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Scripps, Journal to merge; spin-off newspapers

PTBoardOp94

PTBoardOp94

Milwaukee's media scene, which has been boring for years, just got more interesting.

It's a merger of equals who both invest heavily in newscasts, while having an insane zeal to get syndicated shows off their schedules (Journal was the first outside Scripps to run their Let's Ask America). But now it sets up the question whether stations like WTMJ and WGBA, which have been loyal to NBC for years, could shift over to ABC. Even with WISN and WBAY being among the best affiliates in the nation, Disney could easily be happy to kill that loyalty to shift over their affiliations to one of their own most loyal groups who had their back in 1994.

Also using the existing structures of two companies to shift broadcast onto one company and the print to another is very smart, though the Journal-Sentinel's ability to just stomp all comers in Milwaukee without having to look at the balance sheet is going to be neutered.

Finally for those curious, the Spelling Bee stays with New Scripps. No way they were letting that go.
 
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mrschimpf said:
Milwaukee's media scene, which has been boring for years, just got more interesting.

It's a merger of equals who both invest heavily in newscasts, while having an insane zeal to get syndicated shows off their schedules (Journal was the first outside Scripps to run their Let's Ask America). But now it sets up the question whether stations like WTMJ and WGBA, which have been loyal to NBC for years, could shift over to ABC. Even with WISN and WBAY being among the best affiliates in the nation, Disney could easily be happy to kill that loyalty to shift over their affiliations to one of their own most loyal groups who had their back in 1994.
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Unlike the 90s when it was very much en vogue AND a security deposit to go all in with one network (Allbritton, Scripps except in Tulsa and WPB, McGraw-Hill), today TV station groups are much more diversified as a whole.

Except for Hearst, which owns a boatload of ABCs and NBCs, two CBS affiliates and not a Fox outlet in sight, and the network station groups, every major player pretty much has everything. Gannett came into possession of its first Fox affiliates when it bought London. Scripps now has CBS and Fox in its portfolio. Meredith is now an all-four owner thanks to its acquisition of WGGB. Sinclair, Nexstar, Cox, Media General, LIN and Tribune are also there.

Why? Because it ensures that at least some of your stations have the Super Bowl every year and that diversification means you're not predominantly tied to the ratings fortunes of one network.

About the only countercurrent to the idea of diversification is that most groups are shedding their newspapers—which is happening here. (Except for Hearst, plus Cox and Gannett.)
 
Out here in the West, the Scripps-Journal union will be a bit bigger as far as ABC is concerned; the cominbed company will have Alphabet stations in Las Vegas, San Diego, Tucson, Phoenix, Denver, Bakersfield, and Boise. Albeit Denver and Phoenix are top-20 markets, and the rest are middle-to-small, it does make for a nice Western cluster.
 
As far as Milwaukee (or in the case of Omaha, West Palm Beach or Kansas City) is concerned, Hearst and ABC/Disney are too joined at the hip to switch affiliations. Plus WTMJ's deep relationship with NBC is too valuable to give up. Scripps will leave the Journal stations alone and keep the affiliations as it is.
 
only1moore said:
As far as Milwaukee (or in the case of Omaha, West Palm Beach or Kansas City) is concerned, Hearst and ABC/Disney are too joined at the hip to switch affiliations. Plus WTMJ's deep relationship with NBC is too valuable to give up. Scripps will leave the Journal stations alone and keep the affiliations as it is.
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I'm just expressing the opening worries I had for this; I know there's not really any way the affiliations would trade unless ABC pulled off some NBC/Westinghouse strongarming on Scripps and you are all right, diversification is best for a station group these days. It's seriously the first big station deal in Milwaukee for years outside of WITI's shuffles so naturally there would be worries.

Also, I think you'd want me sorting oddball affiliation possibilities in short paragraphs more than a certain Nebraskan's regular Magna Cartas involving all the station groups.;)
 
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Spin off newspapers?
No spin off broadcasting!
Half full; half empty.
Potato; potahto. (For wing-nuts: Potato; potatoe).
 
In the Fort Myers/Naples market, Journal owns FOX affiliate WFTX-TV 36 (FOX 4) and Scripps owns the Naples Daily News.

This will be interesting...
 
I highly, highly doubt Scripps will change any affiliations with their new stations, especially with WTMJ. The Scripps/ABC deal was done back in the 90s to keep WEWS in Cleveland and WXYZ in Detroit from defecting to CBS (fallout from the Fox/New World deal). Any stations added since then are irrelevant to this agreement. Besides, in Milwaukee, ABC would never voluntarily leave WISN-TV. They are one of their most successful affiliates. And Hearst has a tight rrelationship with the network. Likewise, WTMJ and NBC are very much satisfied with each other. As for the other stations in the market, WITI would be stupid to drop FOX, and even the scrappy little CBS58 has exceeded all expectations since joining the network. They're a pretty decent affiliate. Not dominant, but competitive.
 
FightingIrish said:
I highly, highly doubt Scripps will change any affiliations with their new stations, especially with WTMJ. The Scripps/ABC deal was done back in the 90s to keep WEWS in Cleveland and WXYZ in Detroit from defecting to CBS (fallout from the Fox/New World deal). Any stations added since then are irrelevant to this agreement. Besides, in Milwaukee, ABC would never voluntarily leave WISN-TV. They are one of their most successful affiliates. And Hearst has a tight rrelationship with the network. Likewise, WTMJ and NBC are very much satisfied with each other. As for the other stations in the market, WITI would be stupid to drop FOX, and even the scrappy little CBS58 has exceeded all expectations since joining the network. They're a pretty decent affiliate. Not dominant, but competitive.
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I agree with you, there would absolutely be no way possible that Heart would unleash ABC, not unless they sell their 20% stake in ESPN, but even that! the relationship between Hearst and ABC is too big to cut loose of one another.
 
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