Sinclair, Tribune Close to Merger Deal

[NowBergen 681]

The owners of Fox affiliates in AFC markets:

 

AFC East

Buffalo Bills - Sinclair

Miami Dolphins - Sunbeam

New England Patriots - Cox

New York Jets - O&O

 

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens - Sinclair

Cincinnati Bengals - Raycom

Cleveland Browns - Tribune --> Sinclair

Pittsburgh Steelers - Sinclair

 

AFC South

Houston Texans - O&O

Indianapolis Colts - Tribune --> Sinclair

Jacksonville Jaguars - Cox

Tennessee Titans - Sinclair

 

AFC West

Denver Broncos - Tribune --> Sinclair

Kansas City Chiefs - Tribune --> Sinclair

Los Angeles Chargers - O&O

Oakland Raiders - O&O

 

Sinclair would have 8 of the 16 AFC markets (half of them), while only 4 would be Fox-owned.

 

You are forgetting that CBS also has the rights and own the stations in 3 out of 4 AFC east markets, 1 AFC North, and 2 AFC West. I think it would be a stretch to think Sinclair could change all that, even if they keep the Tribune stations in NY, LA and Chicago. Just isn't happening. Useless speculation.

[TVNewsLover 779]

You are forgetting that CBS also has the rights and own the stations in 3 out of 4 AFC east markets, 1 AFC North, and 2 AFC West. I think it would be a stretch to think Sinclair could change all that, even if they keep the Tribune stations in NY, LA and Chicago. Just isn't happening. Useless speculation.

Actually more than that. Correction:

2 AFC North (Pittsburgh and Baltimore)

3 AFC West (Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver)

[NowBergen 681]

Actually more than that. Correction:

2 AFC North (Pittsburgh and Baltimore)

3 AFC West (Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver)

Thanks, forgot about Baltimore and Denver. No way would they relinquish that level of programming.

[SoFloTVClassics 972]

Thanks, forgot about Baltimore and Denver. No way would they relinquish that level of programming.

 

Yeah. With Denver, NBC found that out the hard way.

[David Salter JR 66]

Tough call. NBC is happy with sunday night football. CBS May get redemption and bring the NFC games back as for the AFC games, most likely will go to FOX, ESPN Can easily snatch up The thursday night football rights and broadcast on ABC.

ABC is NOT bumping it's thursday night lineup of grey's and how to get away with murder for football

[CalItalian2 163]

Tough call. NBC is happy with sunday night football. CBS May get redemption and bring the NFC games back as for the AFC games, most likely will go to FOX, ESPN Can easily snatch up The thursday night football rights and broadcast on ABC.

There is plenty of talk about ending Thursday Night Football. That the NFL is overexposed. Also, you're fogetting what new media - which has been putting its toe in the water - may want to pick up and leave the old media set up behind. Whomever has the biggest checkbook.

[CalItalian2 163]

Actually more than that. Correction:

2 AFC North (Pittsburgh and Baltimore)

3 AFC West (Los Angeles, Oakland, Denver)

Oakland only through 2019. Before the current contract expires.

[H4UL4U 127]

More food for thought regarding Fox network's sports coverage. This year they added more Big 10 and I'm not sure how many over coference's (Big XII?) football and basketball games. This is more of a rhetorical question than anything: Could they (FTS) be looking to swap ownership of their affiliates in big-ratings college markets (Birmingham, Columbus, Oklahoma City/Tulsa) as well as NFL markets?

 

Clearly Fox sees a future in sports television, and I for one think they're onto something. With so much cord-cutting and ESPN hemorrhaging subscribers there might be a future in bringing more sports back to OTA broadcasters since unlike entertainment programming you have to watch the commercials and you can't stream it at a later time.

 

If FTS is looking to add 6 to 10 more O&O stations, that's a lot more than the remaining NFC markets they do not currently operate a station in.

[nomadcowatbk 149]

That's one scenario or they could get sunday night football. But your right it's a risky move.

 

possibly Monday Night Football if ESPN makes a low ball offer, like CBS did for the NFC in 1993, allowing Fox to nab those, they couldn't have both regional AFC and NFC Sunday games on the same network

[nomadcowatbk 149]

The owners of Fox affiliates in AFC markets:

 

Oakland Raiders - O&O

 

Sinclair would have 8 of the 16 AFC markets (half of them), while only 4 would be Fox-owned.

 

as of the 2019 season, Las Vegas Raiders - Meredith

[ColDayNews 438]

More food for thought regarding Fox network's sports coverage. This year they added more Big 10 and I'm not sure how many over coference's (Big XII?) football and basketball games. This is more of a rhetorical question than anything: Could they (FTS) be looking to swap ownership of their affiliates in big-ratings college markets (Birmingham, Columbus, Oklahoma City/Tulsa) as well as NFL markets?

 

Clearly Fox sees a future in sports television, and I for one think they're onto something. With so much cord-cutting and ESPN hemorrhaging subscribers there might be a future in bringing more sports back to OTA broadcasters since unlike entertainment programming you have to watch the commercials and you can't stream it at a later time.

