Gray to acquire Quincy Media.

[Action Newsroom 1283]

Allen Media Group has purchased 7 stations from Gray as part of a divesture following the latter's acquisition of Quincy Media.

 

https://deadline.com/2021/04/allen-media-grey-teevision-stations-deal-quincy-media-1234746691/

[GoldenShine9 1513]

44 minutes ago, Action Newsroom said:

Allen Media Group has purchased 7 stations from Gray as part of a divesture following the latter's acquisition of Quincy Media.

 

https://deadline.com/2021/04/allen-media-grey-teevision-stations-deal-quincy-media-1234746691/

 

No big surprise. 

[CircleSeven 1955]

It also appears that Gray will give up Rockford's WREX to Allen as well. 

 

Gray probably didn't want to deal with any regulatory hurdles as they're also trying to get a full power RF 9 license in that market.

 

[Yankees4life 559]

1 hour ago, Action Newsroom said:

Allen Media Group has purchased 7 stations from Gray as part of a divesture following the latter's acquisition of Quincy Media.

 

https://deadline.com/2021/04/allen-media-grey-teevision-stations-deal-quincy-media-1234746691/

There we go. Allen is finally on the move affiliate-wise. I expected them to buy out Quincy outright but this is good too

[GoldenShine9 1513]

24 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

It also appears that Gray will give up Rockford's WREX to Allen as well. 

 

Gray probably didn't want to deal with any regulatory hurdles as they're also trying to get a full power RF 9 license in that market.

 

 

Most likely the case. That was probably a sticking point there. 

[nathannah 2446]

1 hour ago, Yankees4life said:

There we go. Allen is finally on the move affiliate-wise. I expected them to buy out Quincy outright but this is good too

Who thought I would go from 'Byron Allen produces cheap programming and horrid cable networks' in 2015 to 'Byron Allen is doing his damnedest to save broadcast and digital multicast TV for the next generation, and is doubling down on The Weather Channel and streaming too with the gobs of money he makes from those cheap shows and horrid cable networks' now?

[channel2 979]

Gotta give it to him, he's ambitious af.

[tyrannical bastard 3955]

Byron Allen would be the type of person that could buy all of Meredith, including their print assets.   Coupled with his current assets plus the pickups from Quincy, this is a decent sized group that could grow even larger.

 

Now wouldn't that be something for some of the most storied magazine brands to be under minority ownership. 

While the magazines themselves are an albatross, the brand equity is huge.

[nathannah 2446]

A minor thing connected to the sale of the stations to Allen; Charter settled the $10 billion lawsuit a few months ago Allen filed to get his networks on.

 

It's likely that Allen settled because he now owns local stations he can leverage to get his networks on Spectrum, because this weekend, five of the ESN networks have appeared on Spectrum systems, suggesting they have a new carriage agreement for them, the Weather Channel, and any current and future Allen stations (very important for Wisconsin as it's a Spectrum-dominated state), so at least for that part of the deal, there's less threat of direct agitation between Allen and Spectrum for the next three years.

[Megatron81 263]

I also saw Byron Allen's 5 networks were added on Charter Spectrum also why Comcast settled as well. I have no interest in them Justice is just his court shows that are on the local TV station largely WXSP carries most of them CW7 airs Judge Ross show.

 

I kinda wonder if Charter Spectrum just added ACCUWeather Network that The Weather Channel deal was coming up before Charter and Byron settled the lawsuit will never know.

[CubsFan79 58]

WREX TV being sold to Allen media, a little surprised here since WIFR Tv is a a LP station. Surprised that no duopoly will be created in Rockford.  

[CircleSeven 1955]

The paperwork is up for the Allen transactions. And the Gray apps have been amended to include the spinoffs to Allen.

 

And going back to Rockford. There's a carriage agreement between Allen & Gray, in which upon closing of the Quincy deal, WREX will carry WIFR-LD's signal on its .2 subchannel. 

