WXmanTim 88 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 The New York Times is reporting that family-owned Landmark Communications is slowly breaking up as it prepares to sell its media properties, including The Weather Channel. NBC-Universal, Newscorp and Comcast are all potential suitors with rumors that NBC will be especially aggressive in pursuing the network. The network could fetch up to $5 bn at sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTVNews 1367 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Well, you WCBS and KTVT are partner up with TWC. So my guess is CBS Corp to buy TWC. Oh, Are KLAS and WTVF for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Well, you WCBS and KTVT are partner up with TWC. So my guess is CBS Corp to buy TWC. Oh, Are KLAS and WTVF for sale? Can someone translate this to English? Seriously though, chief, if you read the article, there was no mention of CBS and why would you draw that conclusion just because WCBS and KTVT use The Weather Channel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdcnow 14 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 The New York Times is reporting that family-owned Landmark Communications is slowly breaking up as it prepares to sell its media properties, including The Weather Channel. NBC-Universal, Newscorp and Comcast are all potential suitors with rumors that NBC will be especially aggressive in pursuing the network. The network could fetch up to $5 bn at sale. Ol' Rupert's pockets are deep, but they ain't THAT deep, are they? He just got through buying Wall Street Journal and launching Fox Business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 I imagine the TV stations will simply be absorbed by another media company, as both are top-notch ratings powerhouses and its a two station group. Local Television, LLC and Bain or Capstar or whomever, seem to be interested in larger acquisitions instead of doing things piecemeal. I imagine one of the bigger stations groups, Raycom, Gannett or Hearst are sniffing things out. Raycom, even with the recent purchase of the Lincoln Financial Stations Group, could easily absorb both of these stations. Hearst or (less Likely) Gannett (because of its ownership of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper - click the link for it's story on Channel 5's possible sale) are other possibilities. Hell, maybe Landmark will go for it all and demand that whomever purchases TWC must purchase the two broadcast stations as well. If NBC manages to pull off the purchase, we could see another round of affiliation changes. (as an smart-alecky aside: You know, TWC partners with the Clear Channel radio stations, especially News-Talk outlets...maybe they will purchase TWC because of that. Or maybe...just maybe...Mississippi Public Broadcasting will purchase TWC, I mean...they partner with them for radio forecasts!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntropolis 593 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I don't see Raycom getting KLAS. They seem to like the south. How about Liberty Media? They own QVC and have stake in several other cable networks, they also recently bought WFRV; I don't know how interested they'd be in local TV assets. I wonder who will get the newspapers, The Virginian-Pilot is Landmark's flagship property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTVNews 1367 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Besides TWC, Who do you see buying KLAS and WTVF? In my opinion, I see Belo buying WTVF and/or KLAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydWHunte AKA swillh2k2 0 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Besides TWC, Who do you see buying KLAS and WTVF? In my opinion, I see Belo buying WTVF and/or KLAS. Anyone think Hearst-Argyle or Post-Newsweek would be interested in these two stations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElliotJones 52 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Besides TWC, Who do you see buying KLAS and WTVF? In my opinion, I see Belo buying WTVF and/or KLAS. Why...why would the Weather Channel buy KLAS and WTVF... Oh God, my head...just...take this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Lampstein 6 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Why...why would the Weather Channel buy KLAS and WTVF... Oh God, my head...just...take this. That's not what he meant, sir... He was referring to who would be interested in KLAS or WTVF, two stations owned by Landmark which owns The Weather Channel. Very sorry to call you out like this. I hope we can still be friends... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler 150 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I just hope News Corp stays the hell away from TWC. I can already see it... "The FOX Weather Channel." "We forecast... you decide." Yet - somehow, the forecasts would be republican based. And, all shows base don global warming would likely have only the R. beliefs. Maybe NBC wouldn't be that bad... but their attempt at an all-weather network hasn't done too well (Wx+, cough cough). I mean, Wx+ was the product of TWC saying NO to NBC's idea of a possible TWC/NBC merger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElliotJones 52 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 That's not what he meant, sir... He was referring to who would be interested in KLAS or WTVF, two stations owned by Landmark which owns The Weather Channel. Very sorry to call you out like this. I hope we can still be friends... It's okay, buddy. I'd rather to have been called out in a violent manner by CFIF. I read it as "besides TWC, who would buy KLAS or WTVF?". Can he still take that fancy animated GIF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Lampstein 6 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Can he still take that fancy animated GIF? I wouldn't have it any other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effseesee 101 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Anyone think Hearst-Argyle or Post-Newsweek would be interested in these two stations? No. The leading candidate for the two stations, in my opinion, is the Local TV/Tribune conglomerate for several reasons. One of the first acts by Sam Zell after he bought Tribune was appoint Brian Greenspun to the company's board of directors. Greenspun is the publisher of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. Greenspun's father, Hank Greenspun, founded KLAS. KLAS already has a working arrangement with the Sun. If the new Local TV/Tribune conglomerate gets control, Greenspun will have the station back in the family without actually owning it. Buying WTVF in Nashville will complement Local TV's CBS affiliate in Memphis. The only question is whether they have the money to do the deal after buying the FOX