG could do for it- best option seems to be to put it out of its' misery.

[tyrannical bastard 3488]

A very tangible change is if the station being dumped is a full-powered UHF one, that will mean a lesser utility bill on the electricity it takes to run it.

 

I think some of the SSA stations like WYTV will be auctioned, especially if the cluster has a low-powered station to boot, like WKBN has WYFX.

[mardek1995 200]

Which is just as well. KRON was destroyed by a solid decade of poor decision making under Young Broadcasting. No one in San Francisco cares about KRON anymore.

 

Because Media General has incurred so much debt after buying out the Young Broadcasting chain and merging into LIN (plus whatever debt Meredith has) if there is a chance to pay off some - or a lot - of that debt by handing in the spectrum of an also-ran standalone in the tech capital of the world... you take that chance.

So does that mean that Young should've done what NBC requested, or better yet, let NBC win the auction instead of outbidding them?

[oklahomanewsman 210]

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

Don't forget about the San Antonio Express-News as well. Hearst owns that Newspaper too.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Frankly, I'm surprised Media General is buying Meredith, since I thought all along that Hearst was the better suitor for Meredith. Just think of how Hearst would have marketed the hell out of Better Homes & Gardens, even possibly launch a digital subchannel or cable channel to compete with Scripps' HGTV. The TV station consolidation business really is full of strange bedfellows, indeed.

 

As far as the conflicts go, here's how I think they will fall:

 

Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville: WSPA (CBS) and WYCW (CW) are the official duopoly here in the Western Carolinas, which gives them an advantage over Sinclair's fake "duopoly" of WLOS (ABC) and WMYA (MY). Also, MG master controls its CBS stations out of WSPA and there's no way in hell MG is going to sell a cornerstone of their company to get in line. WHNS (Fox) will be sold. My bets are on Raycom since they have a presence in the larger Southeast region, since Sinclair can't own any more stations, Tribune is a bit too big for its britches, and Bahakel is likely consolidation bait -- they don't even have the Fox affiliation in Charlotte anymore. Raycom also carries and produces sports broadcasts for the ACC, which is important here due to Clemson, and having a local station here would be a major coup.

 

Hartford/New Haven: WFSB (CBS) is the Hartford station in a market dominated by Hartford. WTNH (ABC) is the New Haven station in a market where New Haven is essentially the "hinterlands" of NYC. And WCTX (MY) is the wild card with a barter syndicated "network" full of reruns. WTNH and WCTX are integrated wholly, and Meredith has a Springfield station with a Fox subchannel and a CBS LP (more on that later). WFSB will be sold because of the duopoly integration down in New Haven. Hearst would be the perfect suitor, since WFSB is a market leader just like WCVB in Boston and also co-owns ESPN which is based in Bristol, and having a station in Hartford would put Hearst closer to a true Yankee Network 2.0, minus all the deceptive trade practices and advertising kickbacks.

 

Mobile/Pensacola: WALA (Fox) going to Meredith last year was a big surprise, since everyone thought WKRG (CBS) would have been the one sold off. But WFNA (CW) does not seem to have been fully integrated with WKRG yet, and apparently MMG is seeing plenty of remorse here. That being said, this is a coin flip decision, and I will say WALA gets sold again, but this time to Raycom since it would give them a full set of stations in Alabama, plus a reunion of sorts with WVUE in New Orleans with WLOX/Biloxi in the middle. If WKRG gets sold, it will likely be to Gray which already owns stations in Dothan and Panama City with links to CBS, though a Raycom purchase might also work with WKRG -- just not with as much synergy as WALA.

 

Nashville: WSMV is the dominant of the two over WKRN. WKRN has long been a red-headed stepchild in this market, even with preseason Tennessee Titans games and MNF broadcasts of the Titans. Again, Hearst would be the perfect suitor, since it co-owns ESPN which produces and airs the MNF telecasts. Sinclair is fully stacked in the market, so don't expect the Smiths to drop money in the Music City anytime soon.

 

Portland (OR): There are ten full-power signals in Portland (12 if you count the stations in La Grande which technically are actually closer geographically and topographically to Boise than Portland if you check out La Grande on Google Earth). After MG and Meredith, the rest of the lot is owned by USA Today's castaways (KGW), the Chicago Tribune's castaways (KRCW), the highly capitalist Smith family (KATU, plus KUNP out of LG), the "pay for pray" Crouches (KNMT), the remnants of Bud Paxson's empire (KPXG), and the Oregon taxpayers (OPB, including KOPB, plus KOAC way down in Corvallis and KTVR way out in LG). That's EIGHT owners. No more duopolies.

