Gray Media - General Thread

[GoldenShine9 1513]

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4283503-gray-television-inc-gtn-ceo-hilton-howell-q2-2019-results-earnings-call-transcript?page=2

 

From the Q2 earnings call transcript, Full Court Press (with Greta Van Susteren) has deals now with companies/stations reaching 70% of the nation. Not sure which stations, but presumably groups/independents with limited or no overlap with Gray.

[CircleSeven 1955]

WCIU in Chicago is one of the big stations in top-3 markets that will air Greta's program.

[CircleSeven 1955]

Gray has renewed its Fox affiliation in all 21 markets.

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 8/8/2019 at 4:59 PM, CircleSeven said:

WCIU in Chicago is one of the big stations in top-3 markets that will air Greta's program.

 

And here's the website of Greta's new show. Which looks like a modification to Raycom station's website, with a font change.

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 1/1/2019 at 5:57 AM, CircleSeven said:

 

Follow up regarding KNCT. This is exactly what Gray is going to do.

 

The station just filed an app to move its signal to KWTX's tower. when they repack to RF 17. 

 

The contour would damn near match KWTX's with the move.

 

 

Looks like October 15th at 8am, KNCT will move to KWTX tower on RF 17. Gray is telling viewers to rescan to get KNCT on that date.

 

Should that (as in moving to 10's tower) be the case, Gray should drop MeTV on 10.3, since it'll already be carried on 46.2.

 

Edited September 22, 2019 by CircleSeven

[memnews 36]

This was a new one for me. Right after introducing the headlines for tonight's show, WMC went to a 30-second ad running on a split screen with views of the anchors taking their seats. Reminds me of something you'd see on a network morning show more than a late local newscast. Are there any other stations out there that do this? Perhaps this is a new thing for Gray? Or just WMC specifically?

[ttvn2000 320]

21 hours ago, memnews said:

This was a new one for me. Right after introducing the headlines for tonight's show, WMC went to a 30-second ad running on a split screen with views of the anchors taking their seats. Reminds me of something you'd see on a network morning show more than a late local newscast. Are there any other stations out there that do this? Perhaps this is a new thing for Gray? Or just WMC specifically?

 

WKYC has starting doing this during their 7pm show...(Not Gray, I know - but thought it was worth sharing.)

Edited September 25, 2019 by ttvn2000

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 1/1/2019 at 5:04 AM, CircleSeven said:

However, I'm pretty surprised that Gray was able to snag the MeTV affiliation away from Tegna's already-owned KCEN, and place it on KWKT/KNCT, and not take the affiliation away from WTOL (another station Tegna is getting), and placing it on WTVG. I'm just surprised the The CW & Telemundo networks would allow Gray to snag those affiliations from the old Raycom outlets. You would think they would keep those diginets intact for the new owner to honor the contracts for that specific station.

 

So it appears Gray is going to snag MeTV in Toledo afterall.

 

Starting today (10/1), MeTV will be carried on WTVG 13.4. WTOL is replacing MeTV for Tegna-owned Justice Network on 11.2.

 

Now I thought why they didn't place MeTV on 13.3? On the article they mentioned "additional programming to be named later on 13.3". I don't see any other programming that deserve better placement other than MeTV. Now I wished they would've snag the affiliation when that Raycom deal closed in January.

 

Here's their lineup:

• 13.1 ABC
• 13.2 The CW
• 13.3 TBA
• 13.4 MeTV
• 13.5 Ion
• 13.6 WeatherNation

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by CircleSeven

[DirtyHarry 727]

9 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

 

So it appears Gray is going to snag MeTV in Toledo afterall.

 

Starting today (10/1), MeTV will be carried on WTVG 13.4. WTOL is replacing MeTV for Tegna-owned Justice Network on 11.2.

 

Now I thought why they didn't place MeTV on 13.3? On the article they mentioned "additional programming to be named later on 13.3". I don't see any other programming that deserve better placement other than MeTV. Now I wished they would've snag the affiliation when that Raycom deal closed in January.