 

If FTS is looking to add 6 to 10 more O&O stations, that's a lot more than the remaining NFC markets they do not currently operate a station in.

 

 

I’d love to see a Fox O&O WTTE in Columbus, however... would Sinclair be interested in splitting one of their oldest duopolies and would Fox be interested in starting from scratch?

 

I don’t think Fox would be interested in their affiliates in Birmingham or OKC. Those are both sub-50 markets on the decline, while Columbus is a upper-midsize growth market.

[T.L. Hughes 890]

I’d love to see a Fox O&O WTTE in Columbus, however... would Sinclair be interested in splitting one of their oldest duopolies and would Fox be interested in starting from scratch?

 

I don’t think Fox would be interested in their affiliates in Birmingham or OKC. Those are both sub-50 markets on the decline Columbus is a upper-midsize growth market.

First, Fox would be interested in starting from scratch if it acquired WTTE, which I think might be a longshot. Fox Television Stations has launched upstart news operations as recently as 2014, it just hasn't bought a station that has very interwoven ties to a Big Three affiliate as WTTE does. Secondly, Birmingham and Oklahoma City are actually on the lower rung of the top 50. According to 2017-18 Nielsen rankings, OKC is #41 (probably its highest rank since the late 1980s, as the market has usually fallen at or around 45th place for much of the past two decades) and Birmingham is #44.

 

However, Birmingham is basically off the table, as Fox has a strong affiliate in WBRC, which is a Raycom property (Sinclair owns ABC affiliate WBMA, CW affiliate WTTO/WDBB, which incidentally was that market's original Fox affiliate until the September 1996 affiliation switch, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM), and I think while KOKH/KOCB and KFOR/KAUT are divestiture bait, it's more likely that one of those two duopolies goes to a private owner (like Meredith, Raycom or Nexstar). I'd be shocked and surprised if Fox acquired any stations in OKC, but I definitely wouldn't hate it; if it did, it would create a situation analogous to what exists with KTBC, as Oklahoma City, like Austin, is effectively part of the Dallas Cowboys' secondary market area.

[JCB4TV 347]

First, Fox would be interested in starting from scratch if it acquired WTTE, which I think might be a longshot. Fox Television Stations has launched upstart news operations as recently as 2014, it just hasn't bought a station that has very interwoven ties to a Big Three affiliate as WTTE does. Secondly, Birmingham and Oklahoma City are actually on the lower rung of the top 50. According to 2017-18 Nielsen rankings, OKC is #41 (probably its highest rank since the late 1980s, as the market has usually fallen at or around 45th place for much of the past two decades) and Birmingham is #44.

 

However, Birmingham is basically off the table, as Fox has a strong affiliate in WBRC, which is a Raycom property (Sinclair owns ABC affiliate WBMA, CW affiliate WTTO/WDBB, which incidentally was that market's original Fox affiliate until the September 1996 affiliation switch, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM), and I think while KOKH/KOCB and KFOR/KAUT are divestiture bait, it's more likely that one of those two duopolies goes to a private owner (like Meredith, Raycom or Nexstar). I'd be shocked and surprised if Fox acquired any stations in OKC, but I definitely wouldn't hate it; if it did, it would create a situation analogous to what exists with KTBC, as Oklahoma City, like Austin, is effectively part of the Dallas Cowboys' secondary market area.

Personally, I would like to see KFOR/KAUT to go to TEGNA so it can be paired some of NBC's other crown jewel affiliates. KFOR is too good for both Sinclair or Nexstar to crap on.

[TheRolyPoly 2422]

Personally, I would like to see KFOR/KAUT to go to TEGNA so it can be paired some of NBC's other crown jewel affiliates. KFOR is too good for both Sinclair or Nexstar to crap on.

 

I rather see Cox instead.

[SoFloTVClassics 972]

I rather see Cox instead.

*snickering* XD

[ColtFromGulfcoast 708]

I rather see Cox instead.

 

I'd prefer Graham, Scripps or even Meredith.

[T.L. Hughes 890]

*snickering* XD

I wouldn't pooh-pooh on Cox getting KFOR/KAUT. It already has a television duopoly (KOKI/KMYT), five radio stations and a cable system in Tulsa, it also has a cable system in Oklahoma City (not to mention branding rights to the city's convention center, but that's beside the point). I would be plausible for Cox to acquire either KFOR/KAUT or KOKH/KOCB, if it wanted to expand its association with OKC.

[mre29 1524]

I would imagine they'd be more interested in KOKH simply for the synergy possibilities with it and KOKI.

[cna247 174]

I wouldn't pooh-pooh on Cox getting KFOR/KAUT. It already has a television duopoly (KOKI/KMYT), five radio stations and a cable system in Tulsa, it also has a cable system in Oklahoma City (not to mention branding rights to the city's convention center, but that's beside the point). I would be plausible for Cox to acquire either KFOR/KAUT or KOKH/KOCB, if it wanted to expand its association with OKC.