stations. Raycom is another possibility. Nashville is one of the few southeastern markets Raycom does not have a station and the Las Vegas station will nicely complement Raycom's stations in Hawaii and Tucson. Gannett is likely out due to its ownership of the Tennessean in Nashville. I think you will have to take both if you want to play this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 No. The leading candidate for the two stations, in my opinion, is the Local TV/Tribune conglomerate for several reasons. One of the first acts by Sam Zell after he bought Tribune was appoint Brian Greenspun to the company's board of directors. Greenspun is the publisher of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. Greenspun's father, Hank Greenspun, founded KLAS. KLAS already has a working arrangement with the Sun. If the new Local TV/Tribune conglomerate gets control, Greenspun will have the station back in the family without actually owning it. Buying WTVF in Nashville will complement Local TV's CBS affiliate in Memphis. The only question is whether they have the money to do the deal after buying the FOX stations. Raycom is another possibility. Nashville is one of the few southeastern markets Raycom does not have a station and the Las Vegas station will nicely complement Raycom's stations in Hawaii and Tucson. Gannett is likely out due to its ownership of the Tennessean in Nashville. I think you will have to take both if you want to play this game. That's what I'm thinking (and said as much earlier) with regards to Raycom and Gannett. Even with the relaxing of the newspaper/television crossownership rules, Gannett would not be able to own WTVF because it is the top-rated station in the market while the new rules state that a station cannot be in the top-three or four rated stations (at any rate the rules are similar if not the same standard set for the duopoly rules when they were instituted). However, I didn't know about the Greenspun/Local/Tribune angle and can definately see your point on that. If I were to hedge a guess, I would say Raycom would come up the winner in this with these two stations...as you say the southeast is kind of their home base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effseesee 101 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 If Raycom were to get any station it would be WTVF and WTVF alone. I don't see them expanding out west any further [they only own two stations west of the Rocky Mountains, KOLD and KHNL]. KLAS and Local TV would probably be a perfect fit and TWC, as mentioned before, is really anyone's guess. You gotta wonder if Time Warner would buy it though and combine it with CNN [they're both in Atlanta].... As I said previously, Landmark will not sell the two stations separately. There will likely be several suitors who are willing and able to take both. The bigger prize of the two stations is KLAS. While Las Vegas is a smaller market than Nashville in terms of actual households, Vegas is a larger revenue market than Nashville. KLAS generates far more revenue than WTVF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I just hope News Corp stays the hell away from TWC. I can already see it... "The FOX Weather Channel." "We forecast... you decide." Yet - somehow, the forecasts would be republican based. And, all shows base don global warming would likely have only the R. beliefs. Yeah you're not funny and don't get me started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler 150 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Yeah you're not funny and don't get me started. You already started, sir. And last time I checked, I still had the right to freedom of speech. So, I will say as I please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 You already started, sir. And last time I checked, I still had the right to freedom of speech. So, I will say as I please. No actually you started with your original post. And about your free speech, you have as much of a right to say what you did, as I to disagree with you. Free speech is a two way street pal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ntropolis 593 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 The leading candidate for the two stations, in my opinion, is the Local TV/Tribune conglomerate for several reasons. One of the first acts by Sam Zell after he bought Tribune was appoint Brian Greenspun to the company's board of directors. Greenspun is the publisher of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. Greenspun's father, Hank Greenspun, founded KLAS. KLAS already has a working arrangement with the Sun. If the new Local TV/Tribune conglomerate gets control, Greenspun will have the station back in the family without actually owning it. Buying WTVF in Nashville will complement Local TV's CBS affiliate in Memphis. The only question is whether they have the money to do the deal after buying the FOX stations. Very interesting. WTVF and/or KLAS could go to the joint roadcast management company and the newspapers to Tribune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre29 1343 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 As I said previously, Landmark will not sell the two stations separately. Why not? Too much paperwork? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProButtonPusher 230 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Why not? Too much paperwork? yeah, because when a group sells, they usually just want it "over and done" with one quick transaction, rather then several different sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blargh 2 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 And about your free speech, you have as much of a right to say what you did, as I to disagree with you. Free speech is a two way street pal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 756 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Getting back on topic, it only seems logical that Comcast would be interested in acquiring The Weather Channel, since they already offer Weatherscan to its customers in just about all of their markets. This would be a big gain for them more than just merely adding another network to its various cable properties (i.e., G4, E! Entertainment Television). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbc9houston 21 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Anyone think Hearst-Argyle or Post-Newsweek would be interested in these two stations? I don't know if Post-Newsweek would want to buy KLAS or WTVF due to what happened in 2002 between CBS and WJXT. That's just my opinion. Hearst-Argyle owns only two CBS stations, KCCI and WLKY. Since CBS is #1, I would see any reason why not for H-A to go for KLAS and WTVF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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