Gray Television - General Thread

[CircleSeven 1946]

It's been mentioned before, but Gray owns the trademark "First Alert Weather".

[ATLNewsExpert 369]

On 2/7/2022 at 10:28 PM, ABC 7 Denver said:

 

This looks like a set exhibit at NAB.

Looks better than KTVF's living room with a working TV after a hurricane 

[ScottSchell 317]

14 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

It's been mentioned before, but Gray owns the trademark "First Alert Weather".

If that’s the case why is cbs O&O’s and some Hearst stations still using it?

[Greggo 345]

17 minutes ago, ScottSchell said:

If that’s the case why is cbs O&O’s and some Hearst stations still using it?

You can pay to license it. 

[DirtyHarry 721]

21 hours ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

 (and they can since it isn't used in the Flint market)

 

Why not? Here in Columbus Channel 4 called its helicopter "Chopper 4." Channel 10 called theirs "SkyCam" or something like that. I guess SkyCam didn't have a very good ring to it so they started calling it "Chopper 10."

[Breaking News 815]

3 hours ago, DirtyHarry said:

 

Why not? Here in Columbus Channel 4 called its helicopter "Chopper 4." Channel 10 called theirs "SkyCam" or something like that. I guess SkyCam didn't have a very good ring to it so they started calling it "Chopper 10."

SkyCam goes back to their days in the late 70s and made the changes in the mid 90s.  Channel 6 called theirs SKY 6 from the late 80s/90s and again 2009-10. There no chopper now.

[TheSpeedKing 265]

10 hours ago, Breaking News said:

SkyCam goes back to their days in the late 70s and made the changes in the mid 90s.  Channel 6 called theirs SKY 6 from the late 80s/90s and again 2009-10. There no chopper now.

Yeah, thanks to Uncle Perry. Wasn’t the helicopter axed after he took over WCMH? 
 

But, this is the Gray thread, and we’re talking about a market that doesn’t have a Gray station and one Gray continues to ignore.

[CircleSeven 1946]

Let's get back to the Gray talk. Two things today.

 

Last week, I was reading article about Gray's Q1 earnings. And it mentioned about they've added more local news, as "three syndicated shows came to an end".

 

So earlier, I read the transcript of their earnings call and it stated this:

Quote

In the past two months, three syndicated programs coincidentally came to an end, Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren, which we produced and distributed for two years; People TV, which we inherited with the Meredith acquisition; and Right This Minute, a weekday entertainment program that we jointly own with some other broadcasters. In nearly all cases, our television stations replaced these programs with new, locally created, locally focused newscast.

 

Now PeopleTV was already announced its ending back in March. But I haven't seen any releases from your usual publications about the ending of Right This Minute. But that show's Facebook page hasn't been updated since April 29.

__________________

 

Also, Gray's LP-picking continues to roll. This time in St. Louis.

 

They're getting KDTL-LD from Word of God Fellowship (Daystar) for $1M.

 

[mrschimpf 2184]

Greta's been rumored to be moving to Newsmax, so the end of FCP definitely tracks.

 

As for RTM, you can just assume that nobody would've noticed they stopped production until it didn't have a schedule slot in September. As they inherited their share from Raycom I assume they would have gotten out earlier if COVID hadn't got in the way and taken out some Fall 2020 premieres, and because it was just Zoom reactions mixed into clips for the last two years it was cheap to make.

 

The other thing to watch in the next few months is if the Meredith stations retitle their versions of Better and More so Atlanta doesn't have to pay licensing fees for those magazine titles to DDM, or just because Gray prefers blended up-front advertorials in their newscasts to an outright hour lifestyle show, just cancel them for news extensions.

 

Also interesting to see that station sale from Daystar; I get the feeling with Marcus Lamb's strong-arm tactics now gone, like TBN did after the elder Crouches passed, they're going to start taking a deep look at whether outside their Texas full-powers, they really need to own television stations when selling them to others and leasing a subchannel KOCE-style will keep their reach while saving them money.

[Nelson R. 566]

So with Right this Minute ending that will be another hour WAXN has to fill in the daytime on weekdays, and another 30 minutes in late night on WSOC. Also another hour on each station on weekends.

[channel2 918]

7 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

Greta's been rumored to be moving to Newsmax, so the end of FCP definitely tracks.

 

As for RTM, you can just assume that nobody would've noticed they stopped production until it didn't have a schedule slot in September. As they inherited their share from Raycom I assume they would have gotten out earlier if COVID hadn't got in the way and taken out some Fall 2020 premieres, and because it was just Zoom reactions mixed into clips for the last two years it was cheap to make.

