Boston TV crisis: WHDH and WNEU

[T.L. Hughes 762]

KNTV had an existing news department, a decent program inventory, and a signal that at least covered San Francisco adequately. KRON was sold for $800M by the deYoungs to the Young family, and the Youngs failed to grasp what NBC was going to do to their investment.

 

WNEU has no news department, no programming inventory and a signal that is nonexistent in Boston proper. WHDH is owned by the Ansin family, who probably realize that WHDH may be worth far more as a news-intensive CW affiliate with no restraints on the WSVN bleeds-it-leads formula, and will seriously ramp up a revamp of "7 News" throughout 2016.

 

There is no comparison between the two. WNEU has no shot at success whatsoever.

 

Actually, WNEU does have a news department. They started producing on August 17. So, if WNEU ends up flipping its main channel to NBC and moves Telemundo to a subchannel (which, BTW, would make it an anamoly in the NBCU Owned Television Stations group, since the NBC and Telemundo O&Os are separately licensed stations in every other market where it owns both), the recently added Noticiero Telemundo Boston newscasts would become secondary to those produced using NECN's resources that might end up on its main channel.

https://www.nbcumv.com/news/telemundo-boston-wneu-air-first-ever-live-local-newscasts-–-noticiero-telemundo-boston-–

 

But does the streaming of local news count in the ratings? Nope.

 

That's a rhetorical question that should be aimed towards Nielsen and, possibly, Rentrak. Nielsen's tracking of streaming viewership is kind of in its infancy, and local news streaming probably won't be tracked until either its tracking methods are expanded or OTT services like Sling TV and Playstation Vue start adding local stations.

 

The one thing I don't get is why would Comcast/NBCUniversal want to move NBC programming to WNEU in the first place. To me, it seems more like rumor/conjecture by Boston area press or NBCU actually is using WNEU as a bargaining chip to eke a purchase of WHDH/WLVI from Ansin or a new affiliation agreement with 'HDH, just like what Fox did with KBCB during that short spat with KCPQ. The only difference there is that Fox had a clear reasoning for wanting to buy KCPQ from Tribune. NBC may air the NFL, but its package is not conference-aligned. Unless ad dollars are part of the reason, I don't see other than that or their complicated relationship with Ed Ansin why it would make sense.

 

Best case scenario, nothing changes (WHDH reups with NBC, WLVI reups with The CW, WSBK stays with MyNetworkTV and WNEU keeps Telemundo on its primary channel). The alternate scenario should push come to shove and WNEU becomes an NBC primary/Telemundo subchannel-only: WHDH loses NBC and becomes and independent or takes the CW affiliation from WLVI; WLVI (assuming Sunbeam doesn't participate in the spectrum auction or elects to do a channel sharing arrangement with another station) stays with The CW (creating a situation a la KTVK and KASW before they were split up), becomes an independent or takes MNTV from WSBK (creating a WISH/WNDY scenario should WHDH switch to The CW); and WSBK (also assuming CBS doesn't put it up for auction or does but keeps it through channel sharing) becomes an independent or stays with MNTV.

[channel2 881]

Boston is the eighth-largest TV market. Top-ten market stations are highly-prized, and Boston is one of three such markets where NBC doesn't have an O&O (Atlanta and Houston are the others).

[T.L. Hughes 762]

Boston is the eighth-largest TV market. Top-ten market stations are highly-prized, and Boston is one of three such markets where NBC doesn't have an O&O (Atlanta and Houston are the others).

I get that, but on the same token, ABC doesn't have O&Os in several top-10 markets (WFAA being the largest affiliate it has) and Fox traded WFXT because of their strategy to go after NFC markets (ironically given the topic, WSVN was and still is the second-largest Fox station not owned by the network) and it probably doesn't have designs on that market either. CBS also doesn't have O&Os in the same two markets where you mentioned NBC doesn't have any (WGCL being owned by Meredith and KHOU by Tegna).

 

So, while the ten largest markets are prized, the networks have always figured the upper half of that category (i.e., the top 5, like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, where all four networks set up shop for their charter O&Os; although CBS didn't get into Chicago until a few years after it got its first affiliate there, WGN-TV, which lost the network when it bought what is now WBBM) as the most valuable. If the reports are founded, NBC has stopped trying to take its sweet time to plug the remaining holes in the latter half, at least where Boston is concerned.

[Rusty Muck 4249]

Comcast isn't allowed to do that, as a condition of their purchase of NBCU.

That purchase never should have been approved in the first place. But I digress.

[scrabbleship 427]

IIRC when WLVI was sold CBS was not happy at all because they were frankly blindsided. When CBS and Tribune divied up the initial affiliation, nobody could've seen Tribune bolting from Boston so suddenly and so soon.

 

I would be shocked if CBS doesn't make a move to get CW on WSBK. In that situation they hold all the leverage over a Sunbeam which owns a CW station solely because of spite and a gossip column.

[mre29 1345]

So what happens to WLVI's valuation if it loses the CW affiliation?

