speculation FTV Live: WBNS & WTHR being shopped

[DirtyHarry 727]

www.ftvlive.com/todays-news/2016/8/22/dispatch-looking-to-sell-indianapolis-station

 

Makes sense to me. It's got to be hard for a two station company to keep up on all the changes in technology that will be coming down the pike. I just hope they sell the stations to a quality company.

 

The fact that they haven't grown the broadcasting side tells me they make a lot more money in real estate. Either that, or there is a huge estate tax bill that has to be paid.

[Breaking News 829]

No surprise here, and I was told It already in play, and I was told this a year ago. I've been hoping TEGNA/Gannett becomes winner of 'BNS & 'THR..

[mardek1995 200]

No surprise here, and I was told It already in play, and I was told this a year ago. I've been hoping TEGNA/Gannett becomes winner of 'BNS & 'THR..

Or Cox.

[ProduceGuy 31]

Interesting that FTVLive says Tribune is one of the companies showing interest. If that's the case, it seems WTHR could go to someone else, since Tribune already owns WXIN and WTTV in Indy. So the buyer may not get both stations.

[Rusty Muck 4378]

The only likely bidders without any overlap are TEGNA, Hearst and Cox. (Same with Graham, but it's hard to tell if they are ultimately a buyer or a seller.)

 

Hearst and Cox would already have a nearby station to pair with WTHR and 10TV that is itself a market leader - WLWT for Hearst, WHIO 7 for Cox. Both would keep the stations as-is and would interfere little.

 

Unless Warren Buffet steps in with BH Media, it's gotta be a bidding war between Hearst and Cox.

[A3N 1002]

Does Comcast service Indianapolis? If so, there might be an interested buyer...

[DirtyHarry 727]

My preference would be Cox. Since their have roots are in Ohio, WBNS would get the same TLC WHIO gets. It also makes sense from the standpoint of footprint given that they are in Pittsburgh.

 

Cox might also want the radio stations.

 

Does Comcast service Indianapolis? If so, there might be an interested buyer...

 

Comcast isn't going to want to fool around with Indianapolis. Besides, Indianapolis proper is Bright House (Charter). I think Comcast is out in the burbs.

 

Interesting that FTVLive says Tribune is one of the companies showing interest. If that's the case, it seems WTHR could go to someone else, since Tribune already owns WXIN and WTTV in Indy. So the buyer may not get both stations.

 

From everything I've read, WTHR is so dominant in that market they very well might want to trade up.

[TexasTVNews 1377]

I got my money on TEGNA/Gannett becomes winner of 'BNS & 'THR

[tjt24 313]

I got my money on TEGNA/Gannett becomes winner of 'BNS & 'THR

 

I agree, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see Hearst get WTHR.

[TSSZNews 1051]

 

From everything I've read, WTHR is so dominant in that market they very well might want to trade up.

 

Why would Trib willingly give up being the TV home of the Colts? Unless the thought process is that WTHR becomes FOX or CBS, and their third frequency (WXIN?) becomes spectrum bait in very, very short order...and WISH would probably kill to have a network affiliation back.

 

Also, Raycom couldn't take a crack at either station? Or are they at the cap?

 

I also wouldn't rule out Nexstar taking a crack at either--even if that meant flipping WCMH and/or WISH to someone else just 'cuz.

 

But yeah, Hearst or Cox would be the best case scenario here.

[atlnews2 591]

The only likely bidders without any overlap are TEGNA, Hearst and Cox. (Same with Graham, but it's hard to tell if they are ultimately a buyer or a seller.)

 

Hearst and Cox would already have a nearby station to pair with WTHR and 10TV that is itself a market leader - WLWT for Hearst, WHIO 7 for Cox. Both would keep the stations as-is and would interfere little.

 

Unless Warren Buffet steps in with BH Media, it's gotta be a bidding war between Hearst and Cox.

 

 

don't forget Meredith

[atlnews2 591]

Why would Trib willingly give up being the TV home of the Colts? Unless the thought process is that WTHR becomes FOX or CBS, and their third frequency (WXIN?) becomes spectrum bait in very, very short order...and WISH would probably kill to have a network affiliation back.

 

Also, Raycom couldn't take a crack at either station? Or are they at the cap?

 

I also wouldn't rule out Nexstar taking a crack at either--even if that meant flipping WCMH and/or WISH to someone else just 'cuz.

 

But yeah, Hearst or Cox would be the best case scenario here.

 

 

I don't thing Raycom has the pockets to take on what will probably be a high bidding contest. Nexstar won't make a move as they will just barely be under the cap once they merge with MG (plus they'll already have a station in both markets with WISH and WCMH)

[DirtyHarry 727]

Okay, I know this gets into speculation territory, but if I am Cox, I get rid of Memphis and Tulsa (and Boston?) and turn around and buy WBNS and WTHR. Not that it matters. but you have almost nonstop footprint from Pittsburgh through Indianapolis.

 

There could be some synergy .... WHIO covers the Reds/Bengals, WTHR covers the Colts and WBNS covers the Indians/Browns ...

 

Please don't let it be Scripps or Nexstar.

 

Also, perhaps the initial report was correct. WTHR is a VHF station so the spectrum doesn't have much value. But WBNS and WALV do have value. (WALV has a huge footprint.)

 

don't forget Meredith

 

Yes, Meredith might be a good fit. Meredith, Tegna and Cox.

