Eight CBS Stations to Ditch CW and Go Independent This Fall

[Rusty Muck 4362]

On 6/12/2024 at 8:04 PM, mre29 said:

Also, WFXT rebranding as Boston 25 doesn't look so stupid now, does it?

With the logo that looked like it was made in PowerPoint? Cox never wanted to be in Boston in the first place, mismanaged the station to the point WHDH clobbers them routinely, and Apollo has disinvested in it even further. It's a lost cause.

[mer764KCTV5 126]

14 hours ago, Rusty Muck said:

With the logo that looked like it was made in PowerPoint? Cox never wanted to be in Boston in the first place, mismanaged the station to the point WHDH clobbers them routinely, and Apollo has disinvested in it even further. It's a lost cause.

Even the Boston Celtics cared for the station more. 

Also, why did Fox even sell off WFXT, just to get KTVU? They could've owned KTVU and KICU.... and have the Boston station as well.

 

It's like how Fox regained WITI in 2020. Like I know they wanted to aquire KCPQ.

[MD TV 218]

8 minutes ago, mer764KCTV5 said:

Even the Boston Celtics cared for the station more. 

Also, why did Fox even sell off WFXT, just to get KTVU? They could've owned KTVU and KICU.... and have the Boston station as well.

 

It's like how Fox regained WITI in 2020. Like I know they wanted to aquire KCPQ.

Even thought the Patriots have ended up playing in quite the number of Super Bowls on Fox, KTVU aired more regular season Niner games than Patriot games on WFXT.

[CoopInTheHouse2 0]

On 6/3/2024 at 5:58 PM, CoopInTheHouse2 said:

Just when you thought it was over, there’s more! (And I found this information while looking at IFL (Indoor Football League) team TV and radio rights. This was also announced a while back, April 19th to be exact.)

 

The CW and Nexstar Media Group announced that they would not renew the CW affiliations of some Scripps-owned stations. These include (and this is all of them):

 

- KWBA in Tucson, Arizona (soon to be Tucson 58, and I’m actually concerned if Arizona 61 will be Phoenix 61 now. Bonus: they could’ve used that station for Arizona Coyotes games courtesy of Scripps Sports in Tucson instead of KGUN’s second subchannel.)

- KRIS-DT2 in Corpus Christi, Texas (soon to be Corpus Christi or South Texas 6.2 or 23, depending on the CW 23 thing they did.)

- WMYD in Detroit, Michigan (this one’s challenging because a Detroit 50 already exists, so could it be Michigan 20 or Detroit-Windsor 20? I don’t know, just guessing cause that already exists. Bonus: such a short-lived CW affiliation! Guess we could see The CW coming back to channel 38.)

- KATC 3.2 in Lafayette, Louisiana (soon to be Acadiana 3.2 or Lafayette 3.2)

- WSFL-TV in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida (also challenging because the station already has non-generic non-CW branding, but if it were to switch, it would be Miami 39 or South Florida 39)

- WGNT in Portsmouth-Norfolk, Virginia (same thing here. It could be Norfolk 27 or Hampton Roads 27)

- and KSBY-DT2 in San Luis Obispo-Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California (soon to be Central Coast 5 or 6 depending on the CW 5 scenario)

 

Come September 1st, you’ll see these stations go lights out on the CW. Replacements are to be announced in the coming months.

Update here: Thanks to Nexstar’s station property in some of these markets, we know who will be taking The CW in 2 markets.

In Acadiana (Lafayette), KLFY, the CBS affiliate in the market (once famous for its “hurricane” logo) will put the CW+ on its second subchannel, replacing Dabl.

And in Norfolk, WVBT, the Fox affiliate in the market (who, as an independent for 2 years in the early-to-mid 90’s, initially broadcast HSN programming, along with infomercials and religious shows, and also has a duopoly with WAVY-TV, the NBC station), will put the CW on its second sub-channel as well, replacing Cozi TV.

Again, more affiliates will be announced at a later date.

[mre29 1436]

On 6/13/2024 at 9:51 PM, Rusty Muck said:

With the logo that looked like it was made in PowerPoint? Cox never wanted to be in Boston in the first place, mismanaged the station to the point WHDH clobbers them routinely, and Apollo has disinvested in it even further. It's a lost cause.

