Gray/Raycom Merger Thread

[Guest]

Moving all of this into its own thread so it can declutter the Out and About and the corporate threads.

 

Obviously get the preliminary talk about the merger in those other threads. Alternatively, here's a link to an article on Raycom's site about it:

 

https://www.raycommedia.com/gray-and-raycom-to-combine-in-a-3-6-billion-transaction/

[Guest]

This deal will destroy big powerful stations in markets such as Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, Wilmington, Savannah, Richmond, Birmingham, Memphis, and more. I warned you all before about Gray Television's thirst for power and wanting to grow bigger. They run everything cheap and in-house and you can expect the quality of all Raycom operations to basically be diminished. I said it once before, I said they will not stop until they are the size of Sinclair. They are the ones to watch very carefully. There are also very few markets Gray owns a #1 station.

 

Gray is the new Nexstar. There's not really a political agenda like Sinclair, but everything is cheaply run. If it affects the company's bottom line, it will be done away with, whatever it is.

[jsn1992 25]

For some gut reason, I had a feeling that this was going to be done sooner or later. Another sad day closer to consolidation in the media industry. (Just like every other day, it seems like.)

[KevCor 344]

Not that I see that happening, but this sale gives TEGNA an opportunity to get KMSB and KTTU out from under the JSA/SSA in Tucson...

[Samantha 2905]

This is a massive acquisition. No wonder they don't want to bother with potentially permitted duopolies in the overlap markets. What is at risk, however, is WSWG, given that Gray is keeping WCTV but selling its dependent station.

 

The biggest transition will be for the Raycom side. Raycom ownership only gets 11 percent of the combined company, and the new concern will be public instead of employee-owned as Raycom has been. That should result in some major changes.

[Breaking News 841]

WOW... Raycom being bought by Gray....I mean at first Gannett bought Belo...I thought it would of been Belo buying Gannett...We know Sinclair trying desperately to snatch up Tribune..

 

Here hoping Cox buys Scripps Howard, but do wonder what going on in Montgomery, for Raycom to leave....I agree, Gray has made strides, but this is interesting....

[MidwestTV 1262]

While unlikely, I'm curious to know if the announcement of this deal will face the same public backlash that currently exists for Sinclair-Tribune.

[susquvalleywgal 521]

While unlikely, I'm curious to know if the announcement of this deal will face the same public backlash that currently exists for Sinclair-Tribune.

 

Very unlikely

 

— Matt

[TSSZNews 1052]

ATT/Time Warner sure opened the floodgates, didn't it?

 

These scale wars are something to see. Pretty clear at this point everyone's taking the Trib/Sinclair merger seriously.

 

It wouldn't shock me at all to see some combination of Hearst, Scripps, and Meredith--basically the only medium-sized guys left--to match. Not sure that Cox will pull the trigger because of some of the newspaper cross-ownerships they still have in some markets.

 

As for the divested stations, I think any station below market 100 is ripe to have their IPs sold or transferred to .2s and their signals turned off, simply on the basis we're quickly running out of companies that can acquire them!

[MidwestTV 1262]

Very unlikely

 

— Matt

That's just it. If people are REALLY against these mega-consolidations, they'll protest this merger just as much as Sinclair; but since Gray isn't as political, I'm skeptical that it'll happen.

[racefan_09 14]

Very disappointing. As somebody who has spent their life so far in the Charlotte market and has also spent plenty of time in Myrtle Beach, I have always been a fan of how Raycom stations are run. I am worried of how this will affect things. As somebody who is also a huge ACC sports fan, I am also concerned about the future of Raycom Sports, even though it may not last past this upcomig season anyways thanks to stupid ESPN. ACC on Raycom is a North Carolina tradition.

[appleachian 135]

This deal will destroy big powerful stations in markets such as Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, Wilmington, Savannah, Richmond, Birmingham, Memphis, and more. I warned you all before about Gray Television's thirst for power and wanting to grow bigger. They run everything cheap and in-house and you can expect the quality of all Raycom operations to basically be diminished. I said it once before, I said they will not stop until they are the size of Sinclair. They are the ones to watch very carefully. There are also very few markets Gray owns a #1 station.

 

Gray is the new Nexstar. There's not really a political agenda like Sinclair, but everything is cheaply run. If it affects the company's bottom line, it will be done away with, whatever it is.