 

Hopefully this carriage will be in the short term, as Gray tries to get approval of that new full power license.

 

But Gray needs to deal with the Eagle River situation. If you're keeping WYOW, why not withdrawl the RF 26 petition? Or give WYOW to Allen and wait for the grant for the Channel 26 license. I strongly doubt this Democratic-run FCC is going to grant them both.

 

 

[nathannah 2446]

On 5/13/2021 at 10:38 PM, CircleSeven said:

The paperwork is up for the Allen transactions. And the Gray apps have been amended to include the spinoffs to Allen.

 

And going back to Rockford. There's a carriage agreement between Allen & Gray, in which upon closing of the Quincy deal, WREX will carry WIFR-LD's signal on its .2 subchannel. 

 

Hopefully this carriage will be in the short term, as Gray tries to get approval of that new full power license.

 

It's a ten-year agreement, so it's at least going to take them through the thick of the 3.0 transition.

[CircleSeven 1955]

2 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

It's a ten-year agreement, so it's at least going to take them through the thick of the 3.0 transition.

 

But Gray has the right to terminate the agreement at anytime during the term by notifying WREX 60 days in advance, and in writing. 

So for example, should they get the channel 9 license approved, built and lighted up, Gray can hand the station that 60 day written notice to nix the carriage. 

[CubsFan79 58]

 Maybe Gray will sell WIFR TV to Allen Broadcasting if they don’t get the Channel 9 License. Just a thought.I’m still surprised Gray didn’t keep WREX TV along with WIFR TV.

[CircleSeven 1955]

Okay. The DOJ has spoken.

 

They told the parties to divest ten stations in seven markets to get this acquisition through.

 

This clears a major hurdle in this deal. All they need now is the greenlight from the FCC.

 

EDIT: This needed to be pointed out.

 

Just like what they did in the Raycom deal, Gray will inherit the The CW affiliation from the divested outlets in four markets (Rockford, Eau Claire-La Crosse, Wausau & Cedar Rapids). And MeTV in Madison & Eau Claire/LaCrosse (I'm surprised it didn't include Rockford).

 

This was said in pg. 6 in the Proposed Final Judgment PDF where it says "Excluded Assets":

Spoiler

K. “Excluded Assets” means

1. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to KWWL and/or the Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa CityDubuque, Iowa, DMA;

2. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WMOW, WAOW and/or the Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin, DMA;

3. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WREX and/or the Rockford, Illinois, DMA;

4. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WXOW, WQOW, and/or the La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin, DMA;

5. the MeTV affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WKOW and/or the Madison, Wisconsin, DMA;

6. the MeTV affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WXOW, WQOW, and/or the La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin, DMA;

7. satellite station WYOW, Eagle River, Wisconsin and transmitter facilities located at 6425 Thunderlake Road in Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501;

 

[CircleSeven 1955]

So two days after the DOJ told them to divest the overlaps, the FCC has greenlighted the Quincy acquisition. 

Here's WSJV's grant paper.

 

 

[CubsFan79 58]

WREX TV  will be sold to ALLLEN Broadcasting will they have  a CBS subchannel with WIFR TV

[CircleSeven 1955]

On 7/29/2021 at 10:50 AM, CircleSeven said:

EDIT: This needed to be pointed out.

 

Just like what they did in the Raycom deal, Gray will inherit the The CW affiliation from the divested outlets in four markets (Rockford, Eau Claire-La Crosse, Wausau & Cedar Rapids). And MeTV in Madison & Eau Claire/LaCrosse (I'm surprised it didn't include Rockford).

