2015 TV Predictions

[davidgheller47]

Any on-air identity changes, don't expect too many changes the only changes I see in that department are:

WTTV will go from "Indiana's 4" to "CBS 4"

KFOR (as part of the changes made when they move into their Weather, News, and Digital information complex sometime next year) will go from "NewsChannel 4" to "KFOR, Channel 4" as the general on air brand and "Channel 4 Eyewitness News" as the newscast on air brand)

Everything else will remain the same.

 

[only1moore]

I see Hearst acquire WTTV/WTTK from Tribune in exchange for WREG and Hearst will buy land next door to WXIN's studios and will start construction on that.

Tribune owns WREG, but I do see Hearst eying WREG and/or WTTV/WTTK in exchange for giving up one of their NBC outlets. At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if Hearst start mining for more ABC affiliates to add to its portfolio.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

ABC affiliates put pressure on ABC for more sports, instead of ESPN Sports Saturday

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

What are some stations whose network affiliations are up for renewal or new negotiations in 2015? Could we see any unforeseen network changes in some markets a la the WISH/WTTV(K) CBS swap in Indianapolis? Even any involving sign-offs of existing stations in favor of a co-owned station's subchannel (a la KHAS Hastings, NE and ABC 33/40 Birmingham)?

 

[davidgheller47]

ABC affiliates put pressure on ABC for more sports, instead of ESPN Sports Saturday

I don't blame them for it, few years ago they were upset when ESPN started migrating it to cable from ABC, been happening ever since ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC in 2006. The only way I see that happening is if Disney either spins off ABC or sells the network to another media giant (I.e. Time Warner) and probably the biggest sports TV contracts that are up within the next few years is the Big Ten and perhaps Thursday Night Football depending on what the NFL might do but I kinda doubt that The NFL would put The Thursday Night package out on the market in 2015 season (I see them exercising that option for a 2nd year between them and CBS/NFL Network for 2015) 2016 though much different story. But for the Big Ten it's really ESPN's and especially Fox's to lose as I don't see any other network challenging them for the rights to the big ten, do I see Fox getting the entire package? Maybe. Do I see ABC/ESPN getting a piece of it? We'll see about that one.

 

[davidgheller47]

Tribune owns WREG, but I do see Hearst eying WREG and/or WTTV/WTTK in exchange for giving up one of their NBC outlets. At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if Hearst start mining for more ABC affiliates to add to its portfolio.

Oops, I do see Hearst buying WREG and WTTV/WTTK and all but the 2 Texas stations (KSAT and KPRC) and WKMG from Graham Media, the reason why they'll put the 3 stations I just mentioned up for sale is because Hearst can't own a TV station and a local newspaper in the same market (they own both The San Antonio Express-News and The Houston Chronicle) and they already own WESH/WKCF as far as those 3 stations go I see them getting traded to Tribune for WREG.

 

[davidgheller47]

I did saw something from about a week ago about a potential merger between CBS and Viacom but it's also a possibility that Time Warner might buy CBS and with CBS' Chief Executive Leslie Moonves, signing an extension with the company through 2019 and Summer Redstone possibly wanting to sell the 2 companies with media merger is more likely? Time Warner/CBS Viacom/CBS or a potential combination of the 3 companies into 1 (Time Warner merging with both Viacom and CBS)?

 

[davideduardo]

I did saw something from about a week ago about a potential merger between CBS and Viacom

Viacom just recently (2006) split into Viacom and CBS as separate entities. What would be the reason fro them to rejoin?

 

[davidgheller47]

Viacom just recently (2006) split into Viacom and CBS as separate entities. What would be the reason fro them to rejoin?

What Redstone wants to do is that before he dies, or he sells off both of them he want to do it in 1 piece not 2 in other words, the only way how you do it in one piece is be recombining the 2 together and 2006 is not "recently" that was about almost 9 years ago.

 

[Morgan Wick]

I don't blame them for it, few years ago they were upset when ESPN started migrating it to cable from ABC, been happening ever since ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC in 2006.

The ABC affiliates have two options. They can accept that cable's inherent monetary advantages over broadcast will always give it an edge, especially when it comes to high-value sports, that cable money is what's keeping many of them afloat and most people think broadcast is a dying medium so they should just be glad ABC is a pretty strong network that gives them considerable weekend time for syndicated sports packages (though at this point that pretty much means ACC Network, for now, or ASN and its mid-majors) while they can.

Or they can recognize that sports and other live events are much of the point of linear television at this point and will be the key to its continued existence, try to convince ABC execs that broadcast has more of a future than linear cable television, support ATSC 3.0, invest in mobile and (possibly) resist efforts to be folded into WatchABC, root for continued cord-cutting, and call on the FCC to fix the broken economics of the broadcast industry that leaves broadcasters disdaining their own nominal medium so that broadcasters can benefit from their audience advantages again rather than try to protect their retransmission consent revenue. Once that happens, then Disney will start throwing them more sports bones - and if its not going to happen, every last one of them might as well cash out in the incentive auction, because in the long term it's their only hope for survival.

 

[CTListener]

so they should just be glad ABC is a pretty strong network that gives them considerable weekend time for syndicated sports packages (though at this point that pretty much means ACC Network, for now, or ASN and its mid-majors) while they can.

We get none of that on WTNH New Haven, CT. Weekend afternoons on Channel 8 are wall-to-wall infomercials (including local "product showcase"-type shows that disguise themselves as talk) when ESPN isn't supplying live sports.