Gray Media - General Thread

[tyrannical bastard 4676]

On 4/23/2025 at 6:19 PM, TheRolyPoly said:

It looks like WTVY has taken up the last 10 or so minutes of their weeknight 10pm news in favor of... First Alert Weather Extra.

 

No, this is not a separate half-hour program like WBRC or a weekly program like KWTX, its included into the weeknight 10pm news and for a small market like this, it works considering they find enough content to fill the time.

 

 

I still can't wrap my head around how Gray has decimated this uber-dominant station.  Have they really fallen that far to where the once non-existent WDHN is actually making a dent in viewership?

Then again, I realize that it's probably a true dollars and cents move since ratings and revenue don't matter.  Gray just thinks the station costs too much money for the retransmission revenue it brings in and the viewers of Dothan be damned....

[Megatron81 343]

Seems that KCTV under Gray is still a mess that no one can fix from the Meredith days maybe it has been that way for decades at KCTV.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

We have another Gray-owned regional sports network coming. This time... focused on Minnesota (this was posted on KEYC's Facebook page).

 

[GoldenShine_10 263]

14 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

We have another Gray-owned regional sports network coming. This time... focused on Minnesota (this was posted on KEYC's Facebook page).

 

 

Even though they are missing the biggest piece of the state (the Twin Cities)...

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

Hear me out. KVVU no longer has one sports-related channel... now they have TWO. One is the Silver State Sports and Entertainment Network, but now they've recently launched 5DRVtv (5 Drive TV).

 

Outside of Local News LIVE from 4-6 am, 11 am-12 pm, and 4-5 pm (7-9 am, 2-3 pm, and 7-8 pm ET; which seem to be the main newscast timeslots for that streaming network), the schedule is devoted to all things cars and motorsports with programs such as Moto America, Race Central TV, Music City Trucks, Detroit Muscle, PowerNation Builds, etc.

 

Some of these programs are also seen on SSSEN, but that's more aimed towards general sports, whereas 5DRVtv (KVVU-DT 5.4 by the way, which replaced Dabl) is focused on cars and motorsports. This may be the first such local digital subchannel I've heard of.

 

EDIT: Another thing...

 

Despite Gray not having a Telemundo presence in Las Vegas (because you have O&O KBLR Channel 39), KVVU went ahead and launched Spanish-language news and weather content anyway with Vegas Hoy.

 

https://www.vegashoy.tv/

Edited June 12, 2025 by TheRolyPoly

[ScottSchell 423]

KEYC has brought back local morning news to the Mankato MN area as KATO Mornings after 7 months of KTTC doing it however KTTC will still be providing noon newscasts for both Mankato and Rochester.

 

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

All KTTC newscasts are already seen on KMNF with the exception of 6 and 10pm weeknights, I believe as simulcasts of KEYC.

 

(KTTC's 5pm is not seen there.)

[GodfreyGR 812]

Former sports reporter is suing Gray/KVLY-TV for unpaid wages, Gray is countersuing for a breach of contract.

 

https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/mcfeely-former-sports-reporter-sues-valley-news-live-saying-it-broke-his-contract

 

Full disclosure- The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead is owned by Forum Communications, who also owns WDAY-TV in the market. 

[nathannah 2792]

A new channel popped onto my Spectrum lineup today, and I was confused because I had never heard of this network before...but the logo style seemed very familiar.

 

 

Looked it up, and Gray holds the trademark to the name "Local Look Today", and it seems like it's going to launch throughout the month, with it launching tomorrow as part of Gray's new RTC cycle with Spectrum. It's in the exact same slot Circle was in the past. Is this intended to be complementary (carrying station features and weather), or a replacement for Local News Live? There's little about the channel I can find outside trademark registrations and provider notices, so I guess we'll likely find out together, and you'll certainly see their stations promoting it.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

Gray stations in Tennessee (WSMV, WMC, and WVLT) are now the official television stations of Tennessee Volunteers Athletics.

 

This means an expansion of the Tennessee Valley Sports and Entertainment Network (only WSMV 4.2 plus WAFF 48.3 Huntsville; WMC 5.3 and WVLT 8.2 air some, but not all, programs from TVSN) is coming to Chattanooga and Jackson to cover those areas that don't have a Gray station there.

 

https://www.wsmv.com/2025/07/18/game-changing-move-wsmv-wvlt-wmc-named-official-television-stations-tennessee-volunteers/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLnF6ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrscj484y-J94ao65yPItyXWbVFBM_FCTOt1-JAnp8BCry0P2v8qNJQ6CU63_aem_BERZxphP9yCKF0X6z4f_1w

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

We don't have the new schedules for WANF and WPCH just yet, especially with how newscasts will look. However, we do know of two new programs coming late August as it gets its independence going.

 

Both will be sports-related, especially College Football-related: ANF Gametime and ANF Overtime. They'll rely on help from former UGA QB Jake Fromm for analysis with sports director Baillie Burmaster. It begins on Saturday, August 30th, nearly two weeks after WANF goes Indie.

 

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/07/25/atlanta-news-first-launches-new-college-football-pre-post-game-shows-featuring-former-uga-star-jake-fromm/

[tyrannical bastard 4676]

Has there been any mention of the future of WANF's carriage on services like YouTube TV and Hulu?

 

WUAB is another question mark since WBNX will be the CW station once again for Cleveland come September 1st....

