Sinclair, Tribune Close to Merger Deal

[mardek1995 200]

I just came back and this is what I came back to?

 

Given Sinclair's uber-right political leanings, a Sinclair-Fox merger is... well... hell with it.

 

And for that matter, why not merge Sinclair, Fox and RT into a collective unit? It would be the ultimate propaganda machine covering two continents and twenty time zones.

First off, sure you can say that a Fox-Sinclair merger is possible, but even Fox themselves thinks Sinclair is insane with huge portion of their stations in their larger markets (including their flagship, WBFF) being Fox affiliates.

 

Second, if you think Fox and RT are the only propoganda machines, you really need to check out what CNN is putting out recently. It's not just Fox News anymore (who at this point is a dead horse that's unfair and unbalanced), it's the entire mainstream media that's in on being propoganda machines and getting Trump's tax files for ratings instead of reporting on Chicago (the only exception as far as I know are the local stations at Chicagoland), the latter of which, I find more important! And I myself can't trust most of them. Speaking of trustworthiness:

 

Lastly, wikileaks has become a more reputable source than it ever has been, and yes, they're right about people spying on your phones and using them as wire taps (the worst part: you don't know when or if they're spying on you), and not just that, alternative facts can also be true if the official facts are wrong!

[nickp 296]

Fox isn’t interested in acquiring Tribune itself, as noted publicly by Fox executives in the past

[A3N 996]

Fox isn’t interested in acquiring Tribune itself, as noted publicly by Fox executives in the past

And you believe them?

[atlnews2 557]

I just came back and this is what I came back to?

 

 

 

First off, sure you can say that a Fox-Sinclair merger is possible, but even Fox themselves thinks Sinclair is insane with huge portion of their stations in their larger markets (including their flagship, WBFF) being Fox affiliates.

 

Second, if you think Fox and RT are the only propoganda machines, you really need to check out what CNN is putting out recently. It's not just Fox News anymore (who at this point is a dead horse that's unfair and unbalanced), it's the entire mainstream media that's in on being propoganda machines and getting Trump's tax files for ratings instead of reporting on Chicago (the only exception as far as I know are the local stations at Chicagoland), the latter of which, I find more important! And I myself can't trust most of them. Speaking of trustworthiness:

 

Lastly, wikileaks has become a more reputable source than it ever has been, and yes, they're right about people spying on your phones and using them as wire taps (the worst part: you don't know when or if they're spying on you), and not just that, alternative facts can also be true if the official facts are wrong!

 

 

So Nice to have you back

[Eat News 4738]

I just came back and this is what I came back to?

 

 

 

First off, sure you can say that a Fox-Sinclair merger is possible, but even Fox themselves thinks Sinclair is insane with huge portion of their stations in their larger markets (including their flagship, WBFF) being Fox affiliates.

 

Second, if you think Fox and RT are the only propoganda machines, you really need to check out what CNN is putting out recently. It's not just Fox News anymore (who at this point is a dead horse that's unfair and unbalanced), it's the entire mainstream media that's in on being propoganda machines and getting Trump's tax files for ratings instead of reporting on Chicago (the only exception as far as I know are the local stations at Chicagoland), the latter of which, I find more important! And I myself can't trust most of them. Speaking of trustworthiness:

 

Lastly, wikileaks has become a more reputable source than it ever has been, and yes, they're right about people spying on your phones and using them as wire taps (the worst part: you don't know when or if they're spying on you), and not just that, alternative facts can also be true if the official facts are wrong!

 

Must be spring break.

Yup...

Seems the only way the cable nets know how to get views is by slanting everything.

But that's what happens when you have no money to investigate, field real crews and reporters etc.

 

Who needs a CS and promo dept when you can have reporters do all the promo's....for free.

 

I bet if Facebook and Twitter started charging stations and networks $50 a post, you would see the return of paid CS and promo people.

Not just a bunch of ex-intern topical writers.

 

Enjoy your break.

[mardek1995 200]

Must be spring break.

Yup...

Seems the only way the cable nets know how to get views is by slanting everything.

But that's what happens when you have no money to investigate, field real crews and reporters etc.

 

Who needs a CS and promo dept when you can have reporters do all the promo's....for free.

