Eight CBS Stations to Ditch CW and Go Independent This Fall

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

2 hours ago, The Frog said:

Five More Nexstar Stations Becoming CW Affiliates

Terre Haute is a pickup from WTHI which is an Allen Media station.  Utica is a pickup from Heartland's last remaining station.  The rest are stations that are either owned by Gray or tied to Gray through American Spirit. 

 

It's probably an expired agreement in the cases, but I have to wonder if Terre Haute's is due to Allen's current situation and if they in fact breached their agreement?

Edited August 22, 2024 by tyrannical bastard

[The Frog 429]

7 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

It's probably an expired agreement in the cases, but I have to wonder if Terre Haute's is due to Allen's current situation and if they in fact breached their agreement?

B&C notes that in each market The CW is replacing a Scripps network.

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

9 hours ago, The Frog said:

B&C notes that in each market The CW is replacing a Scripps network.

Nexstar probably had Scripps channels that were expiring to make way for CW, but what about the other way around? 

 

Unless the CW agreement with the affected stations had expired or breached, that would be the only way that they could take it for themselves, right?

[The Frog 429]

21 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Nexstar probably had Scripps channels that were expiring to make way for CW, but what about the other way around? 

 

Unless the CW agreement with the affected stations had expired or breached, that would be the only way that they could take it for themselves, right?

It could be a coincidence, but the timing seems related to Scripps separating from the network.

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

13 hours ago, The Frog said:

It could be a coincidence, but the timing seems related to Scripps separating from the network.

I see what you mean now, especially since Scripps dropped the CW from their stations.

[nathannah 2428]

A reminder also that outside WMYD and standard renewals, Scripps never actually affiliated stations with the network itself on their own and most of the affiliations were outstanding from the Journal and Cordillera days. Kinda like Hearst's Fox refusal, except they didn't want to shake up the boat until the CW became more than a primetime-E/I only network that reduced their local programming time.

 

And conversely, Nexstar affiliated stations with the Katz networks when they were independently owned, so both of these are just the two groups taking their toys they got from a friend and going home.

[Georgie56 3303]

Paramount is exploring a sale of all independent stations except KCAL.

[nathannah 2428]

Does it come with the golf club membership? But otherwise...who would buy any of these stations at all? You're not getting a studio or existing personnel from the other side of the duopoly, and have to build everything but the transmitter back up from scratch, and it would take nothing for CBS to just keep the networks and schedules on a subchannel. The only buyers are the HC2s and the new era of spectrum speculators who are still convinced from the 2010s folks like Michael Dell who insist that OTA Internet will be a thing.

Also it looks like KCCW is an error unless PG wants to lose all its WCCO coverage in the middle of the state.

 

 

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

15 minutes ago, mrschimpf said:

Also it looks like KCCW is an error unless PG wants to lose all its WCCO coverage in the middle of the state.

With cable and OTT, KCCW's presence may be minimal especially if the areas are covered by local translators that beam in the MSP stations to remote areas.

 

 

WPKD is not one of the stations listed either.  Since WPGH slacks in the market (thanks Sinclair!) WPKD fills a void with viable morning and prime time newscasts, and now the 8pm primetime newscast.  KDKA has always been dominant and WPKD seems to extend it's dominance.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2024 by tyrannical bastard

[GodfreyGR 652]

47 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

With cable and OTT, KCCW's presence may be minimal especially if the areas are covered by local translators that beam in the MSP stations to remote areas.

 

KCCW makes things tricky/interesting for areas in central and northern MN- Where I grew up, for example, Cable companies carried KCCW and (then) KDLH for CBS. Walker was geographically closer to us, but we were in the Duluth DMA. Unscientific claim, but in parts of MN where both KCCW and KBJR (or KVLY in select Western parts of KCCW's range), I'd bet good money that more people turn to the KCCW feed (hence that whole "Minnesota's Most Watched" claim for all those years).

[newsdude 58]

1 hour ago, tyrannical bastard said:

With cable and OTT, KCCW's presence may be minimal especially if the areas are covered by local translators that beam in the MSP stations to remote areas.

 

 

WPKD is not one of the stations listed either.  Since WPGH slacks in the market (thanks Sinclair!) WPKD fills a void with viable morning and prime time newscasts, and now the 8pm primetime newscast.  KDKA has always been dominant and WPKD seems to extend it's dominance.

 

 

 

I wouldn't say "always been dominant." KDKA has been coasting on its call letters for years. Ever since people meters came into play, they've lost their edge -- WTAE and WPXI win other departs easily these days (KD is third place in the all-important demos at 4/5/6 -- linking below to ratings.) 

They have one of the best local news anchors in America in Ken Rice but surround him with middling 'talent' -- they're hiring reporters out of college now! And they have potential to do something with that 8pm show on KD+ but it's very much like the rest, just a lot of police blotter nonsense.

https://triblive.com/aande/movies-tv/tv-talk-may-sweeps-ratings-released-star-trek-discovery-ends/

[newscopter7 232]

1 hour ago, newsdude said:

 

I wouldn't say "always been dominant." KDKA has been coasting on its call letters for years. Ever since people meters came into play, they've lost their edge -- WTAE and WPXI win other departs easily these days (KD is third place in the all-important demos at 4/5/6 -- linking below to ratings.) 