 

And what does Sunbeam do it loses both the NBC and CW affiliations and Fox doesn't give them MNTV? Run WHDH and WLVI both as independents?

[nomadcowatbk 144]

So what happens to WLVI's valuation if it loses the CW affiliation?

 

And what does Sunbeam do it loses both the NBC and CW affiliations and Fox doesn't give them MNTV? Run WHDH and WLVI both as independents?

 

where does MNTV go if CW goes to WSBK? could it be a dual MNTV/CW station?

[NEOMatrix 1295]

Back to WNEU! The difference between WNEU and WWJ is that in the case of WWJ, CBS bought 62 so that they were desperate to have a station in Detroit because no one else wanted to align with the Eye. NBC wanting to put WNEU stems from Comcast having delusional and grandiose aspirations of having an O&O in Boston. The fact that NBC wants to squander a somewhat good thing with WHDH and end up on a station that can't reach inside the 128 isn't really sound doctrine, but this is Comcast we're talking about.

[justin2kx 229]

Back to WNEU! The difference between WNEU and WWJ is that in the case of WWJ, CBS bought 62 so that they were desperate to have a station in Detroit because no one else wanted to align with the Eye. NBC wanting to put WNEU stems from Comcast having delusional and grandiose aspirations of having an O&O in Boston. The fact that NBC wants to squander a somewhat good thing with WHDH and end up on a station that can't reach inside the 128 isn't really sound doctrine, but this is Comcast we're talking about.

Thus the reason i feel is that NBC will do anything to have the affiliation on an already O&O station, regardless how foolishness many feel. If they buy a transmitter relay WMFP (not to move elsewhere due to fcc freeze, but from the owners) to broadcast throughout boston as one poster pointed out on WMFP's reach, that could succeed on its own and people will be able to see NBC. Forget the news operation, heritage, programming inventory, etc. by others, i think it's plausible as well as using the resources from NECN as its own news team rather than building from scratch. It's fool's good (oxymoronic term) for Comcast with the plan. Would using NECN's resources for its newscast poise a risk from FCC's scorn? If you own WMFP, you wait out for the cash from auction or sell highly to NBC?

[Eat News 4738]

. Forget the news operation, heritage, programming inventory, etc. by others, i think it's plausible as well as using the resources from NECN as its own news team rather than building from scratch.

 

Well a nice cheap non-unionized workforce would be swell.

[Rusty Muck 4249]

Back to WNEU! The difference between WNEU and WWJ is that in the case of WWJ, CBS bought 62 so that they were desperate to have a station in Detroit because no one else wanted to align with the Eye. NBC wanting to put WNEU stems from Comcast having delusional and grandiose aspirations of having an O&O in Boston. The fact that NBC wants to squander a somewhat good thing with WHDH and end up on a station that can't reach inside the 128 isn't really sound doctrine, but this is Comcast we're talking about.

Comcast and NBC deserve to fail if they really want to be this greedy. WNEU will be a colossal failure and NECN will be dragged down with it, and anyone who thinks otherwise is taking the 30 Rock Kool-Aid.

[mardek1995 200]

Comcast and NBC deserve to fail if they really want to be this greedy. WNEU will be a colossal failure and NECN will be dragged down with it, and anyone who thinks otherwise is taking the 30 Rock Kool-Aid.

I'm taking that delicious kool-aid then, because I think it won't be that much of a failure as long as the cable number is not over 175

[NEOMatrix 1295]

I'm taking that delicious kool-aid then, because I think it won't be that much of a failure as long as the cable number is not over 175

Initally, cable coverage will help WNEU. In 2022 however, you might have 25-30% OTA in the Boston DMA and that will plague WNEU. Plus, you're talking viewer loyalties in WCVB, WHDH, WBZ, and WFXT and getting people to watch a weak signal in WNEU as compared to a strong signal in 4, 5, 7, or 25 will be a steep battle.

[Eat News 4738]

Initally, cable coverage will help WNEU. In 2022 however, you might have 25-30% OTA in the Boston DMA and that will plague WNEU. Plus, you're talking viewer loyalties in WCVB, WHDH, WBZ, and WFXT and getting people to watch a weak signal in WNEU as compared to a strong signal in 4, 5, 7, or 25 will be a steep battle.

 

The signal is either there...or it's not. No more watching snowy pictures in the "Digital Age"

[mre29 1345]

I'm taking that delicious kool-aid then, because I think it won't be that much of a failure as long as the cable number is not over 175

 

I'm sure it won't be...for the SD version.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

Back to WNEU! The difference between WNEU and WWJ is that in the case of WWJ, CBS bought 62 so that they were desperate to have a station in Detroit because no one else wanted to align with the Eye. NBC wanting to put WNEU stems from Comcast having delusional and grandiose aspirations of having an O&O in Boston. The fact that NBC wants to squander a somewhat good thing with WHDH and end up on a station that can't reach inside the 128 isn't really sound doctrine, but this is Comcast we're talking about.