 

I bet if Facebook and Twitter started charging stations and networks $50 a post, you would see the return of paid CS and promo people.

Not just a bunch of ex-intern topical writers.

 

Enjoy your break.

Well, there's the internet, where you can get the news asap rather than waiting until the 5 o'clock news like we did even 10 years ago and having to sit through an assload of ads, which explains why they have no money to investigate (the ad revenue is fading), yet still, there they are, as desperate to be relevant as the simpsons is. That, combined with the elitism that plagues the mainstream media (including many reporters at local stations), is why I have this for a reaction:

[nomadcowatbk 144]

I just came back and this is what I came back to?

 

 

 

First off, sure you can say that a Fox-Sinclair merger is possible, but even Fox themselves thinks Sinclair is insane with huge portion of their stations in their larger markets (including their flagship, WBFF) being Fox affiliates.

 

none of those are NFC markets, some are AFC markets which usually get 1 or 2 games of the local AFC team, maybe more they carry the local MNF simulcasts or preseason games

[Rusty Muck 4167]

none of those are NFC markets, some are AFC markets which make get 1 or 2 games of the local AFC team

And in the case of KTVI, it WAS an NFC market, but the fate of the Rams in StL was always suspect (plus KTVI was a standalone). It was good foresight on Fox's part.

 

WITI was never the "home station" for the Packers. It was expendable, just like WGHP (in a secondary market for the Panthers) was expendable; plus Fox didn't have a Charlotte O&O yet.

[mardek1995 200]

And in the case of KTVI, it WAS an NFC market, but the fate of the Rams in StL was always suspect (plus KTVI was a standalone). It was good foresight on Fox's part.

 

WITI was never the "home station" for the Packers. It was expendable, just like WGHP (in a secondary market for the Panthers) was expendable; plus Fox didn't have a Charlotte O&O yet.

WJW was also expendable because Cleveland wasn't an NFC market either. Plus, most of them weren't major contributors to Fox News (not even WFXT of all stations), and unless KTBC and WOFL are, is Fox considering selling them off too

[channel2 869]

WOFL is one half of a duopoly in a growth market, and while KTBC is a standalone, it is also in a growth market and, from the sound of it, strategically important given its proximity to the O&Os in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

[TheRolyPoly 1847]

WOFL is one half of a duopoly in a growth market, and while KTBC is a standalone, it is also in a growth market and, from the sound of it, strategically important given its proximity to the O&Os in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

 

Plus WOFL has close proximity to other O&Os as well... WTVT in Tampa and its semi-satellite WOGX in Gainesville.

[Rusty Muck 4167]

Again, Fox's opposition to this merger has nothing to do with them wanting to reclaim any of their former O&Os. Just put a –30– next to that talk right now.

 

It's because they know this deal sets up Sinclair to be the next Baton Broadcasting... a conglomeration so powerful over a broadcast network that their chain of Fox affiliates will have an overwhelming say over other chain broadcasters like Raycom and Nexstar.

 

(It's important to note that, WRT the Baton-CTV comparison, CTV was set up from the beginning as a Mutual Radio-esque co-operative of affiliate stations... there were never any CTV O&Os pre-98. Once dereg hit Canada, Baton bought up the bulk of CTV affiliates that a Baton-CTV merger was never in doubt.)

[tyrannical bastard 3464]

Of course, if Sinclair does get a hold of Tribune, they could always START THEIR OWN network. But doing so is akin to what Paxson did 20 years ago, barely registering a blip in the ratings.

 

Network-wise....CBS, NBC and FOX are not going anywhere any time soon, and I doubt CBS would drop their share of the CW. Fox could "drop" MyNetwork, leaving a slew of independents to build something from.

 

ABC/Disney is the only close thing to a potential target that could grant Sinclair the reach and inventory to compete with the networks. And the way things are going at ESPN, it could be a savior of sports broadcasting, since ESPN squandered it away by fleecing cable subscribers and leaving ABC with the scraps for their own sports division.

 

Just a thought.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

Of course, if Sinclair does get a hold of Tribune, they could always START THEIR OWN network. But doing so is akin to what Paxson did 20 years ago, barely registering a blip in the ratings.

