Jump to content

Cordillera Looking To Exit TV Business


LexTVandRadio

Recommended Posts

KOLD is higher rated than KVOA. Hearst would be perfect for KVOA, KOAA and WLEX (in the case of KVOA, it would reunite it with most of its former Pulitzer sister stations).

 

It wouldn't be much of a reunion; Pulitzer sold it in 1972, and the only other stations that they owned at the time were KOAT (now with Hearst) and KSD(K) (now with Tegna after a forced trade with Multimedia). They acquired most of their stations in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 62
  • Created
  • Last Reply
It wouldn't be much of a reunion; Pulitzer sold it in 1972, and the only other stations that they owned at the time were KOAT (now with Hearst) and KSD(K) (now with Tegna after a forced trade with Multimedia). They acquired most of their stations in the late 1970s and 1980s.

 

It would reunite them with ex-H&C sisters KCCI and WESH if that's what you're thinking of. When H&C broke up, KVOA went straight to Cordillera (then-d/b/a Evening Post).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well this is a kick in the gut!

 

I was expecting less of this to happen after the Sinclair decision, honestly. I've also been reading about decline in broadcast revenue so far this year - a little concerning since it is an election year. Digital is becoming huge with more ad dollars being allocated there--I imagine Cordillera wants to leave their stations to someone better equipped to compete.

 

Also sort of wondering where these groups selling off now were during the FCC auction. They could have made bank selling some spectrum and channel sharing - certainly enough of an ROI versus whatever these stations may get now.

 

I wonder if Quincy or Hubbard would like to expand...we don't talk about those groups much. Maybe NPG too?

Question:

 

Could this class-action lawsuit that was filed earlier today against groups like Gray, Hearst, and others be contributed to the decline of the broadcast revenue?

 

If so then the DOJ/courts ending that garbage may be the only way how media mergers are stopped

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are looking to sell, not merge. EPI wants out of the TV business, and they want to cash out. The television business of that company is essentially a retirement plan for shareholders.

 

My guess is one of the big guys buys them. I don't think the overlaps are that big of a deal. They are all pretty much small market, but they all are either market leaders or punch above their weight. Plenty of groups will be interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Question:

 

Could this class-action lawsuit that was filed earlier today against groups like Gray, Hearst, and others be contributed to the decline of the broadcast revenue?

 

If so then the DOJ/courts ending that garbage may be the only way how media mergers are stopped

 

Wait....what class-action lawsuit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also re: Gray and Louisiana being fully covered with KATC, they would almost have the Deep South locked down. Mississippi only missing Greenville and Columbus-Tupelo, Alabama only missing Mobile, Georgia only missing Atlanta and Macon, the Florida Panhandle fully covered.

 

In the Plains and northern Rockies (which I will consider ND, SD, NE, KS, WY, CO and MT), with the MTN cluster Gray would be in every market that is focused on those states except for Denver (not counting rimshots) and Glendive, although they would still be absent from Kansas City, St. Joseph and Sioux City on the fringes. Montana goes from Gray's missing link to the critical piece of the puzzle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are looking to sell, not merge. EPI wants out of the TV business, and they want to cash out. The television business of that company is essentially a retirement plan for shareholders.

 

My guess is one of the big guys buys them. I don't think the overlaps are that big of a deal. They are all pretty much small market, but they all are either market leaders or punch above their weight. Plenty of groups will be interested.

 

That is what I am thinking, its a great group of stations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Just to be clear...

It's not a "class action" suit unless the judge rules it class action. So far it's only a plaintiff motion to go C.A.

 

It's possible the judge could rule it continue as a single plaintiff case...or make it class action if the court finds so.

 

It's certainly an interesting complaint , that could have even more serious ramifications for all the respondents named in the filing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In general, I agree that a few conflicts should not scare off what would otherwise be a good merger, however I wouldn't think that it would be a very good use of Gray's resources to add the entire group when the three largest properties (by far) would all need to be sold off.

 

That's really of no consequence. Despite the Raycom purchase, small market stations are still going to be Gray's bread-and-butter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[W]ith the MTN cluster Gray would be in every market that is focused on those states except for Denver (not counting rimshots) and Glendive...

 

It wouldn't surprise me if ownership of the MTN cluster effectively comes with the right of first refusal for when Stephen Marks decides to sell KXGN.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait....what class-action lawsuit?

The one where the 4 companies that have been mentioned in this thread as potential suitors for Cordillera (plus the other 2 that shall not be named in this thread) got sued over ad inflation rates (which has been the main cause of this M&A craze that we've seen over the last several years)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is Sinclair or Gray max out on stations? Hoping it's not either of them.

They're WAYYYY better off with either Gray or Nexstar than Sinclair if they can't be trusted to handle a large media merger like Tribune, what makes you think they can be trusted to handle a media merger the size of Cordillera? I wouldn't even trust Sinclair to handle anything, that's how much I (don't) trust Sinclair

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're WAYYYY better off with either Gray or Nexstar than Sinclair if they can't be trusted to handle a large media merger like Tribune, what makes you think they can be trusted to handle a media merger the size of Cordillera? I wouldn't even trust Sinclair to handle anything, that's how much I (don't) trust Sinclair

 

The number of possibilities at this point can be counted on our hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This could be the starting point for Standard Media.... They can buy the whole shebang and have a group from the beginning...

 

Why would they want small market Cordillera when the big kids - Cox / Tribune - are on the block?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using Local News Talk you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.