 

You'd think that NBCU would've learned after what happened in the Bay Area when they left top-rated KRON for bottom-rated KNTV simply because Young didn't want to sell to NBC.

 

Oh gee, why does that sound so familar?

 

[bostonmediaguy 123]

An interview with Ed Ansin in today's Boston Globe confirms the details: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/12/22/ansin-owner-whdh-accuses-nbc-playing-hardball-with-channel-negotiations/o9giEDI4eYIoPeuzRbw8DN/story.html

 

I have no doubt that NBC will move to WNEU. NBC will need to address signal penetration, however.

 

WWDP, a small station assigned to Norwell, a suburban community south of Boston, miraculously enforced must-carry on their RF channel 10 (rather than virtual 46). The station was owned by NBC and used for its ShopNBC outlet. Whether NBC buys the station, or leases it as a repeater for WNEU, it addresses the signal issue. That's major hurdle one.

 

NBC owns New England Cable News and Comcast SportsNet New England, which provides a full news department.

 

The final piece of the puzzle is syndicated programming. Unless NBC Distribution's contractual agreements also end in December 2016, this will initially be a problem.

 

Can Boston support an additional television news outlet? Personally, I don't think so. There is only so much of the pie to go around. But does that matter? No.

 

NBC is looking for a greater percentage of advertising, particularly political. Boston rakes in big money for the New Hampshire primary. High news ratings, however doubtful, is icing on the cake.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

NBC is looking for a greater percentage of advertising, particularly political. Boston rakes in big money for the New Hampshire primary. High news ratings, however doubtful, is icing on the cake.

 

does they get much after the NH primaries with MA being a solid blue state?

[brianpr3 173]

does this mean that ansin laid out the card that nbc is withdrawing?

[scrabbleship 427]

So what happens to WLVI's valuation if it loses the CW affiliation?

 

And what does Sunbeam do it loses both the NBC and CW affiliations and Fox doesn't give them MNTV? Run WHDH and WLVI both as independents?

 

I think if that happens the best solution might be to cash out. Sunbeam never has been a good judge of syndicated programming and they barely have enough programming for one independent station let alone two. Of course, this is a bit by design as barter syndication is easy to bail from for breaking news.

 

does they get much after the NH primaries with MA being a solid blue state?

 

Yes. Even after primaries there are tons of ads, ditto ads for statewide races and even off-years as NH has two-year terms for governor. This summer there'll be tons of ads to fill the latter plus there's a Senate seat open.

 

does this mean that ansin laid out the card that nbc is withdrawing?

 

I think he's trying to milk pity at this point since I think even he knows there is no easy outcome where he can come out the full winner. Even if the status quo is kept I don't think NBC lets him off without wanting a whole bunch of things in return.

[NewEnglandOne 17]

I'd love to be able to be happy in saying that I was right and that my sources were on point - however, this is a pretty sad situation... Not only is Boston looking at the inevitable demise of two television stations, but there are a few hundred jobs at stake.

 

The FCC put WHDH's value at $500m+ for the incentive auction, around the same for WLVI - so for NBC to say "here's $200m, take it or we're leaving" is a huge slap in the face, and a clear sign they are moving forward quickly.

 

And for Ed Ansin to publicly say he is willing to sell for the right price... He knows a lot more than he is saying.

[Breaking News 805]

Mr Ansin has spoken, but even though 1987-88 is different vs. today. I do wonder if Ed, would buy WBZ/WSBK from CBS. Ed from the New England area, but he could keep 56, but if he only owns WSVN, would he even consider selling the only remaining station he has to FOX?

[24994J 5286]

CBS isn't going to give WBZ. Really, I don't know why CBS keeps getting brought up in this.

[mardek1995 200]

Mr Ansin has spoken, but even though 1987-88 is different vs. today. I do wonder if Ed, would buy WBZ/WSBK from CBS. Ed from the New England area, but he could keep 56, but if he only owns WSVN, would he even consider selling the only remaining station he has to FOX?

 

CBS isn't going to give WBZ. Really, I don't know why CBS keeps getting brought up in this.

Besides, Ed Ansin is much more likely to sell WLVI and/or WHDH to NBC than to CBS or anyone else in that matter

[TVNewsLover 730]

I think this latest development signals that there's hope some kind of compromise can be reached. Ed wants more money, and wants WLVI to be included. NBC wants to pay less money, and doesn't want WLVI. While NBC is willing to start anew with WNEU, I'm sure they'd rather reach a compromise with Ed and Sunbeam. We actually see in this article that he is willing to sell for the right price, so that's a starting point (everyone kept saying no way in hell will he or his family sell).

 

Perhaps keep the same price NBC is willing to give, include WLVI, but also include WVIT on NBC's part in addition to the money. Either way, NBC can turn around and try to sell WLVI (perhaps to Cox to form a Fox/MyNet duopoly - WSBK would switch to CW). Worst case scenario, they're stuck running a CW (or MyNet) affiliated station.

 

I wonder if NBC's next target will be Houston. I'd be willing to guess that Graham is more likely to be a seller than buyer.