 

So it's pick and choose time here. The duopoly of KPTV (Fox)/KPDX (MY) is more familiar to the combined entity, so KOIN (CBS) will get sold again. Tribune can't do a bait-and-switch here, so once again Hearst would be the perfect suitor. It would give them a Pacific Northwest presence, plus no need to change the newscast title, just keep KOIN 6 News and call it a day, the only problem is Hearst has a small CBS presence. If not Hearst, Cox would work as well, since they already own KIRO just up I-5 in Seattle.

 

Springfield/Holyoke (MA): There are only three stations here in western Mass: WWLP (NBC), WGGB (ABC) and WGBY (PBS). MMG will keep WWLP (NBC) since that has been in the MG digestive tract for a long time. WGGB was a former Sinclair property, but I don't even see Sinclair getting that station considering how liberal western Mass is compared to the more conservative Boston suburbs (remember, SBG is known to have a conservative bent with their operations). Especially in this case, Hearst would be the perfect suitor. It means collaborating with WCVB on Massachusetts concerns, and with WMUR, WMTW and WPTZ/WNNE on all of New England. Plus, it would further expand Hearst's MNF strangehold in the short-term (given its ties to ESPN) assuming Tom Brady does not retire (and also assuming the NFL does not pull off a Pete Rose on Brady). The only sticking point? Fox. But no worries here either. If Hearst is still allergic to Rupert Murdoch, then WWLP will be glad to pick it up, CBS will quietly slide over to WGGB-DT2, and WSHM-LD will be handed over to the FCC.

 

So there you have it. The simplest plan to shake things up in the conflict zone. Hearst gets stations in the other (albeit much bigger) Portland, Hartford and western Massachusetts, plus a further Southern expansion in Nashville, and Raycom gets to fill the map in Alabama and South Carolina.

 

Capeesh?

I think Hearst buys WWLP, WKRN and WTNH/WCTX

 

I think Cox buys KOIN and WALA

 

I agree with Raycom buying WHNS.

 

No way you break up Western Mass News

[channel2 874]

So does that mean that Young should've done what NBC requested, or better yet, let NBC win the auction instead of outbidding them?

 

Nobody should have tried to take on NBC. Young was just stupid enough to think they could win. Gannett was one of the bidders too, but I'm sure NBC would have begun to antagonize them too.

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Nobody should have tried to take on NBC. Young was just stupid enough to think they could win. Gannett was one of the bidders too, but I'm sure NBC would have begun to antagonize them too.

And look at what happened in Jacksonville when Post-Newsweek Stations (a.k.a Graham media Group) tried to take on CBS with WJXT how did that end? We all know how that one ended. Never try to take on any major network and think that you're going to win because it will not end well.

[detroiter313 178]

And look at what happened in Jacksonville when Post-Newsweek Stations (a.k.a Graham media Group) tried to take on CBS with WJXT how did that end? We all know how that one ended. Never try to take on any major network and think that you're going to win because it will not end well.

 

Don't forget LIN Media and WISH-TV, that, well, you get the idea.

[elfuego35 89]

And look at what happened in Jacksonville when Post-Newsweek Stations (a.k.a Graham media Group) tried to take on CBS with WJXT how did that end? We all know how that one ended. Never try to take on any major network and think that you're going to win because it will not end well.

 

Yea, but I'd call WJXT the winner in Jacksonville. CBS was forced to move to a station that is a junior partner in a grandfathered LMA, which has seen multiple ownership changes, while WJXT, even without a network affiliation, still is the #1 station in the market, and WJZY is struggling to gain traction in the Charlotte Market after taking the affilation away from WCCB. Showing that sometimes it is worth going against the network

[TexasTVNews 1367]

One Question: What are the odds of WJXT affiliating with ABC if Tegna drops WJXX as an ABC affiliate?

[oklahomanewsman 210]

One Question: What are the odds of WJXT affiliating with ABC if Tegna drops WJXX as an ABC affiliate?

My next question is if they do would WTLV just outright takeover the First Coast News operation and produce Newscasts for WJXX?

