San Diego gets a new FOX station

[A3N 996]

In a very shocking twist of fate, Sam Zell while speaking to a group of employees at St Louis' KPLR-TV spilled the beans and informally announced that KSWB-TV will be the new FOX affiliate for San Diego. It is kind of shocking since the rumors were that KUSI, the indy station would be getting the affiliation, leaving XETV as an independent. Nonetheless, this is a big move because that means that KSWB will most likely begin producing news again.

Video link, click on Sam 5, the announcement begins around 3:20 (gotta love how he makes the announcement).

http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/kplr-sam-zell-visit,0,662339.htmlstory

[A3N 996]

So does XETV get the CW affiliation or does KUSI?

 

Kinda strange that FOX would want to go from a VHF affiliate to a UHF, not that it really much matters anyway w/ so much cable penetration.

 

And will the "KSWB" calls remain?

I think the call letters will change. However it is hard to say, but my guess is that XETV takes the CW. KUSI's owners are really cheap and I doubt that they would want to invest in their station to bring it up par. Although, I could also see KUSI's owners taking the CW then selling the station(to lure potential buyers). Who knows, it's all up in the air, all I know is that Sam is not BullSh*tting around and really starting to get the Tribune back on track.

[Sam Horn 78]

Why did FOX want to leave XETV in the first place? I know it's in Mexico but it doesn't look that bad....

 

Mexico mandates all stations to carry some sort of government centralized news program, IIRCC, and I've heard US networks aren't much keen on the content, namely Fox.

[Sam Horn 78]

Oh yeah...I've heard of that program. I'm looking at XETV's schedule though, and there's no sign of any program like that...

 

http://research.backchannelmedia.com/station/show/XETV

 

Yeah, I see that. I know that they're required to play the Mexican national anthem every morning -- maybe that's it?

[Ntropolis 593]

Yeah' date=' I see that. I know that they're required to play the Mexican national anthem every morning -- maybe that's it?[/quote']

 

Wikipedia says they sign on every morning at 5am and play both the Mexican and US national anthems.

[Sam Horn 78]

Wikipedia says they sign on every morning at 5am and play both the Mexican and US national anthems.

 

Right.

 

I was more-so being tongue in cheek.

[A3N 996]

Why did FOX want to leave XETV in the first place? I know it's in Mexico but it doesn't look that bad....

 

I think that the main reason was ratings. XETV newscast is doing very bad at 10pm, going head to head with KUSI. Even with the American Idol lead-in, XETV continued to lose viewers while other FOX stations gained. Last year, I remember seeing the February sweeps numbers for the 10pm news and I was just amazed at how much viewers XETV had lost by 10:30. I think that on some nights when Idol was on XETV, KUSI beat them with re-runs of Becker (which is kind of sad). It never was this way, XETV had been number 1 at ten for several years, until about late 2006. Then the tables turned, management at ch. 6 got rid of most of their experienced staff and started making stupid changes, and I guess it didn't sit well with the viewers. However there have been some rumors that their parent company Televisa was going to shut down the news operation in San Diego if XETV were to lose the FOX affiliation, and make it another spanish channel. Whatever the case, I can bet that the days are numbered for XETV's management.

[effseesee 101]

What makes you think that the CW network would go anywhere? The age of analog is over folks. If FOX were to join KSWB, it is quite plausible that the CW programming would simply move to a subchannel on KSWB.

 

I believe XETV will either become a full power affiliate of Univision or a Mexican station that will longer be part of the San Diego DMA.

 

Keep in mind that XETV is not entitled to mandatory carriage on cable and satellite. If they are not affiliated with a U.S. network, they will have a hard time staying on cable.

[lugnuts6 89]

Someone clarify this : I watched the stream of Sam Zell's announcement , he said "Rupert gave us the San Diego Station" (4:48-4:56 of his speech on "Sam 5)

it souned like he got the whole thing..clairty please.

[mrscary 0]

So what happens to all the news talent on Fox6? Will they move over to the new station or all get the ax? Lastly, when will the new Fox station take over?

[A3N 996]

So what happens to all the news talent on Fox6? Will they move over to the new station or all get the ax? Lastly, when will the new Fox station take over?

Who knows what might happen to FOX 6's talent, they may or may not get the ax. But, I was reading around and KSWB's contract with KNSD to produce their 10pm newscast has not been renewed for the fall. Back when KUSI supposedly was getting FOX, the rumors were that they would get the affiliation in August of this year. So, it's really up in the air, It could be by this fall or sometime next year.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

Have you seen all of the videos, they are not real big fans of the CW and were more than willing to get rid of it. Also it seems like that have more things up their sleeves. Also that theory of them taking ABC away from KDNL doesn't sound far-fetched and are more than willing to do that. It will be interesting to see what Tribune will do next.

[lugnuts6 89]

I wonder if Zell visted FOX17 in Grand Raps yet ???

[mbhcity 3]

XETV was an enjoyable FOX affiliate...but the new affiliate will be at a disadvantage, at least to non-cable/dish subscribers, because of the channel assignments (51 and 69), while XETV enjoyed being on the VHF. But who in San D doesn't have cable?