 

I doubt it is possible for Gray to crater WIS/Columbia any more than Raycom has already done. Raycom is also cheap cheap cheap. Some of these stations won’t see any change.

 

They did value WBTV though and I worry about that under Gray.

[GoldenShine9 1514]

I'm going to guess this deal will be done near the end of 2018. Unlike the Sinclair-Tribune deal, both companies are cooperating and they are not bending any rules or fighting.

[Samantha 2905]

I doubt it is possible for Gray to crater WIS/Columbia any more than Raycom has already done. Raycom is also cheap cheap cheap. Some of these stations won’t see any change.

 

They did value WBTV though and I worry about that under Gray.

 

Gray will be new to major-market TV. That will be a considerable adjustment for them.

[GoldenShine9 1514]

From what I am reading, the new company is about 60% Gray, 40% Raycom in terms of operations. More like Nexstar-Media General (parts of MG being absorbed) than Sinclair-Tribune (a complete cash out). I'm also reading Hilton Howell will no longer be CEO, but Pat LaPlantey (Raycom) will run the company.

 

I'm guessing Raycom side assets like Raycom Sports will merge in as well (IMO they should keep their names) under Gray ownership.

[Georgie56 3331]

Speaking of Raycom Sports, what about that?

[GoldenShine9 1514]

Speaking of Raycom Sports, what about that?

 

Becoming a part of Gray, based on the article. I think they will leave it alone under that name though for legacy purposes.

[T.L. Hughes 906]

I'm guessing Raycom side assets like Raycom Sports will merge in as well (IMO they should keep their names) under Gray ownership.

Actually, Raycom's side assets were announced to be included in the sale, with the exception of CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings). The newspaper unit will be sold off to a separate buyer(s).

[Ntropolis 599]

Will we still have to endure ceaseless promotion of Alabama’s prestigious Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail after the deal is done?

[dman748 1256]

From what I am reading, the new company is about 60% Gray, 40% Raycom in terms of operations. More like Nexstar-Media General (parts of MG being absorbed) than Sinclair-Tribune (a complete cash out). I'm also reading Hilton Howell will no longer be CEO, but Pat LaPlantey (Raycom) will run the company.

 

I'm guessing Raycom side assets like Raycom Sports will merge in as well (IMO they should keep their names) under Gray ownership.

Now that Raycom's people will stay on with Gray post-merger that should alleviate any potential concerns about dragging down the Raycom stations that some people in this thread have AND we can tos any possibility of Raycom's stations in markets above 60 out the door

 

As for Raycom Sports, they'll still be around even though, they'll lose ACC rights to ESPN at the end of the 2018-19 Collegiate, could Gray potentially shut Raycom Sports down after the season given that Raycom Sports will have very little in terms of College Sports rights? We'll see

[appleachian 135]

Raycom Sports may die after the coming season as the ACC moves to its own ESPN-produced network. I’m not sure what else they do besides ACC basketball and football games.

[appleachian 135]

As for Raycom Sports, they'll still be around even though, they'll lose ACC rights to ESPN at the end of the 2018-19 Collegiate, could Gray potentially shut Raycom Sports down after the season given that Raycom Sports will have very little in terms of College Sports rights? We'll see

Beat me to it by seconds!

[GoldenShine9 1514]

Now that Raycom's people will stay on with Gray post-merger that should alleviate any potential concerns about dragging down the Raycom stations that some people in this thread have AND we can tos any possibility of Raycom's stations in markets above 60 out the door

 

As for Raycom Sports, they'll still be around even though, they'll lose ACC rights to ESPN at the end of the 2018-19 Collegiate, could Gray potentially shut Raycom Sports down after the season given that Raycom Sports will have very little in terms of College Sports rights? We'll see

 

That would not be surprising, although they could go for mid-major rights. Could this mean changes for current Gray stations?

[T.L. Hughes 906]

That would not be surprising, although they could go for mid-major rights.

Aren't the rights to most sports from the mid-major conferences locked up by Sinclair's Stadium network (as holdovers to rights originally held by the former American Sports Network syndie service)?

[GoldenShine9 1514]

Aren't the rights to most sports from the mid-major conferences locked up by Sinclair's Stadium network (as holdovers to rights originally held by the former American Sports Network syndie service)?

 

Yes but for how long? If any are up after this year, they could make a play for some. Particularly the Sun Belt and MAC, as they are in their combined footprint.