 

The other thing to watch in the next few months is if the Meredith stations retitle their versions of Better and More so Atlanta doesn't have to pay licensing fees for those magazine titles to DDM, or just because Gray prefers blended up-front advertorials in their newscasts to an outright hour lifestyle show, just cancel them for news extensions.

 

Also interesting to see that station sale from Daystar; I get the feeling with Marcus Lamb's strong-arm tactics now gone, like TBN did after the elder Crouches passed, they're going to start taking a deep look at whether outside their Texas full-powers, they really need to own television stations when selling them to others and leasing a subchannel KOCE-style will keep their reach while saving them money.

 

They own a bunch of non-commercial licenses that I can't imagine it would be easy to strip of the non-com designation to widen the pool of potential buyers...unless it's more advantageous to donate them instead of selling them as prime real estate.

[scrabbleship 428]

10 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

The other thing to watch in the next few months is if the Meredith stations retitle their versions of Better and More so Atlanta doesn't have to pay licensing fees for those magazine titles to DDM, or just because Gray prefers blended up-front advertorials in their newscasts to an outright hour lifestyle show, just cancel them for news extensions.

 

Better is a dead property, the last full-on show with that name - WFSB's Better Connecticut - rebranded as Great Day Connecticut last September in advance of the split of Meredith as a company. The Better-branded segments on the morning and noon editions of Western Mass News at WGGB  ended around the same time as well.

 

In the case of Connecticut, the show needed a refresh due to the circumstances of its last couple of years as Better between being cut to a half hour, going on hiatus for six months because of COVID, and returning to its old timeslot without the same vibe it had prior. Of all the Better series it probably was the most successful because it didn't end up delving down the pay-for-play road though with current news talent hosting it it's a slippery slope.

Edited May 10, 2022 by scrabbleship

[mrschimpf 2184]

13 hours ago, channel2 said:

 

They own a bunch of non-commercial licenses that I can't imagine it would be easy to strip of the non-com designation to widen the pool of potential buyers...unless it's more advantageous to donate them instead of selling them as prime real estate.

Yeah, I meant to leave out the obvious full-power ed licenses like KDTN, KLTJ, WYDN and KWDK; those aren't going anywhere anytime soon (and there's no way they're selling them to traditional educational interests). The low-powers acquired from bankruptcies like Equity's and Guardian are more likely to be sold off. And here, KDTL was duplicative to WPXS, and already carrying Retro TV instead, which seems to be an overall anamoly.

 

10 hours ago, scrabbleship said:

 

Better is a dead property, the last full-on show with that name - WFSB's Better Connecticut - rebranded as Great Day Connecticut last September in advance of the split of Meredith as a company. The Better-branded segments on the morning and noon editions of Western Mass News at WGGB  ended around the same time as well.

 

In the case of Connecticut, the show needed a refresh due to the circumstances of its last couple of years as Better between being cut to a half hour, going on hiatus for six months because of COVID, and returning to its old timeslot without the same vibe it had prior. Of all the Better series it probably was the most successful because it didn't end up delving down the pay-for-play road though with current news talent hosting it it's a slippery slope.

That's good to hear at least. I do wonder if KPTV and KVVU have been able to genericize their More shows and just said to DDM 'well it hasn't been published in half a decade and it is an extension of our morning newscast, thus it's "more", so we aren't changing it', along with logo changes.

 

I do think though eventually they'll take on the common Gray direction where an ad/traffic guy will host the segments with the sponsor.

[Rusty Muck 4356]

24 minutes ago, mrschimpf said:

Yeah, I meant to leave out the obvious full-power ed licenses like KDTN, KLTJ, WYDN and KWDK; those aren't going anywhere anytime soon (and there's no way they're selling them to traditional educational interests). The low-powers acquired from bankruptcies like Equity's and Guardian are more likely to be sold off. And here, KDTL was duplicative to WPXS, and already carrying Retro TV instead, which seems to be an overall anamoly.

It depends on how badly Daystar needs the money. After Harold Camping's 2012 apocalypse prediction failed, Family Radio had several of their 92-108 FMs (inc. Newark, Philly-Trenton and Annapolis) reassigned as commercial in order to get quick cash. Daystar might be well advised to do the same.

[DirtyHarry 721]

On 5/9/2022 at 9:05 AM, TheSpeedKing said:

Yeah, thanks to Uncle Perry. Wasn’t the helicopter axed after he took over WCMH? 
 

But, this is the Gray thread, and we’re talking about a market that doesn’t have a Gray station and one Gray continues to ignore.

The point is that it's not unprecedented for two stations to use the same branding in the same market.