 

To answer your question I'm not sure if TEGNA is willing to give up the ABC Affiliation in Jacksonville to WJXT

[oklahomanewsman 210]

Yea, but I'd call WJXT the winner in Jacksonville. CBS was forced to move to a station that is a junior partner in a grandfathered LMA, which has seen multiple ownership changes, while WJXT, even without a network affiliation, still is the #1 station in the market, and WJZY is struggling to gain traction in the Charlotte Market after taking the affilation away from WCCB. Showing that sometimes it is worth going against the network

How's WCCB doing in the ratings after losing Fox to WJZY?

[scrabbleship 427]

Don't forget LIN Media and WISH-TV, that, well, you get the idea.

 

LIN was totally backstabbed by CBS as Tribune made a deal for the affiliation without LIN getting a chance to give a counter offer. That whole boondoggle is on CBS themselves as unlike similar cases they and CBS got along.

 

WJXT was a pawn in a mutual grudge between Alan Frank and Mel Karmazin that got nasty when Katherine Graham died as she was the peacemaker between P-N and CBS. Remember how WJXT's final affiliation deals were one-year affairs? Or how some rumors went around that WKMG would bail in 2004 when their long term affiliaton was up? That debacle was a product of its time.

 

One Question: What are the odds of WJXT affiliating with ABC if Tegna drops WJXX as an ABC affiliate?

 

I think that if a future owner gives ABC an offer they can't refuse, they'd move in a heartbeat. Just not Graham given size and given the circumstances ego.

[Breaking News 805]

One Question: What are the odds of WJXT affiliating with ABC if Tegna drops WJXX as an ABC affiliate?

 

I have the perfect scenario for you on that, because ABC would fit perfect like a glove on WJXT.

 

ABC moves to WJXT they start their morning news from 4-7am and continuing their morning news, and The Morning Show at 9-11am on WJXT. 12Noon News an hour long; the evening news continues from 5-7pm, ABC NEWS at 7pm and 10pm news on 4.2 and 11pm news on Channel 4.

 

NBC still on 12 WTLV and some branding changes for 12; 12 First Coast News or 12 News.. Continue their usual schedule of news, Mornings News 4:30-7am pick-up the 7-8am hour on 25, 12Noon, 5-6:30pm, 11pm. Now as for WJXX 25 (of course this is all speculation) 25 no longer ABC but picks up MyNetworkTV and also creates a 10pm on MyTV 25 a 30 minute newscast 10pm news.

 

FOX 30 & CBS 47 still the same nothing to change about them. So that my wishful scenario for the Jacksonville market.

[mardek1995 200]

I have the perfect scenario for you on that, because ABC would fit perfect like a glove on WJXT.

 

ABC moves to WJXT they start their morning news from 4-7am and continuing their morning news, and The Morning Show at 9-11am on WJXT. 12Noon News an hour long; the evening news continues from 5-7pm, ABC NEWS at 7pm and 10pm news on 4.2 and 11pm news on Channel 4.

 

NBC still on 12 WTLV and some branding changes for 12; 12 First Coast News or 12 News.. Continue their usual schedule of news, Mornings News 4:30-7am pick-up the 7-8am hour on 25, 12Noon, 5-6:30pm, 11pm. Now as for WJXX 25 (of course this is all speculation) 25 no longer ABC but picks up MyNetworkTV and also creates a 10pm on MyTV 25 a 30 minute newscast 10pm news.

 

FOX 30 & CBS 47 still the same nothing to change about them. So that my wishful scenario for the Jacksonville market.

Couldn't First Coast News change its branding back into "TLV 12 News" if that happened?

[AJClementeFan69 477]

KRON was once a great station in the 80s and 90s, while it was owned by The San Francisco Chronicle- unfortunately, when NBC tried to buy them in the late 90s, Young Broadcasting outbid them, and when NBC decided to buy the South Bay's ABC station KNTV 11, it all went downhill. Talent fled, budgets got smaller, they affiliated with MyNetworkTV. Even Media General doesn't seem to be doing anything, outside of selling their old studios and forcing them to move in with KGO. The rating have been dismal for years and the news isn't very good. There's not much MMG could do for it- best option seems to be to put it out of its' misery.

 

That doesn't really answer the question though...I think everyone knows the history of KRON is sad etc. etc. but is the spectrum bait idle speculation from this board or is it a real thing discussed among those in the know?