They have one of the best local news anchors in America in Ken Rice but surround him with middling 'talent' -- they're hiring reporters out of college now! And they have potential to do something with that 8pm show on KD+ but it's very much like the rest, just a lot of police blotter nonsense.

https://triblive.com/aande/movies-tv/tv-talk-may-sweeps-ratings-released-star-trek-discovery-ends/

KDKA is a great example of the effect being a CBS O&O can have on a station. 
 

Dropping Susan Koeppen during the pandemic was a terrible move. 
 

WTAE deserves to be #1 in the ratings. They give a shit. KDKA and WPXI are coasting. 

[tjt24 313]

20 minutes ago, newscopter7 said:

WTAE deserves to be #1 in the ratings. They give a shit. KDKA and WPXI are coasting. 

Yeah WTAE does have a better news product these days, IMO. WPXI and KDKA are meh. The hires they've made over the last year or so have made a difference (especially the new weekend AM meteorologist and new sports anchor/reporter). 

1 hour ago, newsdude said:

They have one of the best local news anchors in America in Ken Rice but surround him with middling 'talent' -- they're hiring reporters out of college now! And they have potential to do something with that 8pm show on KD+ but it's very much like the rest, just a lot of police blotter nonsense.

KDKA does have a lot of good on-air talent. They're lacking when it comes to their evening anchor lineup though. Yes at some point, they're going to move Mokay back to afternoons at 4pm with Josh Taylor, but from the way it looks, it hasn't happened yet. And to your point, hiring those right out of college doesn't look good. 

 

And I agree that the 8pm show does have potential. They just aren't using it to its full potential.

[NYAZSporty 128]

6 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

Paramount is exploring a sale of all independent stations except KCAL.

If this sale goes ahead, I could see Cox Media Group wanting WUPA (Atlanta) to create a duopoly with WSB (ABC Atlanta) like they have in 3 other big markets in Charlotte, Jacksonville, & Orlando. 

[AmericanErrorist 148]

Nexstar would probably like to take WKBD and WBFS in order to shore up their scheduled-to-return CW affiliations, but they're capped right now.

Edited August 27, 2024 by AmericanErrorist

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

Graham and FOX are the only realistic buyers in Detroit since Scripps has 20. 

 

Gray could be a possibility as well if they want to run it out of one of their other nearby stations.  Granite did the same thing with channel 20 and piped in news from Fort Wayne.

[MediaZone4K 2172]

I wonder who'd take WLNY?

 

General question, but if media companies across the board are struggling why does Paramount Global seem to be doing exceptionally bad?

Edited August 27, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 915]

I swear to God Byron Allen better not make a move... But my spidey senses are tingling and I feel he is chomping at the bit at this news...

[Yankees4life 558]

18 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

Paramount is exploring a sale of all independent stations except KCAL.

They can explore all they want, I doubt they'll find any buyers.  They're gonna have to eat them and make it work

[Megatron81 258]

I was surprised that CBS wants to sell the duopoly's I'd get the indie TV stations that aren't CBS in the few markets in big cities.

 

I always liked Erica Monkay from her days at WWMT was morning anchor and then moved up to main anchor at the station before leaving for her hometown in The Steel City.     

[GoldenShine_10 96]

1 hour ago, Megatron81 said:

I was surprised that CBS wants to sell the duopoly's I'd get the indie TV stations that aren't CBS in the few markets in big cities.

 

I always liked Erica Monkay from her days at WWMT was morning anchor and then moved up to main anchor at the station before leaving for her hometown in The Steel City.     

 

Same here, that was surprising. I figured the low hanging fruit would be the ones where CBS was on a separate affiliate (and they are worthless to Paramount). However, I thought the next ones to sell would be the smaller O&O's (i.e., outside the top 10 markets).

[MediaZone4K 2172]

*wrong thread...disregard.

Edited August 28, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[FiveNews 372]

I'd imagine Cindy would also pick up either the 5pm or 6pm news when Maurice DuBois is fully immersed in his CBSEN duties. I don't think CBS looks fondly at paying a hefty salary for an anchor that has a single 30min show ::cough:: Dana Tyler ::cough:: 

[mre29 1519]

14 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Graham and FOX are the only realistic buyers in Detroit since Scripps has 20.

 

Meanwhile, I suppose the obvious buyer for WSBK in Boston would be NBC Universal as that would give WBTS/NBC 10 Boston a full-power home. I don't see Cox being interested in acquiring it for a duopoly with WFXT, Sunbeam already has a duopoly in WHDH and WLVI, and Hearst's WCVB is already partnered with WMUR.

 

[nathannah 2428]

18 minutes ago, mre29 said:

 

Meanwhile, I suppose the obvious buyer for WSBK in Boston would be NBC Universal as that would give WBTS/NBC 10 Boston a full-power home. I don't see Cox being interested in acquiring it for a duopoly with WFXT, Sunbeam already has a duopoly in WHDH and WLVI, and Hearst's WCVB is already partnered with WMUR.

 

Would they really do a third 'switch' in so many years though? They have a pretty cushy deal now where GBH does all their engineering and it really isn't worth all that effort and cost just for a channel number, and they and WNEU are on the same tower already, while WSBK has a weaker ERP.

 

If anything the better deal here would be for PG to get a tax deduction to donate the WSBK license to GBH for $1, WGBX moves there, GBH sells 44 to NBC, they can finally pack the NBC/Telemundo suite of channels on there...which would leave WNEU the odd one out here.

 

Weigel is a more realistic possibility especially with PG trying to get out of Start TV, so it could be a trade to get full-channel coverage of the Weigel nets. Anything but HC2 (Scripps, WRNN and Univision are also duoped and maxed out).