Ntropolis 596 Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 News out of Charlottesville, VA... Gray Television will sell the “Charlottesville Newsplex” CBS/ABC affiliates (WCAV/WVAW) to an affiliate of Lockwood Broadcasting. In turn, Gray is buying WVIR (NBC) from Waterman. It doesn’t appear to be part of any larger acquisition by Gray affecting WBBH/WZVN in Ft. Myers. Read more here. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 2415 Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 10 minutes ago, Ntropolis said: News out of Charlottesville, VA... Gray Television will sell the “Charlottesville Newsplex” CBS/ABC affiliates (WCAV/WVAW) to an affiliate of Lockwood Broadcasting. In turn, Gray is buying WVIR (NBC) from Waterman. It doesn’t appear to be part of any larger acquisition by Gray affecting WBBH/WZVN in Ft. Myers. Read more here. Had a feeling this would happen. Now Waterman can entirely focus on WBBH/WZVN. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222709 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 In the Speculatron, I thought of a possibility on why WBBH/WZVN was not included. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222711 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEOMatrix 1299 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Sounds like the equivalent of Nexstar selling WKBN/WYTV/WYFX in order to get WFMJ. If I had to guess, it sounds like Waterman is putting all of its eggs into Ft. Myers. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222745 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3951 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Is it just me, or is Lockwood turning into a semi-shell of Gray? Virtually all of their properties have had ties to their divestitures (or have sold to them in the past....) The only execptions are KTEN, WSKY, WCWG (which was sold to Hearst) and WHDF (sold to Nexstar...and resale pending?) Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222752 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtFromGulfcoast 708 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 10 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said: Is it just me, or is Lockwood turning into a semi-shell of Gray? Virtually all of their properties have had ties to their divestitures (or have sold to them in the past....) The only execptions are KTEN, WSKY, WCWG (which was sold to Hearst) and WHDF (sold to Nexstar...and resale pending?) I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222762 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1955 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 The Paperwork is up. Gray is paying Waterman $15M for WVIR. Lockwood is paying $25M for WCAV/WVAW. Here's the interesting thing. When looking at the WCAV paperwork, the sell did not include WAHU-CD, which is the license for the Fox affiliate. Not sure if Gray is keeping the Fox affiliation or not. But if Lockwood is keeping the Fox affiliation (which is also carried on WCAV's sub), along with the CBS & ABC, then what will Gray use WAHU-CD for post-transaction? Also to point out, WVIR operates a Harrisonburg repeater carrying its NBC signal. Gray runs the full-power ABC (WHSV), and an LP carrying CBS & Fox (WSVF-CD). All of this would be legal under FCC standards since its just a full power and two LPs. But do any of you think that Free Press might file a complaint (like they did during the Weigel/Schurz deal over a decade ago) or some DOJ folk might get involved (the same way they did in central Wyoming) since it would be one company running all four major networks in that little market. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222767 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 51 minutes ago, CircleSeven said: The Paperwork is up. Gray is paying Waterman $15M for WVIR. Lockwood is paying $25M for WCAV/WVAW. Here's the interesting thing. When looking at the WCAV paperwork, the sell did not include WAHU-CD, which is the license for the Fox affiliate. Not sure if Gray is keeping the Fox affiliation or not. But if Lockwood is keeping the Fox affiliation (which is also carried on WCAV's sub), along with the CBS & ABC, then what will Gray use WAHU-CD for post-transaction? Also to point out, WVIR operates a Harrisonburg repeater carrying its NBC signal. Gray runs the full-power ABC (WHSV), and an LP carrying CBS & Fox (WSVF-CD). All of this would be legal under FCC standards since its just a full power and two LPs. But do any of you think that Free Press might file a complaint (like they did during the Weigel/Schurz deal over a decade ago) or some DOJ folk might get involved (the same way they did in central Wyoming) since it would be one company running all four major networks in that little market. I know of at least 3 markets where one company controls all of the Big Four affiliations, but they are all smaller companies. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222770 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DENDude 217 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Something tells me that soon WBBH will be sold, hopefully not to Gray tho. And maybe it will force a split between WBBH & WZVN. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222782 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC 7 Denver 1715 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 1 hour ago, DENDude said: Something tells me that soon WBBH will be sold, hopefully not to Gray tho. And maybe it will force a split between WBBH & WZVN. Meredith or Hearst. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222786 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColtFromGulfcoast 708 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 5 hours ago, CircleSeven said: But do any of you think that Free Press might file a complaint (like they did during the Weigel/Schurz deal over a decade ago) or some DOJ folk might get involved (the same way they did in central Wyoming) since it would be one company running all four major networks in that little market. Technically, 6. That translator also runs the CW on the digital and then WHSV has MNT. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222787 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 2415 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 9 hours ago, CircleSeven said: The Paperwork is up. Gray is paying Waterman $15M for WVIR. Lockwood is paying $25M for WCAV/WVAW. Here's the interesting thing. When looking at the WCAV paperwork, the sell did not include WAHU-CD, which is the license for the Fox affiliate. Not sure if Gray is keeping the Fox affiliation or not. But if Lockwood is keeping the Fox affiliation (which is also carried on WCAV's sub), along with the CBS & ABC, then what will Gray use WAHU-CD for post-transaction? Also to point out, WVIR operates a Harrisonburg repeater carrying its NBC signal. Gray runs the full-power ABC (WHSV), and an LP carrying CBS & Fox (WSVF-CD). All of this would be legal under FCC standards since its just a full power and two LPs. But do any of you think that Free Press might file a complaint (like they did during the Weigel/Schurz deal over a decade ago) or some DOJ folk might get involved (the same way they did in central Wyoming) since it would be one company running all four major networks in that little market. If WAHU-CD is not included and Lockwood keeps FOX, then expect WAHU-CD to be the new CW currently being used from WVIR 29.3 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222806 Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublejman69 124 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Plus the 15 million dollars for WVIR, Waterman is getting $46 million in the spectrum auction to move to RF 2. The low-vhf band is useless for digital. I can see Gray using the low power station to rebroadcast WVIR. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222811 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 On 3/4/2019 at 11:40 PM, tyrannical bastard said: Is it just me, or is Lockwood turning into a semi-shell of Gray? Virtually all of their properties have had ties to their divestitures (or have sold to them in the past....) The only execptions are KTEN, WSKY, WCWG (which was sold to Hearst) and WHDF (sold to Nexstar...and resale pending?) Same could be said for Gray and Heartland Media as well, whom is owned by a former head of Gray. On 3/5/2019 at 3:45 PM, DENDude said: Something tells me that soon WBBH will be sold, hopefully not to Gray tho. And maybe it will force a split between WBBH & WZVN. WBBH/WZVN will probably still be owned by Waterman for the foreseeable future. It will be how this sale goes about that will determine if Waterman works with Gray again on the Ft. Myers properties. I'm almost certain Gray will get them. As far as a split, that isn't logistically possible. That would require millions and millions and millions of dollars to split those two, whom have been joined at the hip for like two decades now. On 3/5/2019 at 5:13 PM, ABC 7 Denver said: Meredith or Hearst. Keep dreaming. Hearst would never buy into a shit TV market like Fort Myers and put themselves up against WINK. Ain't. Gonna. Happen. As I've mentioned hundreds of times before, Meredith only makes deals that help their bottom line. All decisions to buy stations have to be strategic for the company's portfolio and Fort Myers isn't. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222968 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3951 Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 6 hours ago, KentBrockman said: Same could be said for Gray and Heartland Media as well, whom is owned by a former head of Gray. Heartland is more like a reincarnation, because Bob Prather left Gray and started Heartland several years later. He put his mark on the company, much like he did with Gray before. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-222999 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1955 Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 1 minute ago, tyrannical bastard said: Heartland is more like a reincarnation, because Bob Prather left Gray and started Heartland several years later. He put his mark on the company, much like he did with Gray before. It didn't take several years. It was within months. Just as soon as he left Gray that June of 2013, he bought that first station that October. Smith Media's WKTV. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-223000 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1955 Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 So the Charlottesville deals were greenlighted back on Monday. But one thing I found out just now. We all know that Gray is keeping WAHU-CD. But earlier this month (the 5th), Gray took WAHU-CD silent. The Fox programming still carried on WCAV's subchannel and Lockwood will continue to carry Fox after the deal is over. Gray will keep WAHU off the air until they complete the station's move to WVIR's facility & to secure new programming for the LP. Might as well run the CW on WAHU-CD. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-224974 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1955 Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 The Charlottesville deals are still awaiting consummation, but I've noticed that the WVIR's logo is removed from Waterman's main website. Lockwood has to close on the WCAV/WVAW sale, before Gray can consummate the WVIR deal. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-228998 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre29 1519 Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 I still don't understand why Gray was even interested. Is WVIR doing that much better in the ratings? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-229013 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry 727 Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 On 3/5/2019 at 11:25 PM, doublejman69 said: Plus the 15 million dollars for WVIR, Waterman is getting $46 million in the spectrum auction to move to RF 2. The low-vhf band is useless for digital. I can see Gray using the low power station to rebroadcast WVIR. Tech heads I have talked to say that low band VHF will perform a lot better under ATSC 3.0. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16960-gray-selling-wcavwvaw-buying-wvir/#findComment-229086 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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