TheOneManHerd 553 Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 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? I'm sure those in the know are discussing stations we can't even imagine as spectrum bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardek1995 200 Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 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.How? By selling it to ABC? I don't think they'll put the station for auction since nobody has been or will be willing to buy it. In fact, much like Young did, MMG will still keep the station because of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 886 Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 We have said a million times, its most likely fate is that its spectrum gets cashed in. We don't know for sure what the station's future is, but it isn't bright. Their last glimmer of hope was snuffed out when Fox bought KTVU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaking News 805 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Couldn't First Coast News change its branding back into "TLV 12 News" if that happened? Or They could change it to The News on 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hathawaynson2 38 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Or They could change it to The News on 12. Does this post have any thing to do with the Meredith/Media General merger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardek1995 200 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 We have said a million times, its most likely fate is that its spectrum gets cashed in. We don't know for sure what the station's future is, but it isn't bright. Their last glimmer of hope was snuffed out when Fox bought KTVU. What about the other stations from Young still with Media General? Would they benefit from the merger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channel2 886 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Who knows. It would be a surprise if they were to sacrifice WKRN or the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 756 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Who knows. It would be a surprise if they were to sacrifice WKRN or the others. Not likely to happen, as that would mean losing a well-established voice in the community in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4259 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Never try to take on any major network and think that you're going to win because it will not end well. Ed Ansin and WSVN would beg to differ. Almost everyone gave WSVN zero chance of success after they took on NBC (and forced NBC to honor the remainder of their affiliation contract, which led to NBC operating their newly acquired WTVJ as a CBS affiliate for 18 months). We all know how that turned out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4259 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 How? By selling it to ABC? I don't think they'll put the station for auction since nobody has been or will be willing to buy it. In fact, much like Young did, MMG will still keep the station because of that. If MMG handed in KRON's license and spectrum at the FCC spectrum auction, they would net a maximum value of $140M and a median value of $110M. The numbers don't lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaking News 805 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Does this post have any thing to do with the Meredith/Media General merger? I was replying to the comment and I think many times the conversation has always sway to something else...you might want to go back read all the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOneManHerd 553 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Ed Ansin and WSVN would beg to differ. Almost everyone gave WSVN zero chance of success after they took on NBC (and forced NBC to honor the remainder of their affiliation contract, which led to NBC operating their newly acquired WTVJ as a CBS affiliate for 18 months). We all know how that turned out. WSVN's success story is an outlier. They gained initial success because of their tabloid format which the South Florida audience clearly hungered for, not to mention the rise of Fox to major status (WSVN regained major affiliate status without even trying). There's no real counter-programming strategy for stations in the same situation today. There's no Fox to grow with, and in most markets there's no effective strategy for their news department to keep viewers. Unless you're a dominant number one with a product that already resonates, you'll be lucky to stay relevant. That's why KTVK and WJXT found success post-network, they already had a winning formula for local programming. KRON's previous success came from NBC; when NBC left, it caused a crack in their foundation, and now the whole house is about to crumble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrabbleship 427 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 If MMG handed in KRON's license and spectrum at the FCC spectrum auction, they would net a maximum value of $140M and a median value of $110M. The numbers don't lie. And that isn't even their biggest possible netter. WCTX's median is $170M and their maximum is $280M. Putting My on 8.2 is totally feasible, yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardek1995 200 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 And that isn't even their biggest possible netter. WCTX's median is $170M and their maximum is $280M. Putting My on 8.2 is totally feasible, yes? It is, but not on 8.2 (Bounce TV is on there), but 8.3 and a simulcast of WTNH on 59.2 is feasible as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrabbleship 427 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 It is, but not on 8.2 (Bounce TV is on there), but 8.3 and a simulcast of WTNH on 59.2 is feasible as well. I would think that Bounce would move to 8.3 in that case. That is the $200+M question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 1847 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 WSVN's success story is an outlier. They gained initial success because of their tabloid format which the South Florida audience clearly hungered for, not to mention the rise of Fox to major status (WSVN regained major affiliate status without even trying). Plus, with WSVN's major expansion in local news coverage after joining FOX is what led WSVN to become where it is today... #1 in ratings and WPLG 10 trying to steal their format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardek1995 200 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I would think that Bounce would move to 8.3 in that case. That is the $200+M question. WTNH would still be simulcasted on WCTX 59.