[ColumbusNewsFan 217]

This is something I've been watching since The Dispatch was sold. TENGA is still the leader in the clubhouse. COX Media isn't crazy at all but It doesn't fit them all that well.

 

This Tribune thing is interesting for the fact They know Legendary stations, See WGN and they do have some CBS stations.

 

Raycom can give Sinclair a run for their money with a mini Ohio Network of WCPO, WTOL and WOIO two of them CBS station.

 

I'm pulling for either Tenga or Raycom.

[TexasTVNews 1377]

One question: Would you vision WBNS return back to 10TV Eyewitness News?

[tjt24 313]

Please don't let it be Scripps or Nexstar.

 

Or Sinclair. Though I doubt they'll have any interest in them.

[Rusty Muck 4378]

Assuming that Tribune does make an attempt to buy WTHR (which I highly doubt!) it's pretty obvious that WTTV and WXIN would have to be sold separately.

 

Meredith is possible, but they've been very quiet after their attempted merger with MediaGeneral failed spectacularly. So who knows.

Or Sinclair. Though I doubt they'll have any interest in them.

S!nclair controls three stations in the Columbus market. They (and the MediaGeneral/Nexstar hot mess) are so off the radar on this that it isn't even funny.

[tyrannical bastard 3955]

Indianapolis could get interesting...who's currently 5th in the ratings now?

If it's NOT WTTV or WXIN, Scripps could be in play. And if Sinclair wasn't so maxed out, they could make a play for WTHR as well. I don't see it being too likely since they've sold off both WIIB (now WIPX) and WTTV. As mentioned above, Columbus is off limits since they're already a virtual triopoly.

 

A part of me still longs for the super-merger of the Dispatch stations with CBC/Raleigh and/or Griffin. But it will probably be sucked into one of the major groups...

 

To keep things status quo...probably COX and Meredith (and possibly BH Media) would be the best bets. They won't mess with things if they're working.

 

Any others will "ize" the stations to their corporate liking...turning into clones of their other stations. It would be a major loss for the broadcasting community to see these stations get corporatized.

 

I could deal with these stations being Hearst-ized, Raycom-ized or Tegna-ized. Scripps-ification would be a disaster the way they've ruined their company over the past several years...

[DirtyHarry 727]

Three more points:

 

1. The assets owned by John F. get stepped up in basis at his death. That means no capital gains when they sell. Knowing he was a goner for two years, I bet they did a lot of planning reshuffling things around for maximum benefit.

 

2. They take the money and run. They got burned when they sold BancOhio. They merged BancOhio into National City Bank and were major shareholders there for many years. National City was one of the banks that failed during the great recession. I doubt they're going to want to keep stock in one of these companies.

 

3. The Wolfes made a major donation to Children's Hospital. Probably has to do with his estate planning/minimizing the death tax the family has to pay.

 

4. I vote for Cox. I'm a big fish in a small pond kind of guy. I would rather be part of a smaller broadcaster than being lost in Tegna's portfolio of stations. Cox could trim a few of their dogs and WBNS and WTHR would fit well.

 

I wonder if there is any bad blood between the Coxes and the Wolfes. The Wolfes were stalwart Republicans, political players. The Coxes were Democrats, but they've been gone for 50 years so it may not matter.

[DirtyHarry 727]

More creative thinking on Cox ... Dump Boston to NBC, dump one or more of Memphis, Jacksonville, Tulsa. That gives you the money to buy these stations. Far fetched?

[TheRolyPoly 2449]

One question: Would you vision WBNS return back to 10TV Eyewitness News?

 

Oh god. I hope they do.

[Guest]

What makes you experts think that Cox needs to "dump stations" to "be able to afford" WTHR and WBNS?

[tjt24 313]

S!nclair controls three stations in the Columbus market. They (and the MediaGeneral/Nexstar hot mess) are so off the radar on this that it isn't even funny.

 

I was actually talking about just WTHR. But IMO, I would like to see either Cox, Hearst or Tegna buy the station. And I was thinking about this last night. All the stations in the Indy market, including WTHR, has their news letterboxed on their SD feeds. And Hearst's graphics are still in the 4:3 safety zone. So that makes me wonder what WTHR is going to do should it be bought by Hearst.

[jsn1992 25]

Hearst, Meredith, or Cox would definitely be the best options if a major group would take over. TEGNA or Raycom would be fine, but kind of not preferable. All I ask for i please not Nexstar or Sinclair... Please Please Please. (Although since they are near their cap, it could work out just fine where they won't be in the picture.)

 

Underdog pick here, but since the Meredith/MG debacle, I think they may be ready to buy. So I lay my damn dollars on Meredith acquiring these stations.

[IndyNewsOpens 83]

Holy crap, I never expected Dispatch to consider selling WTHR, if it ends up true. Guess we'll see if I will change my channel 13 avatar soon to a new logo. LOL

 

Honestly, I think what jsn1992 said would be nice. Nexstar/MG couldn't even take WTHR since they will own WISH/WNDY, and seeing how WISH seems to be a big station still (despite the news staff leaving the station en masse it seems like), I doubt the new Nexstar would sell WISH anytime soon.

 

EDIT: I just thought of something! I'm also speculating that Dispatch will do like when Cox got WFXT in exchange for KTVU to FOX: not nessecarily that WTHR will become an O&O, but someone else will get it in exchange for another station. I know it says Dispatch will get rid of both their stations, but who knows what could happen, since this is all speculation right now.