Nexstar to buy tegna?

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

I say not so fast here. First of all the ownership caps are at play here and a risk of getting into debt is at play here if Nexstar makes this move.


http://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2017/4/26/nexstar-to-buy-tegna

The big talk going on a NAB this year in Las Vegas, is the rumor that Nexstar is interested in buying the Tegna stations.

While Sinclair has been getting the spotlight for their play in gobbling up the Tribune stations, word is that Nexstar and Tegna have quietly begun talking about a deal.

Normally, when a station group is bought up by Nexstar, we feel so bad for the employees at stations being bought by Perry Sook's company.

But in this case, Tegna has become so bad and cratered what was once a great company, that if this goes through, it will have almost no impact on the Tegna employees.

They will be going from a cheap owner that has all but given up on covering real news to Nexstar.

Just more of the same......

 

[Ccook55]

Doesn't Gannett still have a controlling interest in Tegna? Wouldn't they have the last say-so?

 

[ChocoMingo]

This will also cause lots of divestments in major cities like Tampa (WFLA & WTSP), Portland (KOIN & KGW), or Austin (KVUE & KXAN).

This potential merger may also may threaten historic stuff that make a TEGNA or Nexstar station in a TV market famous, such as in Atlanta, where WXIA's "11 Alive" name may have the "Alive" part threatened to be removed again (yes, it has happened before, in the mid 90s, but the Alive part was brought back due to local complaints), or in Knoxville, where WATE may have to move out of it's historic and popular "mansion" for WBIR (which is a "downgrade") or WBIR may have to remove it's famed "heart" logo, just like what WKRN did with it's famous Circle 2 that was there since the 80s when they went from MG to Nexstar, or in Portland, where KOIN could be forced to move out of the tall building named after them, just for KGW (but the Portland situation probably will not happen, as Portland is one market will Nexstar will divest stations to others).

Therefore, I agree with RadioPatrol, and that this merger won't work.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Doesn't Gannett still have a controlling interest in Tegna? Wouldn't they have the last say-so?

Gannett and TEGNA are completely separate companies, and have been so since their split in 2015.

 

[Megatron]

Which means like Sinclair & Tribune merger FOX17 will have to be sold to a third party same would be true for a Nexstar & TEGNA merger as WZZM is a TEGNA own station would also have to be sold to a third party. Which would be a lot of turnover in the West Michigan market for the past few years since 2012 WWMT was sold to Sinclair from Freedom, WoodTV sold twice since 2014 when it was a LIN station to Media General then Nexstar in Jan of this year.

 

[Will_H_69_9]

and what nobody has mentioned on here is, Nexstar is based out of Irving, Texas, deep in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex TV market and right now, they don't own any TV station in their home market, but if they buy Tegna out, then that would mean WFAA becomes a flagship station once again, but to Nexstar due to it being a DFW based company and WFAA having a history of being a flagship of Belo before Belo was bought out by Gannett and then Gannett spun the TV stations off as Tegna.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

and what nobody has mentioned on here is, Nexstar is based out of Irving, Texas, deep in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex TV market and right now, they don't own any TV station in their home market, but if they buy Tegna out, then that would mean WFAA becomes a flagship station once again, but to Nexstar due to it being a DFW based company and WFAA having a history of being a flagship of Belo before Belo was bought out by Gannett and then Gannett spun the TV stations off as Tegna.

Nexstar's flagship station for now is KRON-TV San Francisco and they share a building with Disney KGO-TV at 900 Front Street. I know KRON has some sharing agreements with KGO-TV for ABC7's Sky7 for aerial shots for now though.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

and what nobody has mentioned on here is, Nexstar is based out of Irving, Texas, deep in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex TV market and right now, they don't own any TV station in their home market, but if they buy Tegna out, then that would mean WFAA becomes a flagship station once again, but to Nexstar due to it being a DFW based company and WFAA having a history of being a flagship of Belo before Belo was bought out by Gannett and then Gannett spun the TV stations off as Tegna.

Nexstar's flagship station for now is KRON-TV San Francisco and they share a building with Disney KGO-TV at 900 Front Street. I know KRON has some sharing agreements with KGO-TV for ABC7's Sky7 for aerial shots for now though.