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrabbleship 427 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 WTNH would still be simulcasted on WCTX 59.2 No, in this case there would be no WCTX with its spectrum turned in for cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4259 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 No, in this case there would be no WCTX with its spectrum turned in for cash. Yup. By handing in the spectrum of both KRON and WCTX (in both cases, all broadcast and technical aspects of both stations would be turned in to the FCC and cease to exist, existing intellectual property notwithstanding) that would help pay down a massive amount of the overall debt MediaGeneral has acquired through their mergers with Young and LIN, and the pending merger with Meredith. And that's not even taking into account the payday MG would get for stations like WYTV, where licenses like those are now totally expendable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 763 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Yup. By handing in the spectrum of both KRON and WCTX (in both cases, all broadcast and technical aspects of both stations would be turned in to the FCC and cease to exist, existing intellectual property notwithstanding) that would help pay down a massive amount of the overall debt MediaGeneral has acquired through their mergers with Young and LIN, and the pending merger with Meredith. And that's not even taking into account the payday MG would get for stations like WYTV, where licenses like those are now totally expendable. I'm not really sure if MG would consider shutting down KRON, given that it is the company's only Top-10 station, no matter how much it is languishing. However, they do have the option of keeping the licenses of both KRON and WCTX, as well as any other station that they choose to sell the spectrum of, and entering into a channel sharing arrangement with another station in their home markets. Giving up the license is not necessary in that situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrabbleship 427 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I'm not really sure if MG would consider shutting down KRON, given that it is the company's only Top-10 station, no matter how much it is languishing. However, they do have the option of keeping the licenses of both KRON and WCTX, as well as any other station that they choose to sell the spectrum of, and entering into a channel sharing arrangement with another station in their home markets. Giving up the license is not necessary in that situation. If the Meredith merger did pass they would also have WGCL in the Top 10. And how different would be channel sharing be in the case of WTNH/WCTX be versus pulling a Sinclair/Gray and just fitting 2 720p and 1 480i stream on the same channel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 763 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 If the Meredith merger did pass they would also have WGCL in the Top 10. And how different would be channel sharing be in the case of WTNH/WCTX be versus pulling a Sinclair/Gray and just fitting 2 720p and 1 480i stream on the same channel? A channel sharing arrangement versus what Gray has done doesn't require a license surrendering (not even Sinclair technically surrendered the licenses of the former WCIV, WCFT and WJSU, they ultimately chose to sell them to Howard Stirk Holdings, which chose to affiliate them with Heartland), and by effect, does not result in an elimination of a so-called voice in the market. Really, channel sharing was added as an option for broadcasters choosing to participate in the spectrum auction for that particular reason; it's probable that there will be more stations that enter into such arrangements than those whose licenses have been surrendered. Gray's moves were mostly an exercised loophole to supercede the FCC's restrictions on sharing agreements, rather than a move done in preparation for the spectrum auction. This article explains the methodology of a CSA for broadcasters that don't want to give up a station in the auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4259 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Meredith also operates WPCH-TV by LMA from TimeWarner, so that would unofficially result in three MMG stations in the top 10 markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 763 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 If the Meredith merger did pass they would also have WGCL in the Top 10. Meredith also operates WPCH-TV by LMA from TimeWarner, so that would unofficially result in three MMG stations in the top 10 markets. Actually, I was referring to the fact that KRON is the only Top 10 market station in Media General's current portfolio. WGCL and the WPCH LMA won't be folded in until the Meredith merger is completed sometime early next year, likely just shy of the date of the spectrum auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS8609 59 Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Note that KRON has one advantage over KNTV...a space at the Sutro Tower, something NBC can't claim due to Sutro being too far from San Jose to claim a COL in San Francisco. If MMG were to sell KRON's license at spectrum, I wouldn't be surprised if NBC stepped in to fill the void, since they even had KRON air some of NBC's programming a few years ago when KNTV had schedule conflicts due to Giants games and the like. However, considering Sutro lies just too far north of San Jose, there would have to be a COL change from San Jose to San Francisco. Overall, in the case of MMG trading in KRON's license the ideal situation would be for NBC to acquire KRON's transmitter, IP, calls and branding, and collapse KNTV and KRON's news operations, with most of the staffers coming from KNTV since a netlet station in San Francisco is essentially equivalent in strength to a network station in Cleveland or Pittsburgh. The end result would be a KRON on the outside with a KNTV on the inside, not to mention news sharing with KSTS and CSN Bay Area. And KRON may not be the only "network affiliate gone indie" that gets swept up in the MMG debacle. If MMG ends up buying WSBT because of the Gray-Schurz deal, one of the reasons could be a desire for leverage the next time CBS brings up the Indianapolis Story. Considering WISH lost CBS as MG bought out LIN, MMG could see an opportunity to retaliate since the ownership situation is more stable now than it was last year. And in Jacksonville, if Cox buys Graham and ABC sounds the alarm if TEGNA attempts to sell WJXX's spectrum, look for Nexstar to be drawn into this battle royale (considering its WCWJ was once ABC for Jax as WJKS) and draw up visions of a "Local 17 News" in Jax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.