 

Here's their lineup:

• 13.1 ABC
• 13.2 The CW
• 13.3 TBA
• 13.4 MeTV
• 13.5 Ion
• 13.6 WeatherNation

 

 

A successful Channel like Me-TV is having this much trouble staying on stations? You would think these broadcasters would be tripping all over themselves to keep it. But Weigel is a small player and I guess the small players are getting squeezed out no matter how successful they are.

 

this is further evidence that Dispatch made the right decision to get out of the business. No room for small players anymore.

[GoldenShine9 1513]

3 hours ago, DirtyHarry said:

 

A successful Channel like Me-TV is having this much trouble staying on stations? You would think these broadcasters would be tripping all over themselves to keep it. But Weigel is a small player and I guess the small players are getting squeezed out no matter how successful they are.

 

this is further evidence that Dispatch made the right decision to get out of the business. No room for small players anymore.

 

Weigel and Gray seem to have good relations too between each other, so this kind of makes sense. Weigel was one of the first buyers for Gray's new show from Greta as well in non-Gray markets.

[JCB4TV 347]

If Gray needs more bandwidth in NWO, there's WMNT-CD, which shows MNT and other subnets.

[CircleSeven 1955]

I thought this deal would never close.

 

The Charlottesville deals (first announced back on March 4) was consummated Tuesday (10/1). Gray now owns WVIR, while Lockwood owns WCAV/WVAW.

 

The deals were approved on April 15 (almost six months ago).

[tw-804 192]

WHSV announced today that the Shenandoah Valley is getting a new NBC/CW dual affiliate. WSVW ("NBC 3 in the Valley"/"CW 3 in the Valley") will launch on December 1st.

https://www.whsv.com/content/news/WHSV-announces-launch-of-NBC-and-CW-Plus-affiliations-NBC-3-in-the-Valley-561973051.html

Edited October 3, 2019 by tw-804

[CircleSeven 1955]

2 hours ago, tw-804 said:

WHSV announced today that the Shenandoah Valley is getting a new NBC/CW dual affiliate. WSVW ("NBC 3 in the Valley"/"CW 3 in the Valley") will launch on December 1st.

https://www.whsv.com/content/news/WHSV-announces-launch-of-NBC-and-CW-Plus-affiliations-NBC-3-in-the-Valley-561973051.html

That announcement is related to the now-closed WVIR deal. WVIR currently run two translators streaming its signal (W30CT-D Harrisonburg (that'll become WSVW-LD) & W22EX-D Staunton). That current signal will be replaced with the new local "NBC 3" on 12/1.

 

Edited October 3, 2019 by CircleSeven

[JCB4TV 347]

3 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

That announcement is related to the now-closed WVIR deal. WVIR currently run two translators streaming its signal (W30CT-D Harrisonburg (that'll become WSVW-LD) & W22EX-D Staunton). That current signal will be replaced with the new local "NBC 3" on 12/1.

 

With this announcement, along with the impending launches of NBC in Presque Isle & Mankato, this will leave only the microscopic Alpena market, DMA 208, as the only market in America w/o an in market NBC station. I wonder whether WBKB can open a DT4 in order for the Peacock to have full USA coverage?

[TheRolyPoly 2451]

On 10/2/2019 at 10:50 PM, CircleSeven said:

That announcement is related to the now-closed WVIR deal. WVIR currently run two translators streaming its signal (W30CT-D Harrisonburg (that'll become WSVW-LD) & W22EX-D Staunton). That current signal will be replaced with the new local "NBC 3" on 12/1.

 

 

So what your saying is that the new NBC/CW dual station will be on 30.1 (NBC) and 30.2 (CW) ?

[GoldenShine9 1513]

On 10/2/2019 at 9:57 PM, JCB4TV said:

With this announcement, along with the impending launches of NBC in Presque Isle & Mankato, this will leave only the microscopic Alpena market, DMA 208, as the only market in America w/o an in market NBC station. I wonder whether WBKB can open a DT4 in order for the Peacock to have full USA coverage?

 

Are there any LP's laying around in Alpena that WBKB could look into to accommodate it? 