 

[JeeperOne]

What gets me is why Nexstar is going after TEGNA when (Last I heard), the Tribune stations (Which just so happen THREE of THE BIGGEST STATIONS IN THE NATION in KTLA 5 (Los Angeles), WGN 9 (Chicago) & WPIX 11 (New York) PLUS cable channel WGN America, are STILL ON THE BLOCK !!!

And someone correct if I'm wrong here, but isn't a DALLAS station in that group too ??

Given all that, what would they want with TEGNA (Aside from someone to consider selling stations to as you know there would have to be some spin-offs after the purchase of the Tribune stations to get back within FCC regs)

Another one they could work with is Fox (Since nearly half the group is affiliated with the network AND Fox just so happens to own KDFW 4 whom they get can get a managent agreement on - Fox HAS offered up this station before for local management as you might recall)

Fox also has other properties they could also sell outright to them as well in an effort to trim fat (Austin comes to mind here)

And YOU KNOW Fox would LOVE to get its hands on KCPQ 13 in Seattle as it's one of just TWO cities (New Orleans being the other) where there's an NFC team YET fox DOES NOT own the location station IN that city

As for the other Tribune stations, here's what I think Nexstar would likely do & why.....

KEEP

Denver -

KWGN 2 (don't see anyone else buying it)

KDVR 31 (With the Beroncos being an AFC team & FSN having moved completely out of the area, I don't see Fox taking this station back after all these years)

Kansas City

WDAF 4 (See KDVR)

St. Louis

KTVI 2 (With the Rams now back in L.A. I don't see Fox taking this station back either)

KPLR 11 (I don't think the deal Tribune struck with DOJ will be grandfathered, so I see this station being spun off to Sinclair,(Who, in turn, would GLADLY move ABC here & bump The CW over to KDNL 30 where it belongs IMO)

Oklahoma City

KFOR 4 (Unless TEGNA decides it wants back into OKC or Scripss decides it wants the station for themselves (As they do own KJRH in Tulsa), I don't see them selling this one)

Seattle

KCPQ 13 (Fox will likely go after this station EVEN IF it meant offering up a management agreement for KDFW & completely selling MyNet sister KDFI 27 plus KTBC 7 in Austin & KRIV 26 in Houston to get it. Barring that, I don't see them selling this one either)


SELL

Memphis

WREG 3 (Somehow I don't think Nexstar wants another Grand Rapids on its hands (Only with a CBS/ABC duo rather than an NBC/ABC duo so I think this station will be spun off to either Scripps (Who owns WTVF 5 in Nashville), Meredith (Owners of WSMV 4 in Nashville), Hearst (Owners of WLKY 32 in Louisville, KY) or TEGNA (Owners of WHAS 11 in Louisville)

That's all I can think of for now. As always - Feel free to add on to (Or subtract from) this peeps (I know you will)

Cheers

 

[KeithE4]

And YOU KNOW Fox would LOVE to get its hands on KCPQ 13 in Seattle as it's one of just TWO cities (New Orleans being the other) where there's an NFC team YET fox DOES NOT own the location station IN that city

Fox does not own its affiliate in Green Bay (WLUK-TV 11, Sinclair).

 

[ChocoMingo]

If TEGNA gets acquired, there will need to be a spinoff of 1 TV station in Tampa Bay, since Nexstar can't own WTSP, WFLA, and WTTA (First 2 are the Top 4 stations in Tampa Bay). Considering WTTA might share spectrum with WFLA-TV after the auction, who knows who will stay and who will go. Companies that could acquire WFLA/WTTA or WTSP could possibly be, Sinclair (a re-entry, after they sold WTTA), Meredith, Hearst (don't know if WMOR is in the Top 4), or surprisingly, Graham Media or Warren Buffet (who owns WPLG in Miami).

The spectrum auction makes mergers more confusing than they have ever been, because it makes the definition of a station more complicated in the event of 2 stations sharing the same spectrum as each other. Example, after WTTA (possibly) moves to WFLA, will WFLA's channel count as 1 or 2 channels (plus WTTA)?

I would love to talk about how the FCC deals with these mergers now, but then again, due to complicated "situations" inside the FCC, it might get too political.

 

[ChocoMingo]

Also, this potential merger might force WZZM to simulcast WOTV or vice versa, due to both stations' close proximity to each other.