 

Sinclair isn't a major content producer, neither is Tribune

[Rusty Muck 4167]

ABC/Disney is the only close thing to a potential target that could grant Sinclair the reach and inventory to compete with the networks. And the way things are going at ESPN, it could be a savior of sports broadcasting, since ESPN squandered it away by fleecing cable subscribers and leaving ABC with the scraps for their own sports division.

 

Just a thought.

Why would Disney want to give up an in-house content distribution tool? True, ABC is low on their priority scale as opposed to Marvel and LucasFilm, but there is still some worth to the network.

 

Also another flaw: say Sinclair DOES buy ABC. It would create gigantic contractural messes with the non-ABC affiliates they own.

[Breaking News 802]

Well another media company wants to get in on the deal...here you go, pls discuss-

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-16/fox-said-mulling-ways-to-thwart-possible-sinclair-tribune-deal

[mre29 1340]

Fox: The #1 Name in Stopping Sinclair?

[tyrannical bastard 3464]

Sinclair isn't a major content producer, neither is Tribune

 

Because a company cannot create a viable network with such great programming as Full Measure, Ring of Honor Wrestling, and whatever the hell they're airing on TBD.

 

Tribune adds a little more to the table but they dumped their syndication arm a few years back and their attempt to rise above being a Superstation have driven them into the debacle they're in today.

[mrschimpf 2059]

Well another media company wants to get in on the deal...here you go, pls discuss-

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-16/fox-said-mulling-ways-to-thwart-possible-sinclair-tribune-deal

 

If Fox gets the New World stations back they sold in 2007 there are going to be some very awkward employee re-introductions.

 

Tribune adds a little more to the table but they dumped their syndication arm a few years back and their attempt to rise above being a Superstation have driven them into the debacle they're in today.

 

And This TV has basically atrophied under Tribune. For all they're putting into Antenna TV (and they're doing a great job at that), This is basically the Retro TV of the movie subchannel genre as other stations move onto different networks.

[Rusty Muck 4167]

Fox: The #1 Name in Stopping Sinclair?

If they are too concerned about a combined Tribune-Sinclair monopolizing the other affiliate chains, then likely so.

 

They wouldn't be asking Starboard Value to buy Tribune, but moreso force a piecemeal breakup a la Newport.

 

There is nothing -- NOTHING -- to suggest that they want these stations back, but will act in the station's best interests, and in the best interests of the network. Nothing about this merger shows that either qualifier is met.

[rtmclaug 43]

I am literally praying for this to not happen. If it does, update/dust off the demo reels and prepare for a mass exodus from the stations.

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 748]

I am literally praying for this to not happen. If it does, update/dust off the demo reels and prepare for a mass exodus from the stations.

 

I would expect a merge of news operations and subchannels... I.E.: In the Grand Rapids, MI market, there's Sinclair owned WWMT and Tribune owned WXMI -- I can totally see them merging news operations and since both seem to have a massive amount of staff, I could easily see 1/2 of them be pink slipped.

[Rusty Muck 4167]

I am literally praying for this to not happen. If it does, update/dust off the demo reels and prepare for a mass exodus from the stations.

Sinclair board member/corporate cramdown talk show host Armstrong Williams is HUD secretary Ben Carson's spokesperson.

 

If such a merger is announced, despite being in the worst interests of practically everyone but the GOP rank-and-file and the Smith family, it stands a 99.999999999999999% probability of success.

[Breaking News 802]

I am literally praying for this to not happen. If it does, update/dust off the demo reels and prepare for a mass exodus from the stations.

 

I agree with you, and I would think in some markets where CBS has O&Os CBS would try to turn KCAL 9 into CW, or WLNY a CW outlet. Sinclair, really needs to chill on buying up stations left and right. They need to focus on the stations they already have. I feel it just to promote their right-wing agenda in key battleground states; which is not good. I'm not a fan of Sinclair, but I have to give them their due for investing in their stations.

 

However, I feel they need to invest in Toledo, St. Louis and Greensboro markets. They got a leg up buying bigger market stations i.e. WJLA, KOMO & KATU.

 

However, as much as it pains me to see former Belo Station under TEGNA have changed course, but glad TENGA got those stations before Sinclair did.

[Georgie56 3066]

Fox: The #1 Name in Stopping Sinclair?

 

No. The Most Powerful Name In Stopping Sinclair.