 

Edited July 25, 2025 by tyrannical bastard

[l_miro 245]

7 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Has there been any mention of the future of WANF's carriage on services like YouTube TV and Hulu?

 

WUAB is another question mark since WBNX will be the CW station once again for Cleveland come September 1st....

 

 

it appears YoutubeTV and Hulu don't want to carry independents. Or at least not pay at all or as much as these stations are asking for retrans. No network = no leverage / no appeal for service retention for the provider

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

On 7/16/2025 at 8:41 PM, nathannah said:

A new channel popped onto my Spectrum lineup today, and I was confused because I had never heard of this network before...but the logo style seemed very familiar.

 

 

Looked it up, and Gray holds the trademark to the name "Local Look Today", and it seems like it's going to launch throughout the month, with it launching tomorrow as part of Gray's new RTC cycle with Spectrum. It's in the exact same slot Circle was in the past. Is this intended to be complementary (carrying station features and weather), or a replacement for Local News Live? There's little about the channel I can find outside trademark registrations and provider notices, so I guess we'll likely find out together, and you'll certainly see their stations promoting it.

 

Any update on this? I'm not seeing much of anything online regarding this.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

KSWO has expanded their weekday morning news to start at 4:30am. However, its NOT Good Morning Texoma.

 

Instead, its a newscast focused on... the military. A half-hour of local, national, and international military news called Good Morning Fort Sill airs from 4:30-5am.

 

The name is based off the Army base Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.

 

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122153727062763865&id=61572915966739

[tyrannical bastard 4676]

More Gray moves...this time it's two SagamoreHill stations they already manage.

They plan to purchase WLTZ in Columbus, GA and KJTV in Lubbock, TX with the old "Failing Station Waiver" trick.

https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/gray-media-to-buy-two-tv-stations-from-sagamorehill/

 

With the rumored stripping of the CW from Bahakel's WCCB in Charlotte, and other rumors of Bahakel cashing out, it could be a future out for WNCF in Montgomery if Gray decides to shack them up with WSFA...It's a third wheel that a future buyer of WAKA/WBMM would love to get rid of.

 

 

[nathannah 2792]

On 7/16/2025 at 7:41 PM, nathannah said:

A new channel popped onto my Spectrum lineup today, and I was confused because I had never heard of this network before...but the logo style seemed very familiar.

 

 

Looked it up, and Gray holds the trademark to the name "Local Look Today", and it seems like it's going to launch throughout the month, with it launching tomorrow as part of Gray's new RTC cycle with Spectrum. It's in the exact same slot Circle was in the past. Is this intended to be complementary (carrying station features and weather), or a replacement for Local News Live? There's little about the channel I can find outside trademark registrations and provider notices, so I guess we'll likely find out together, and you'll certainly see their stations promoting it.

Spectrum did light up LLT yesterday, though you wouldn't know it's called LLT as there are no promos or bugs calling it such; it's basically the main Local News Live feed as a regular old 1080i cable channel. Commerical breaks are a DRTV/PSA/Gray promo black hole rather than local ads on the web/Zeam feeds. Hopefully they do a lot better to adjust the channel to being a cable channel in the next few weeks, because my first impression is that they need to adjust a bit as far as presentation.

[channel2 1042]

Gray is buying the Block stations for $80 million.

 

They expect the FCC to issue a waiver to allow them to take on Louisville's WDRB-WBKI, as they already own WAVE.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

This means, more than likely, that WDRB's news department will be shut down in favor of keeping WAVE's.

 

That's if these waivers are allowed and the rules are changed.

[GoldenShine_10 263]

That seems a bit far-fetched. They probably will need an out clause in Louisville in case such a deal is not accepted. The $80M price tag also makes that seem like a possibility.

 

It does strengthen them in Illinois (only missing Chicago, which would require picking off from a network) and Ohio (missing Columbus which is out of reach, as well as Dayton and Youngstown, which both have reasonable options).

[channel2 1042]

Part of the Terre Haute market is also in Illinois.

[EVVTV12 204]

26 minutes ago, TheRolyPoly said:

This means, more than likely, that WDRB's news department will be shut down in favor of keeping WAVE's.

 

That's if these waivers are allowed and the rules are changed.

WDRB has a stronger news department than WAVE and has been doing better in the ratings (mainly morning). DRB hasn’t had as high of a turn over as the other stations in town have. 

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

30 minutes ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

That seems a bit far-fetched. They probably will need an out clause in Louisville in case such a deal is not accepted. The $80M price tag also makes that seem like a possibility.

 

It does strengthen them in Illinois (only missing Chicago, which would require picking off from a network) and Ohio (missing Columbus which is out of reach, as well as Dayton and Youngstown, which both have reasonable options).

What could they get in Dayton? Other than WHIO? 

Edited August 1, 2025 by ColtFromGulfcoast

[Rusty Muck 4688]

50 minutes ago, TheRolyPoly said:

This means, more than likely, that WDRB's news department will be shut down in favor of keeping WAVE's.

 

That's if these waivers are allowed and the rules are changed.

They will be changed and Louisville will probably be the first market with an actual triopoly. The bloodletting over there will be the first of a nationwide gutting of newsrooms all over.

 

And it is entirely 100% political favoritism at the hands of Brendan Carr.

[MidwestTV 1358]

WDRB will undoubtedly undergo cuts. They have some really high paid talent. It'll be fascinating to see how this turns out because WDRB is easily #2 in the evenings and outperforms WAVE pretty much everywhere.