I don't think he was pooh-poohing on Cox getting them. I think he was laughing at the other way NCFLMedia's statement sounded (not related to anything TV).

[T.L. Hughes 890]

I don't think he was pooh-poohing on Cox getting them. I think he was laughing at the other way NCFLMedia's statement sounded (not related to anything TV).

Duly noted. Never mind then.

[scrabbleship 429]

I would imagine they'd be more interested in KOKH simply for the synergy possibilities with it and KOKI.

 

And re-imaging it would be a cinch since they could just clone WFXT on KOKH!

[NowBergen 681]

Duly noted. Never mind then.

 

Don't forget, if as rumored, Altice does end up buying Cox's cable systems (assuming they do offer a price the family will accept - and don't pooh pooh, it, no one expected the Dolan's to sell Cablevision) they will be sitting on a pile of cash.

[NEOMatrix 1299]

Don't forget, if as rumored, Altice does end up buying Cox's cable systems (assuming they do offer a price the family will accept - and don't pooh pooh, it, no one expected the Dolan's to sell Cablevision) they will be sitting on a pile of cash.

I would more than likely expect Charter to buy up Cox and Altice (Suddenlink AND Cablevision).

[mardek1995 200]

You are forgetting that CBS also has the rights and own the stations in 3 out of 4 AFC east markets, 1 AFC North, and 2 AFC West. I think it would be a stretch to think Sinclair could change all that, even if they keep the Tribune stations in NY, LA and Chicago. Just isn't happening. Useless speculation.

Yeah, but what about the owners of Fox affiliates in NFC markets?

 

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys - O&O

Washington Redskins - O&O

Philly Eagles - O&O

New York Giants - O&O

 

NFC North

Detroit Lions - O&O

Chicago Bears - O&O

Green Bay Packers - Sinclair

Minnesota Vikings - O&O

 

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons - O&O

Carolina Panthers - O&O

New Orleans Saints - Raycom (Benson sold WVUE outright to said company)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - O&O

 

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams - O&O

Seattle Seahawks - Tribune --> Sinclair or Fox (more than likely the latter)

San Fransisco 49ers - O&O

Arizona Cardinals - O&O

 

Oh that's right, Fox owns all but 3 (2 once the Sinclair-Tribune merger is done) of the Fox affiliates in the NFC markets.

 

Also, if any team should move elsewhere (regardless of what others may think due to circumstances such as high crime rates), it should be the Detroit Lions, Philly Eagles (once Philly itself drops below DMA #5), and the Oakland Raiders (they're due to move by the 2020 NFL season).

 

First, Fox would be interested in starting from scratch if it acquired WTTE, which I think might be a longshot. Fox Television Stations has launched upstart news operations as recently as 2014, it just hasn't bought a station that has very interwoven ties to a Big Three affiliate as WTTE does. Secondly, Birmingham and Oklahoma City are actually on the lower rung of the top 50. According to 2017-18 Nielsen rankings, OKC is #41 (probably its highest rank since the late 1980s, as the market has usually fallen at or around 45th place for much of the past two decades) and Birmingham is #44.

 

However, Birmingham is basically off the table, as Fox has a strong affiliate in WBRC, which is a Raycom property (Sinclair owns ABC affiliate WBMA, CW affiliate WTTO/WDBB, which incidentally was that market's original Fox affiliate until the September 1996 affiliation switch, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM), and I think while KOKH/KOCB and KFOR/KAUT are divestiture bait, it's more likely that one of those two duopolies goes to a private owner (like Meredith, Raycom or Nexstar). I'd be shocked and surprised if Fox acquired any stations in OKC, but I definitely wouldn't hate it; if it did, it would create a situation analogous to what exists with KTBC, as Oklahoma City, like Austin, is effectively part of the Dallas Cowboys' secondary market area.

Or one similar to WTVT and WOFL for the Buccaneers, or preferably soon, Q13 and KPTV for the Seahawks. And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the state of Utah (DMA #30 and growing, partly because Mormons and partly because of people moving there) a secondary market for the Cardinals? (KSTU being the Fox affiliate that was once an O&O from the 90s up til a decade ago)

 

Personally, I would like to see KFOR/KAUT to go to TEGNA so it can be paired some of NBC's other crown jewel affiliates. KFOR is too good for both Sinclair or Nexstar to crap on.

What, is Nexstar conservative too?

[TVNewsLover 779]

 

Also, if any team should move elsewhere (regardless of what others may think due to circumstances such as high crime rates), it should be the Detroit Lions, Philly Eagles (once Philly itself drops below DMA #5), and the Oakland Raiders (they're due to move by the 2020 NFL season.

 

Huh? The Eagles and Lions are going no where. Since when is high crime rate a reason to move a team? Who said that a stadium has to be built in the most dangerous neighborhoods of these cities, or even in these city itself as opposed to the suburbs. And how is this even related to the discussion?