[effseesee 101]

XETV was an enjoyable FOX affiliate...but the new affiliate will be at a disadvantage, at least to non-cable/dish subscribers, because of the channel assignments (51 and 69), while XETV enjoyed being on the VHF. But who in San D doesn't have cable?

 

KSWB operates on channel 19 for digital while XETV operates on channel 23. Therefore, there really is no difference between the two. While XETV will not have to shut off analog next February, that really isn't a factor. I don't think people clinging to analog without a converter box is a target audience for advertisers.

[A3N 996]

Here is an article by TV Week regarding the affiliation switch that will happen at the end of August.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/03/trib_station_switches_to_fox_t.php

Trib Station Switches to Fox Tribe

KSWB in San Diego to Depart CW Clan

 

By Michele Greppi

 

Tribune Co.’s KSWB-TV in San Diego will shift its network affiliation to Fox at the end of August, dramatizing the willingness of new Tribune owner Sam Zell to depart from the approach of the company’s former management.

KSWB is affiliated with The CW and was a founding affiliate of its now-defunct predecessor, The WB.

 

The station will start the 2008-09 season carrying Fox’s popular NFL coverage (San Diego is the home of the Chargers), as well as a prime-time lineup fueled by such hits as “House,” “24” and “American Idol.”

 

The talks were spearheaded by Randy Michaels, who has headed Tribune Co.’s Internet and broadcast operations since December, according to Tribune Broadcasting President Ed Wilson, who was president of the Fox Television Network before joining Tribune in February.

Mr. Wilson said Tribune will add three to four hours of news per day to the lineup of KSWB, which currently simulcasts the local morning program produced by Tribune’s KTLA-TV in Los Angeles and broadcasts a late local newscast produced by NBC-owned KNSD-TV in San Diego.

 

“This is a very good move for us,” Mr. Wilson told TelevisionWeek.

 

As for what will happen to The CW affiliation in the market, John Maatta, chief operating officer of The CW issued a statement saying: “Tribune is a valued partner of The CW’s and we’re confident that our interests in San Diego will be fully protected.”

 

Mr. Wilson noted that Tribune still will have 12 CW affiliates, whose general managers recently were briefed on prime-time plans by The CW President Dawn Ostroff.

 

“We continue to be very loyal. We’re going to do what’s best for The CW,” Mr. Wilson said. “We are talking on a daily basis.”

 

Changes

Tribune stations already represented the second-largest group of Fox affiliates. The addition of San Diego will mean seven Tribune-owned stations within the Fox fold.

 

The station losing Fox affiliation is XETV-TV, which is based just across the Mexican border in Tijuana and was purchased by Grupo Televisa in 1996.

 

Jon Hookstratten, Fox network distribution exec VP, said the network’s gains in this affiliation switch start with the fact that instead of working with a station situated in another country, the network will be collaborating with a station whose transmitter is located in the middle of the San Diego market, the 27th largest TV market in the country.

 

“It’s more of a stable situation,” Mr. Hookstratten said. “We are looking forward to it as a great opportunity.”

 

McKinnon Broadcasting had been in talks with Fox Broadcasting about affiliation when Tribune reached out to Fox about making the switch.

 

According to sources familiar with the history of the negotiations, the subject first came up when the previous Tribune regime was grappling with a great deal of challenge and change.

Last week brought the news that Tribune Co. had lost $79 million for the fourth quarter of 2007, its last as a publicly traded company, and ended the calendar year barely profitable.

 

There also was the announcement that Mr. Zell’s new management team was going to combine operations of its Miami TV station, CW affiliated WSFL-TV, and the Tribune-owned South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper.

[Bsean 138]

Here is an article by TV Week regarding the affiliation switch that will happen at the end of August.

 

Based on that, I believe the CW, if it remains in San Diego, will go to KUSI since it is American owned. If that happens, KUSI will finally have to update everything (graphics, music, set). Once that happens, their on air talent will look a lot better. Also, I think there may be the possibilty in My TV moving to XETV from XDTV.

[SFTV 484]

Based on that, I believe the CW, if it remains in San Diego, will go to KUSI since it is American owned. If that happens, KUSI will finally have to update everything (graphics, music, set). Once that happens, their on air talent will look a lot better. Also, I think there may be the possibilty in My TV moving to XETV from XDTV.

 

well MyTV was a duopoly with XETV until the beginning of 2008, they split up and went back to its original roots where XUPN started, back to the Univision/Telemundo/Telefututa Studios off Ruffin Rd.

 

notice the MyTV13 website, no more news supplied by FOX 6 like before.

 

so who knows what will happen to XETV. =/

[A3N 996]

Anyone know if KSWB will lease its own news-gathering helicopter or piggy back off KFMB's like XETV and KUSI do?

Well, before KSWB shut down its in-house news operation, they got chopper video from KFMB-TV. KFMB contracts out their traffic/helicopter service through Metro Traffic. I doubt that Tribune would want to pony up the dough for a helicopter, but stranger things have happened.

[rv65 3]

Any way to access the video again. I want to see it for some reason. I can't find it in their archives. Too bad they make it impossible to access it again. Once it's gone it's gone.