[CircleSeven 1955]

3 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

So what your saying is that the new NBC/CW dual station will be on 30.1 (NBC) and 30.2 (CW) ?

They didn't announce what OTA virtual channel they're going to use on press release. Whether it's 30 or 3. I'm sure they'll announce that at a later date.

 

I say that because, Gray's LP in Midland KTLE-LP was on analog channel 20, then when it launched its digital signal, it started using KOSA's virtual channels (7.5, 7.6. 7.7).

[DirtyHarry 727]

2 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

They didn't announce what OTA virtual channel they're going to use on press release. Whether it's 30 or 3. I'm sure they'll announce that at a later date.

 

I say that because, Gray's LP in Midland KTLE-LP was on analog channel 20, then when it launched its digital signal, it started using KOSA's virtual channels (7.5, 7.6. 7.7).

 

Since you can use the virtual channel number of any overlapping signal you own, I don't know why you wouldn't call 30.1, even if you are broadcasting it from the Virtual 3 signal. At least give the impression that the town is getting a new TV station.

[JCB4TV 347]

7 hours ago, GoldenShine9 said:

 

Are there any LP's laying around in Alpena that WBKB could look into to accommodate it? 

I don't believe so. 

 

https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=wbkb

[nathannah 2446]

On 10/1/2019 at 9:18 PM, JCB4TV said:

If Gray needs more bandwidth in NWO, there's WMNT-CD, which shows MNT and other subnets.

I wouldn't even curse a Luken net with that disaster of a TV station; they still run everything in 480i 4:3 and are proud of their affiliation with AMGTV. Gray buying them would be like moving from a Super 8 to the Ritz-Carlton.

[TheRolyPoly 2451]

16 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

I wouldn't even curse a Luken net with that disaster of a TV station; they still run everything in 480i 4:3 and are proud of their affiliation with AMGTV. Gray buying them would be like moving from a Super 8 to the Ritz-Carlton.

 

If Gray bought that station, they would convert that into WTVG's CW subchannel station and it would be a blessing for WMNT.

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 10/1/2019 at 2:13 AM, CircleSeven said:

 

So it appears Gray is going to snag MeTV in Toledo afterall.

 

Starting today (10/1), MeTV will be carried on WTVG 13.4. WTOL is replacing MeTV for Tegna-owned Justice Network on 11.2.

 

Now I thought why they didn't place MeTV on 13.3? On the article they mentioned "additional programming to be named later on 13.3". I don't see any other programming that deserve better placement other than MeTV. Now I wished they would've snag the affiliation when that Raycom deal closed in January.

 

 

It's been handled. Should've been that from the start.

 

[tw-804 192]

On 10/2/2019 at 10:57 PM, JCB4TV said:

With this announcement, along with the impending launches of NBC in Presque Isle & Mankato, this will leave only the microscopic Alpena market, DMA 208, as the only market in America w/o an in market NBC station. I wonder whether WBKB can open a DT4 in order for the Peacock to have full USA coverage?

 

On 10/4/2019 at 12:35 PM, GoldenShine9 said:

 

Are there any LP's laying around in Alpena that WBKB could look into to accommodate it? 

 

Alpena has WPBN/WTOM - aka "TV 7 & 4" - on cable (Spectrum).

Edited October 15, 2019 by tw-804

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 4/24/2019 at 9:10 AM, T.L. Hughes said:

Gray Television is now getting into the multicasting and expanding deeper into the OTT business. It's teaming up with Grand Ole Opry parent Opry Entertainment Group (whose parent, Ryman Hospitality Properties [as Gaylord Entertainment], launched The [original] Nashville Network [now the Paramount Network] in 1983) to launch a multiplatform network and VOD effort focusing on "artist-driven country lifestyle programming."

 

https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/234281/gray-teams-with-grand-ole-opry-on-tv-network/

 

Follow-up. The name of the new service will be called Circle.

 

The diginet will be launched early next year on the Gray stations. The new over-the-top service will launch late Spring.

 

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by CircleSeven