Cox Media Group general discussion

[Howard Beale 90]

I can't find a thread for general discussion about Cox Media Group, so let's start one with some actual news!

WSB-TV anchor Justin Farmer is leaving the station after 16 years for an undisclosed finance job.  Here's what's odd about this.  WSB management announced the news to employees today (November 25) at the morning editorial meeting, and Farmer's last day is tomorrow (November 26th).  A 24-hour turnaround from announcement to goodbye?  This reeks of either a budget cut or a failed contract negotiation.

[TheRolyPoly 2627]

7 minutes ago, Howard Beale said:

I can't find a thread for general discussion about Cox Media Group, so let's start one with some actual news!

WSB-TV anchor Justin Farmer is leaving the station after 16 years for an undisclosed finance job.  Here's what's odd about this.  WSB management announced the news to employees today (November 25) at the morning editorial meeting, and Farmer's last day is tomorrow (November 26th).  A 24-hour turnaround from announcement to goodbye?  This reeks of either a budget cut or a failed contract negotiation.

 

Or... getting out before the holidays.

[Glimmer 283]

It sounds like it was for the most part his decision, though he’ll still pop up on WSB as a contributor 

[Recovering Producer 233]

2 hours ago, Howard Beale said:

I can't find a thread for general discussion about Cox Media Group, so let's start one with some actual news!

WSB-TV anchor Justin Farmer is leaving the station after 16 years for an undisclosed finance job.  Here's what's odd about this.  WSB management announced the news to employees today (November 25) at the morning editorial meeting, and Farmer's last day is tomorrow (November 26th).  A 24-hour turnaround from announcement to goodbye?  This reeks of either a budget cut or a failed contract negotiation.

 

I don't have any insight or information, but having a new job and an ongoing relationship with the station makes me think this was a planned exit by him. A quiet and short notice without the pomp and circumstance is the ideal departure for many people. News anchors come and go, and maybe he didn't want to make himself the news or at least minimize the time when he is the center of attention. The tribute and retrospective PKGs are awkward and have no viewer benefit. Newsroom cakes and speeches are just painfully awkward.

 

[Dave Lampstein 127]

Good timing on the launch of the CMG thread... more news: they're shutting down the DC bureau. 

 

 

[NYAZSporty 149]

I'm guessing with the close of the DC bureau, the Cox stations will likely have to lean on their respective networks and/or CNN for news in the nation's capital.

[MediaZone4K 2285]

As sad as I am to see reporters lose their job, are national bureaus for station groups necessary? Don't network affiliations already fill that void? The only beneficiary I can see is an independent station. It's duplicative for WSB to need Cox Washington packages when ABC News can already cover that.

 

Despite the vast array of media services available to a local station they all cover the same thing. How many sources do we need providing a package on AAA Thanksgiving travel predictions?

On 11/25/2024 at 8:12 PM, Howard Beale said:

I can't find a thread for general discussion about Cox Media Group, so let's start one with some actual news!

WSB-TV anchor Justin Farmer is leaving the station after 16 years for an undisclosed finance job.  Here's what's odd about this.  WSB management announced the news to employees today (November 25) at the morning editorial meeting, and Farmer's last day is tomorrow (November 26th).  A 24-hour turnaround from announcement to goodbye?  This reeks of either a budget cut or a failed contract negotiation.

Wow! Sucks. He had a legacy tie to the station as his dad was big time local anchor Don Farmer.  Justin always did this weird singing thing in his anchoring cadence. Has anyone ever noticed this?

Edited March 23 by MediaZone4K

[nathannah 2521]

Imagicomm has put all the stations they got from Cox back on the market.

[GoldenShine_10 113]

2 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

Imagicomm has put all the stations they got from Cox back on the market.

 

Posted my thoughts in Speculatron.

[Howard Beale 90]

Here's a new thread specifically for the Imagicomm pending sale.

[TDNProd 6]

4 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

Imagicomm has put all the stations they got from Cox back on the market.

That didn't take long

[The Frog 435]

Apollo is looking to sell Cox Media Group.