 

[Mr Tony]

The spectrum auction makes mergers more confusing than they have ever been, because it makes the definition of a station more complicated in the event of 2 stations sharing the same spectrum as each other.

no it doesnt

Example, after WTTA (possibly) moves to WFLA, will WFLA's channel count as 1 or 2 channels (plus WTTA)?

It still counts as one. Now if you are referring to the auction then yes the licenses are separate. Just because you are "channel sharing" the licenses are separate so it still goes back to the owner of the station. So as example here in Minnesota CBS sold their O&O satellite station KCCO Alexandria, MN (satellite of WCCO Minneapolis....the Minneapolis market is huge so there are satellite and translator stations in the market) they indicated they will channel share. The only other commercial station in that area is KSAX Alexandria (a satellite of KSTP ABC Mpls) which is owned by Hubbard. So the RF frequency (RF24 once it changes....its 42 right now) will have 2 licenses. CBS for KCCO and Hubbard for KSAX and will have separate PSIP.

But remember there is still the option of a new owner buying the programming from the station they cant own and move it to the station they can own. Its done all the time right now in smaller markets and those are totally legal (subchannels and LP stations do not count towards the FCC rules)

 

[hamster]

If Nexstar takes over Tegna it will make the Washington DC market interesting. Nexstar already has WHAG in Hagerstown, MD and Tegna has WUSA channel 9. I can easily see Nexstar being interested in WUSA and WHAG being left in the dust. No way I can see the two being under the same ownership.

 

[Mr Tony]

If Nexstar takes over Tegna it will make the Washington DC market interesting. Nexstar already has WHAG in Hagerstown, MD and Tegna has WUSA channel 9. I can easily see Nexstar being interested in WUSA and WHAG being left in the dust. No way I can see the two being under the same ownership.

since WHAG is not affiliated with any network right now (they do show Heroes and Icons when not showing syndicated or news) Nexstar could keep both...now the kicker would be would they put CBS on both (basically making WHAG a satellite of WUSA maybe sans news)? Would be a smart move for Nexstar if they did that.

 

[hamster]

since WHAG is not affiliated with any network right now (they do show Heroes and Icons when not showing syndicated or news) Nexstar could keep both...now the kicker would be would they put CBS on both (basically making WHAG a satellite of WUSA maybe sans news)? Would be a smart move for Nexstar if they did that.

Yes they could keep both but I don't see it happening. If it does I see one of the following....

1. WHAG is sold and becomes full time religious or home shopping.
2. WHAG goes totally dark.

WUSA could operate as you say a seperate CBS using WHAG but the thing is every system that offers WHAG also offers WUSA already and many of those already watch WUSA so there is no need for WHAG,

 

[Mr Tony]

WUSA could operate as you say a seperate CBS using WHAG but the thing is every system that offers WHAG also offers WUSA already and many of those already watch WUSA so there is no need for WHAG,

-What about the folks who are OTA only?
-There are some areas that have WHAG but not WUSA on cable. Now they may be few and far between but there are some (especially if they are not in the DC market)
-I'm not saying a separate CBS....I meant making it a satellite station except for maybe news (or even a news break-in). Its been done elsewhere. Then it would give them (CBS) a much larger coverage area than their competitors

The only reason WHAG is not NBC still is because of Comcrap.

 

[Megatron]

Also, this potential merger might force WZZM to simulcast WOTV or vice versa, due to both stations' close proximity to each other.

Everyone was surprise in the fall of 91 when LIN bought WOTV as everyone thought WZZM was going to buy WOTV so that as a simulcast of WZZM. So yeah I could see whoever buys WZZM will tell Nexstar to throw in WOTV when buying if Nexstar does but TEGNA.

 

[ftballfan]

Everyone was surprise in the fall of 91 when LIN bought WOTV as everyone thought WZZM was going to buy WOTV so that as a simulcast of WZZM. So yeah I could see whoever buys WZZM will tell Nexstar to throw in WOTV when buying if Nexstar does but TEGNA.

It could be done another way, with Nexstar giving WZZM's new owner the exclusive ABC affiliation for the Grand Rapids market along with the WXSP translator network, with the WXSP programming moving over to WOTV.

 

[1069_KIFR]

It could be done another way, with Nexstar giving WZZM's new owner the exclusive ABC affiliation for the Grand Rapids market along with the WXSP translator network, with the WXSP programming moving over to WOTV.

You can not spell Gannett without TEGNA!!