 

I'm surprised Cox didn't unload it once the whole Standard-Tegna deal imploded.

 

 

 

[Rusty Muck 4362]

On 6/17/2024 at 6:08 PM, mre29 said:

I'm surprised Cox didn't unload it once the whole Standard-Tegna deal imploded.

Apollo Global Management's eviceration of Cox Media is probably delayed because no buyers exist for that station.

Edited June 22 by Rusty Muck

[mer764KCTV5 126]

On the topic of WFXT, why the Massachusetts did Fox not buy the station again, for the third time? Either they are literally hyper-focused on what their doing or little-focused on their stations.

[Georgie56 3190]

1 hour ago, mer764KCTV5 said:

On the topic of WFXT, why the Massachusetts did Fox not buy the station again, for the third time? Either they are literally hyper-focused on what their doing or little-focused on their stations.

 

Not an NFC market. Also, Fox had to give it up to meet Cox's price tag for KTVU.

[mer764KCTV5 126]

6 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

 

Not an NFC market. Also, Fox had to give it up to meet Cox's price tag for KTVU.

Oh, so the Patriots don't exist in Massachusetts? Oh that's cool.

 

 

Also, not related to anyone's comment, if For was concerned, I feel like they in 2016 would probably asked WHDH-TV7 for the Fox Affiliation, but nope.

 

And that's why WFXT is in this mess.

[NowBergen 579]

7 minutes ago, mer764KCTV5 said:

Oh, so the Patriots don't exist in Massachusetts? Oh that's cool.

 

I think you misunderstood. Fox’s strategy was to own the Fox station in every NFC market. The Patriots are an AFC team. Fox holds the rights primarily to the NFC. It made having a station in SF more attractive than in Boston. It’s about keeping the advertising $$$ for themselves. 

Edited June 22 by NowBergen

[tyrannical bastard 3763]

1 hour ago, NowBergen said:

I think you misunderstood. Fox’s strategy was to own the Fox station in every NFC market. The Patriots are an AFC team. Fox holds the rights primarily to the NFC. It made having a station in SF more attractive than in Boston. It’s about keeping the advertising $$$ for themselves. 

Hence why Fox dumped WJW (Browns), WDAF (Chiefs), KDVR (Broncos), KTVI (Rams at the time), WITI (distant market for the Packers)  as well as non-NFL markets like Salt Lake City, Greensboro and Birmingham. 

 

The only reason Memphis was kept was likely LocalTV's desire not to re-sell WREG to another owner, so Fox kept Memphis until the KTVU/WFXT swap and Cox got WHBQ as a consolation prize.

[mer764KCTV5 126]

11 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Hence why Fox dumped WJW (Browns), WDAF (Chiefs), KDVR (Broncos), KTVI (Rams at the time), WITI (distant market for the Packers)  as well as non-NFL markets like Salt Lake City, Greensboro and Birmingham. 

 

The only reason Memphis was kept was likely LocalTV's desire not to re-sell WREG to another owner, so Fox kept Memphis until the KTVU/WFXT swap and Cox got WHBQ as a consolation prize.

Isn't the Packers part of the NFC?

[TennTV1983 786]

53 minutes ago, mer764KCTV5 said:

Isn't the Packers part of the NFC?

 

Yes, hence why Fox re-acquired WITI - part of a deal to get KCPQ/KZJO (Seahawks) - twelve years after offloading it to a private equity group in 2007. They did have to sacrifice another NFC market in Charlotte (WJZY/WMYT) to make it happen though.

[tyrannical bastard 3763]

11 hours ago, TennTV1983 said:

 

Yes, hence why Fox re-acquired WITI - part of a deal to get KCPQ/KZJO (Seahawks) - twelve years after offloading it to a private equity group in 2007. They did have to sacrifice another NFC market in Charlotte (WJZY/WMYT) to make it happen though.

Fox did such a poor job in Charlotte with "Fox Carolinas", "Fox 46" and whatever else....that trading for Seattle and Milwaukee was almost a certainty.  Besides the Panthers have had a rough time in the NFC.