 

Gray and Nexstar are among the potential buyers.

[MidwestTV 1263]

How does Gray have any money to buy Cox?

[GoldenShine_10 113]

1 hour ago, The Frog said:

Apollo is looking to sell Cox Media Group.

 

Gray and Nexstar are among the potential buyers.

 

Gray would have to sell in Atlanta and I believe that's it. Nexstar would have to sell in Dayton, and again that's it.

3 minutes ago, MidwestTV said:

How does Gray have any money to buy Cox?

 

I don't think they have enough at this time. Nexstar would be better positioned, although Gray could be the divested Dayton station.

 

That said, there would be about $1 billion saved in that the station that Gray would have to let go of would be WSB, and that's worth a lot of money.

[atlnews2 598]

Gray has conflicts in Atlanta and charlotte. Nexstar conflict in Dayton 

 

 

Any chance Hearst jumps on this? Good chance to get some pretty good assets…conflicts in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Orlando would need to be divested, but that should be easy. 

Edited March 22 by atlnews2

[GoldenShine_10 113]

1 minute ago, atlnews2 said:

Gray has conflicts in Atlanta and charlotte. Nexstar conflict in Dayton 

 

I forgot about Charlotte, and actually Nexstar conflicts there too.

 

That said, Nexstar has an easier deal overall, as the conflicts are smaller and they have largely paid off their debt from other recent deals, while Gray still has a lot on the board. But who else would be bidding? Tegna is in flux. Scripps has major financial issues. Sinclair is still poison in the industry. Allen has lost a lot of his support. This may be too much for Hearst and especially Graham (both are private as well).

[TheRolyPoly 2627]

I'm surprised Hearst isn't interested in this. They may be taking a careful approach and just avoid it altogether.

[nickp 344]

Gray: WPCH joins up to WSB WANF goes to CBS to justify WUPA's existence

[TennTV1983 810]

2 hours ago, nickp said:

Gray: WPCH joins up to WSB WANF goes to CBS to justify WUPA's existence

 

Wrong thread for that.

[tyrannical bastard 4055]

Warren Buffett, perhaps?

 

Especially in Atlanta and Dayton to keep their newspaper/TV combos intact.

 

These stations are strong enough (aside from Jacksonville) to lose their network affiliations given what just happened to WPLG.

 

The station market can't handle any more at the moment given current cap space and their finances.  Outside financing or financiers like BH is a must. 

[Georgie56 3333]

Hearst doesn’t buy up whole groups. They buy on an individual basis.

[MediaZone4K 2285]

8 hours ago, atlnews2 said:

Gray has conflicts in Atlanta and charlotte. Nexstar conflict in Dayton 

 

 

Any chance Hearst jumps on this? Good chance to get some pretty good assets…conflicts in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Orlando would need to be divested, but that should be easy. 

Cox has some good stations, WSB among them. I would hate to see Nexstar ( which according to those who work in the industry pays the lowest) come in and cheapen those stations. I wouldn't mind Hearst taking over.

 

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:

Hearst doesn’t buy up whole groups. They buy on an individual basis.

I've heard part of the reason why Hearst has such a good reputation is that it doesn't endlessly acquire stations like the other groups, so it isn't spread too thin. Moreover, they have assets outside of television, so they aren't solely dependent on tv revenue.

Edited March 23 by MediaZone4K

[atlnews2 598]

Keep in mind Apollo wants someone to buy the entire thing, not a piecemeal sale…that means the buyer will need to be willing to take the radio stations as well 

Edited March 23 by atlnews2

[GoldenShine_10 113]

16 minutes ago, atlnews2 said:

Keep in mind Apollo wants someone to buy the entire thing, not a piecemeal sale…that means the buyer will need to be willing to take the radio stations as well 

 

As I posted in Speculatron, that will be nearly impossible.

[mre29 1571]

2 hours ago, atlnews2 said:

Keep in mind Apollo wants someone to buy the entire thing, not a piecemeal sale…that means the buyer will need to be willing to take the radio stations as well 

 

But they don't have to keep the radio stations, right?