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Sinclair, NPG consolidating some virtual duopolies onto one transmitter

CircleSeven

By CircleSeven
in General TV

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CircleSeven Station Group CEO

CircleSeven 1955

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KFDM stated that the Fox 4 feed will move from KBTV 4.1 to KFDM 6.3 on New Year's Day. And they're telling folks to rescan.

 

So many questions? Are they're going to use KBTV as a possible ATSC test station? Or will it just be a switch of networks, moving Charge to 4.1?

 

Still remember when Nexstar (KBTV former owner) switched affiliations from NBC to Fox almost twelve years ago (1/1/09)........

 

 

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Mrtraveler01 Station Group CEO

Mrtraveler01 738

Posted
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3 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

KFDM stated that the Fox 4 feed will move from KBTV 4.1 to KFDM 6.3 on New Year's Day. And they're telling folks to rescan.

 

So many questions? Are they're going to use KBTV as a possible ATSC test station? Or will it just be a switch of networks, moving Charge to 4.1?

 

Still remember when Nexstar (KBTV former owner) switched affiliations from NBC to Fox almost twelve years ago (1/1/09)........

 

 

I wonder if they plan on "rebranding" Fox4 because of this move.

tyrannical bastard Station Group CEO

tyrannical bastard 3955

Posted
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On 12/28/2020 at 11:00 AM, CircleSeven said:

KFDM stated that the Fox 4 feed will move from KBTV 4.1 to KFDM 6.3 on New Year's Day. And they're telling folks to rescan.

 

So many questions? Are they're going to use KBTV as a possible ATSC test station? Or will it just be a switch of networks, moving Charge to 4.1?

 

Still remember when Nexstar (KBTV former owner) switched affiliations from NBC to Fox almost twelve years ago (1/1/09)........

 

 

It sounds like a sale could be in the works for KBTV.   It's a Deerfield station so maybe it's the sacrificial lamb for all the FCC fines they racked up in the AT&T carriage flap last year.

500k per station times the number of stations Deerfield had last year could be close to a realistic sale amount.

 

Moving FOX to KFDM also cements the control to Sinclair.  I guess we'll have to wait and see what becomes of "FOX 4"....

tyrannical bastard Station Group CEO

tyrannical bastard 3955

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, CubsFan79 said:

I'm surprised in 2009, KBTV switched to FOX after a long relationship with NBC. With DTV coming, they could be both NBC and Fox on a sub channel.  

Long before Nexstar became the behemoth that it is today, this was the first station they ever divested to another party.  They must have seen the writing on the wall way back then.

CircleSeven Station Group CEO

CircleSeven 1955

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On 12/28/2020 at 11:00 AM, CircleSeven said:

KFDM stated that the Fox 4 feed will move from KBTV 4.1 to KFDM 6.3 on New Year's Day. And they're telling folks to rescan.

 

So many questions? Are they're going to use KBTV as a possible ATSC test station? Or will it just be a switch of networks, moving Charge to 4.1?

 

So a little follow-up.

 

From last night's report about the rescan, It appears they're going to have a "grace period" where the Fox stream will be simulcasted on 4.1 and 6.3 throughout the month of January. So after February 1, the 4.1 Fox stream will go away.

 

EDIT: From the Enterprise paper, they're going to move DABL to 4.1 next month?!

Quote

In an email to the Enterprise, [KFDM Director of Engineering Scott] Price said lifestyle network DABL, which currently airs on 4.5, will move to 4.1 once the Fox station is situated in its new spot.

 

tyrannical bastard Station Group CEO

tyrannical bastard 3955

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The article clearly overlooks that Deerfield owns KBTV.  In actuality,  it's probably the minimum number of Deerfield employees, while everyone else works for Sinclair. 

 

Perhaps another scenario could be the "total separation" of KBTV from KFDM and run completely by Deerfield.  If it's just a bunch of diginets, then it's a turnkey operation.  The cost savings could be from having to cough up a monthly fee from Sinclair for running their station. 

 

It wouldn't surprise me if this scenario plays out in other Deerfield markets over time....

ScottJ AM Anchor

ScottJ 134

Posted
Posted

According to someone at the 506 forum who says he lives in the Charleston,  WV area the Fox affiliation has moved from Cunningham-owned WVAH 11.1 to Sinclair-owned WCHS 8.2. That seems to be confirmed by Zap2it, which shows 8.2 as Fox now, with Antenna TV having moved from 8.2 to 8.3. 

 

I don't see an article about the change on the stations' sites. Zap2it is still showing Fox programming on 11.1 so both stations may be simulcasting for now. 

tyrannical bastard Station Group CEO

tyrannical bastard 3955

Posted
Posted

It seems highly likely that Sinclair is moving their primary affiliates from markets to their "owned" stations, in places where they cannot legally have a duopoly.

 

Charleston/Huntington was one of those early Glencairn/Cunningham markets they got their hand slapped in.  It may still be the case today if the market fails the "8 voices" test, now that Gray was able to legally acquire WQCW at the time.

 

 

In Mobile/Pensacola, this could be the eventual undoing of the WEAR/WFGX/WPMI/WJTC duopoly.  But due to 3.0, WJTC was made as the "host" 3.0 station, and their .1 was moved to WPMI's signal, while their subchannels were moved to WEAR's signal.  The 1.0  moves have already taken place and licenses aside, it could probably pass the smell test.  The only real cross-over is that WFNA's subchannels (owned by Nexstar) are on WFGX's frequency.

 

WJTC "UTV44" 44.1 still shows up as such via PSIP, but you have to wonder if it will become another WPMI subchannel...

JCB4TV News Director

JCB4TV 347

Posted
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I'm bumping this thread as NPG is apparently consolidating in a way similar to Sinclair.

 

In DMA 121, Santa Barbara, CA, CBS is moving from the VistaWest licensed KCOY 12.1 to NPG licensed KEYT 3.2.

In DMA 158, Idaho Falls, ID, CBS is moving from the VistaWest licensed KIDK 3.1 to NPG licensed KIFI 8.2.

 

VistaWest is apparently the shell for NPG.

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Samantha Station Group CEO

Samantha 2896

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Current full list:

 

Sinclair

  • Beaumont–Port Arthur TX: KBTV 4.1 (Fox) to KFDM 6.3 (Dabl to 4.1)
  • Cedar Rapids: KFXA 28.1 (Fox) to KGAN 2.2
  • Charleston WV: WVAH 11.1 (Fox) to WCHS 8.2
  • Dayton: WRGT 45.1 (Fox) to WKEF 22.2
  • Columbus: WTTE 28.1 (Fox) to WSYX 6.3 (Jan 7)

NPG

  • Samantha changed the title to Sinclair, NPG consolidating some virtual duopolies onto one transmitter
Samantha Station Group CEO

Samantha 2896

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, CubsFan79 said:

“What in the wide wide world of sports is going on”.  I mean TV.

 

So far, it looks like this has to do with some renewed affiliation agreements between Sinclair and Fox and apparently NPG and CBS. (VistaWest's CBS affiliation agreement expired December 31.)

Samantha Station Group CEO

Samantha 2896

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12 minutes ago, CubsFan79 said:

With all seriousness aside, Are Sinclair and  NPG broadcast groups making these moves or will other broadcast groups do the same.

 

Given the emerging pattern, I don't see any more changes coming today, except maybe another handful of Sinclair Foxes that are on LMA'd stations.

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