[Nelson R. 568]

18 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Fox did such a poor job in Charlotte with "Fox Carolinas", "Fox 46" and whatever else....that trading for Seattle and Milwaukee was almost a certainty.  Besides the Panthers have had a rough time in the NFC.

Almost like the trade was a part of the plan all along. I really believe they used WJZY as a guinea pig with the Hey, Hey Carolinas and  never intended to keep the stations long term.

 

Your second statement….the Panthers were actually playing better when FTS owned them. The Rivera/Kuechly/Cam years were under FTS ownership. Almost like they wanted to build up the team. Now obviously the sale of the station had nothing to do with the ownership change. But the sale to Tepper and the culture changed for the worse right about the time Nexstar bought the stations. So I guess you could say FTS made a good decision when it comes to NFC markets.
 

WJZY has come out all right under Nexstar but the Panthers under Tepper…not so much.

Edited June 23 by Nelson R.

[GraphicsMan 59]

On 6/22/2024 at 12:24 AM, mer764KCTV5 said:

Greensboro

Greensboro is a secondary NFC market just like WITI and KTBC, and WOFL I assume its because it was a small market.

 

On 6/22/2024 at 12:12 AM, tyrannical bastard said:

KTVI (Rams at the time)

 

They were NFC at the time, still are. Before relocation back to LA, I think it was about small markets. 

 

Keep in mind NOLA is a NFC market, They never got WVUE, and honestly they could get WLUK in Green Bay. But I assume they're small markets.

Edited June 23 by GraphicsMan

[mer764KCTV5 126]

1 hour ago, GraphicsMan said:

Keep in mind NOLA is a NFC market, They never got WVUE, and honestly they could get WLUK in Green Bay. But I assume they're small markets.

Both are the top 75 largest markets, that's medium sized.

 

I mean, Fox aquired WOGX in Ocala—Gainesville, Florida (The 162-largest TV market) when the Meredith Corporation sold off that station as well as WOFL when Meredith aquired KPTV from Fox.

 

Plus, Fox owned a share in SF Broadcasting so they could've aquired all of SF Broadcasting if Silver King Broadcasting didn't aquire SF and if NBC didn't mostly filed an petition with the FCC over foreign ownership of their affiliate in Green Bay, WLUK.

[AmericanErrorist 129]

"Deadline hears bankers are also assessing a group of non CBS-affiliated television stations that are not core to the broadcast business. Paramount owns 13 TV stations not affiliated with CBS."

 

https://deadline.com/2024/06/paramount-asset-sales-chatter-around-sale-leaseback-hollywood-lot-1235983020/

[GraphicsMan 59]

20 hours ago, AmericanErrorist said:

"Deadline hears bankers are also assessing a group of non CBS-affiliated television stations that are not core to the broadcast business. Paramount owns 13 TV stations not affiliated with CBS."

 

https://deadline.com/2024/06/paramount-asset-sales-chatter-around-sale-leaseback-hollywood-lot-1235983020/

Those are pretty much the independent stations and the MYTV stations, I think Nexstar can get them however there at limit of how many stations they can own they already have to sell a few station to keep WPIX in New York. But perhaps he’ll sell more stations to not just to keep WPIX but to get those 13 stations that would be a good comeback since those 13 paramount stations dropped their CW affiliation after Nexstar bought the CW network. If Perry Sook Nexstar’s CEO is willing to chop some stations because he’s at the ownership limit and get those 13 stations  and keep WPIX that’s a good steal. Now most of Paramount’s non CBS affiliates stations are in markets where Nexstar broadcasting owns a competing station, however some of those stations are in markets he doesn’t have a station in like Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Miami. Miami and Detroit markets of course are in danger of not having an in market affiliate of CW  because they can’t find a station however this deal allows them to not just own a station there but it gives secures a CW affiliation there. Then of course there CW station WPIX in New York not part of Paramount/CBS but he wants to keep that station so he’ll have to unload more stations to stay under the cap and get those stations but it’s perfect timing.