 

This was said in pg. 6 in the Proposed Final Judgment PDF where it says "Excluded Assets":

  Reveal hidden contents

K. “Excluded Assets” means

1. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to KWWL and/or the Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa CityDubuque, Iowa, DMA;

2. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WMOW, WAOW and/or the Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin, DMA;

3. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WREX and/or the Rockford, Illinois, DMA;

4. the CW affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WXOW, WQOW, and/or the La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin, DMA;

5. the MeTV affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WKOW and/or the Madison, Wisconsin, DMA;

6. the MeTV affiliation agreement and programming stream (including any syndicated programming), receiver, program logs and related materials, related intellectual property and domain names, relating to WXOW, WQOW, and/or the La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin, DMA;

7. satellite station WYOW, Eagle River, Wisconsin and transmitter facilities located at 6425 Thunderlake Road in Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501;

 

 

They didn't have to wait to make the subchannel shuffling today.

• In Rockford, because of the WIFR simulcast on WREX, The CW is moved from 13.2 to 23.5.
• In Madison, MeTV moves from WKOW 27.2 to WMTV 15.4. Start TV moves to 15.5.
• In Eau Claire, Gray has launched a new LP station WECX-LD. The CW has moved from WQOW 18.2/WXOW 19.2 to WECX 14.1. It'll also simulcast on full power signal WEAU 14.10. MeTV moves from 18.3/19.3 to WEAU 13.3.
• In Wausau, The CW has moved from WAOW 9.2 to WSAW 7.4. Former WAOW satellite WYOW will simulcast The CW on 34.1 in HD. WYOW will also simulcast CBS & Fox on 7.10 & 33.10, respectively. Start TV moves from 7.4 to WZAW 33.5.
• And in Cedar Rapids, The CW has moved from KWWL 7.2 to KCRG 9.3.

[doublejman69 124]

1 hour ago, CircleSeven said:

 

They didn't have to wait to make the subchannel shuffling today.

• In Rockford, because of the WIFR simulcast on WREX, The CW is moved from 13.2 to 23.5.
• In Madison, MeTV moves from WKOW 27.2 to WMTV 15.4. Start TV moves to 15.5.
• In Eau Claire, Gray has launched a new LP station WECX-LD. The CW has moved from WQOW 18.2/WXOW 19.2 to WECX 14.1. It'll also simulcast on full power signal WEAU 14.10. MeTV moves from 18.3/19.3 to WEAU 13.3.
• In Wausau, The CW has moved from WAOW 9.2 to WSAW 7.4. Former WAOW satellite WYOW will simulcast The CW on 34.1 in HD. WYOW will also simulcast CBS & Fox on 7.10 & 33.10, respectively. Start TV moves from 7.4 to WZAW 33.5.
• And in Cedar Rapids, The CW has moved from KWWL 7.2 to KCRG 9.3.

To add to this, KTTC's translator in La Crosse goes to WEAU and is now simulcasting WECX-LD and subs.

 

Gray has CP for a LP in Wausau, when that gets fired up really soon, it looks like its going to mirror WYOW for that part of the Market, and finally Gray has another unbuilt LP licensed for Eau Claire but most likely will get moved elsewhere in the market (Tomah area?).

[CircleSeven 1955]

Gray might be waiting for trading day to wrap up to announce it, but I already see the consummation notices posted.

 

 

[CubsFan79 58]

Will WREX TV still carry CBS WIFR CBS station. With WIFR being a low power station still quite surprised the FCC did not allow them to merge with WREX TV 

[CircleSeven 1955]

Now it's official. Gray has announced the completion of the Quincy transaction.

 

Bye-Bye Quincy. Kudos to Ralph Oakley and his family for riding the ship for nearly a century (1926).

 

And a reminder, the newspapers (Quincy Herald Whig & Hannibal Courier-Post) were also sold to a different entity earlier this year.

 

Now onto Meredith now........

 

[GoldenShine9 1513]

I'm guessing Circle will be going onto subchannels of some of the ex-Quincy stations soon, since I don't think it is in any of those markets. (Probably a discussion for another thread)

[nathannah 2446]

You have to imagine both cable systems that have to do re-tunes and re-maps, and the staffs who suddenly lose/have to do a 9pm newscast suddenly this evening for a CW subchannel are not happy with this lack of warning.