[GoldenShine9 1509]

I am noticing that Local News Live is also covering with local stations in non-Gray markets as well. For the most part, it seems either Hearst-owned stations or CBS O&O's that they have been working with, which may be because those are who Gray has the best relations with. (Then again, Hearst and Gray compete directly in 10 markets...)

[CircleSeven 1946]

It seems when they close to completing an LP deal (WKSY deal was approved today), a new LP deal comes up.

 

They're getting Selma, AL's K35OX-D from Richardson Communications for just $40K.

 

And also this needs to be mentioned, remember Gray announced they're building that new production facility at the former car plant near Atlanta? Well earlier this week, Gray had struck a deal with NBCUniversal for NBC to lease and operate the facility, once its up and running in 2023.

 

From the press release:

Quote

NBCU will manage all studio and production facilities on-site within the Assembly Studios complex, including Gray’s own studio facilities and Gray’s Third Rail Studios. This arrangement is expected to leverage NBCU’s extensive experience and expertise in managing studio lots, ensure consistency across all of the studio operations and leasing opportunities for third parties, and permit Gray to retain its focus on its own video production business.

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by CircleSeven

[TheRolyPoly 1926]

9 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

It seems when they close to completing an LP deal (WKSY deal was approved today), a new LP deal comes up.

 

They're getting Selma, AL's K35OX-D from Richardson Communications for just $40K.

 

And also this needs to be mentioned, remember Gray announced they're building that new production facility at the former car plant near Atlanta? Well earlier this week, Gray had struck a deal with NBCUniversal for NBC to lease and operate the facility, once its up and running in 2023.

 

From the press release:

 

 

Do you know of anything about WGUD-LD Pascagoula? According to RabbitEars, it says that Gray Television owns that one too.

[CircleSeven 1946]

5 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Do you know of anything about WGUD-LD Pascagoula? According to RabbitEars, it says that Gray Television owns that one too.

Mentioned about it back in March.

 

The deal was greenlighted on May 11. It has yet to be consummated. 

[TheRolyPoly 1926]

17 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

Mentioned about it back in March.

 

The deal was greenlighted on May 11. It has yet to be consummated. 

 

Oh okay. Your on top of these FCC deals so I had a feeling you would know.

[CircleSeven 1946]

New M&A. Gray is getting a new LP. Ths time in southern New England.

 

They're acquiring WWAX-LD (formerly W27ER-D) from Triple Seven Media for $900K.

 

Even though its COL is Westmoreland, NH, its antenna facility is located 63 miles south in Holyoke, MA (near Springfield). 

 

Gray is in the process of moving that other LP (WSHM) to WGGB's tower (expanding its contour). Wouldn't be surprised if it move this new LP to that facility as well, should it get the FCC greenlight.

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by CircleSeven

[CLETVFan 364]

WOIO is adding more local news once again.  The station is going to air two hours of news on WUAB from 7am to 9am starting next week.

[CircleSeven 1946]

A small M&A. Gray is getting two LPs in Wyoming.

 

They're acquiring W28HL-D Riverton & W30GV-D Shoshani from the Riverton Fremont TV Club for $25K.

Edited July 1, 2022 by CircleSeven

[asdu48 0]

I find it interesting that our market's Gray station WSMV is broadcasting it's ATSC signal with our sinclair station as the primary. 

 

Is this typical for OTA broadcasts? I feel like our sinclair station is pretty neglected compared to the others, but perhaps that's the case with most FOX affiliates.

[DirtyHarry 721]

I

On 7/22/2022 at 6:48 PM, asdu48 said:

I find it interesting that our market's Gray station WSMV is broadcasting it's ATSC signal with our sinclair station as the primary. 

 

Is this typical for OTA broadcasts? I feel like our sinclair station is pretty neglected compared to the others, but perhaps that's the case with most FOX affiliates.

 

It is typical because of the transition to ATSC 3.0. They are teaming up and sharing bandwidth.

 

Here in Columbus, Sinclair operates three channels and most of them have been squeezed into two, but 53.3 is given a home on the Nexstar WCMH signal. All the Nexstar and Sinclair ATSC 3.0 signals are broadcasting from the former WWHO-TV signal on Channel 23.

 

1) Channel 28/Virtual 6 (WSYX) - ABC, Fox 28, This TV and another Diginet;

2) Channel 27/Virtual 28.1, 28.2 (WTTE) - TBD and Antenna TV;

3) Channel 27/Virtual 53.1, 53.2 (WWHO) - CW and Charge;

4) Channel 14/Virtual 4 (WCMH -Nexstar) - NBC plus a few other Diginets;

5) Channel 14/Virtual 53.3 (WWHO) - Comet;

6) Channel 23 - ATSC 3.0 signals from WSYX, WTTE, WCMH AND WWHO