[NowBergen 579]

8 minutes ago, GraphicsMan said:

Those are pretty much the independent stations and the MYTV stations, I think Nexstar can get them however there at limit of how many stations they can own they already have to sell a few station to keep WPIX in New York. But perhaps he’ll sell more stations to not just to keep WPIX but to get those 13 stations that would be a good comeback since those 13 paramount stations dropped their CW affiliation after Nexstar bought the CW network. If Perry Sook Nexstar’s CEO is willing to chop some stations because he’s at the ownership limit and get those 13 stations  and keep WPIX that’s a good steal. Now most of Paramount’s non CBS affiliates stations are in markets where Nexstar broadcasting owns a competing station, however some of those stations are in markets he doesn’t have a station in like Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Miami. Miami and Detroit markets of course are in danger of not having an in market affiliate of CW  because they can’t find a station however this deal allows them to not just own a station there but it gives secures a CW affiliation there. Then of course there CW station WPIX in New York not part of Paramount/CBS but he wants to keep that station so he’ll have to unload more stations to stay under the cap and get those stations but it’s perfect timing.

Several are top 10 markets including N.Y., LA and Boston. Along with WPIX that’s a large amount of stations Nexstar would need divest to buy them and stay under the cap when FCC scrutiny is already a factor.  Good luck with that. 

[mrschimpf 2232]

CBS dumped MyNet from WBFS and WSBK three years ago, so it's an all-indie roster at this point (outside the oddball Start TV low-power in Indy).

 

I just don't see Nexstar giving up on WPIX at all and having to rebuild WLNY from the ground up (and the ramifications for NewsNation would mean it would have to be at an HC2 price to be believable). WKBD going back to the CW and some NX rural sticks being sold off would make a whole lot more logical sense for Detroit so Kevin can get his HC2 money and fly off into the sunset.

 

And the only way KCAL gets sold off really is years down the line when 3.0 is standardized and they can fit its schedule onto a KCBS sub; it's just too insulated into that LA operation to really be spun off with the WBFS and WPSGs here.

[Megatron81 222]

On 6/26/2024 at 7:34 PM, mrschimpf said:

CBS dumped MyNet from WBFS and WSBK three years ago, so it's an all-indie roster at this point (outside the oddball Start TV low-power in Indy).

 

I just don't see Nexstar giving up on WPIX at all and having to rebuild WLNY from the ground up (and the ramifications for NewsNation would mean it would have to be at an HC2 price to be believable). WKBD going back to the CW and some NX rural sticks being sold off would make a whole lot more logical sense for Detroit so Kevin can get his HC2 money and fly off into the sunset.

 

And the only way KCAL gets sold off really is years down the line when 3.0 is standardized and they can fit its schedule onto a KCBS sub; it's just too insulated into that LA operation to really be spun off with the WBFS and WPSGs here.

 

I'm surprised that CBS hasn't sold that Indy Start TV channel to someone else why keep it truth be told.

[Rusty Muck 4362]

On 6/21/2024 at 10:32 PM, Georgie56 said:

Not an NFC market.

Does that really matter? NFL games are still NFL games and WFXT will carry several Patriots games anyway.

[mer764KCTV5 126]

13 minutes ago, Rusty Muck said:

Does that really matter? NFL games are still NFL games and WFXT will carry several Patriots games anyway.

 

It's like the fact the Kansas City Chiefs games are carried on WDAF-TV, no matter if it's the AFC or the NFC. 

 

I could explain the same thing for WJW and the Cleveland Browns.

It's like, The NFL probably doesn't care about NFC and AFC markets, they care if the games are being watched or not. That and money.

Plus, Fox gained the rights to some of the NFL in 1993.

 

Edited July 3 by mer764KCTV5
More clearer.

[MD TV 218]

13 hours ago, Rusty Muck said:

Does that really matter? NFL games are still NFL games and WFXT will carry several Patriots games anyway.

Even as CBS and Fox now more openly carry games that they wouldn't usually have in the past, there's still more Niner games on KTVU than Patriot games on WFXT.

 

At the time of the trade, we were just ending the era where WFXT couldn't air more than two Patriot regular season games a season. But with all this in mind, Patriot games are still more likely to be on WBZ.