Fox, CBS May Want In on Local TV Station Buying Spree
As Nexstar and Tegna gobble up more stations, broadcasters don't want to sit on the sidelines. Will the FCC let the Big Four jump in?
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Are the OTA networks ready to acquire affiliates?
- Thread starter only1moore
- Start date
www.hollywoodreporter.com
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
They all seem to be getting deeper into streaming. Television stations are pretty expensive to run as standalones, so if they did, I think they'd go after duopolies ... if the FCC relaxes the ownership limits and other regulatory considerations.
Remember the networks would be able to offer local news and local sports on their streaming networks from their O&O stations, which can be an incentive for streaming subscriptions, especially as cable subscriptions (and retransmission fees) go down.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Or they could just originate the local news without having to pay the electric bill at the transmitters.
True especially the Network O&Os are pushing streaming the most. Yes I mean ABC Owned Stations like KGO-TV has promos on shows on Hulu and Disney+, CBS owned affiliates KOVR and KPIX has promos on Paramount+, NBC owned KNTV on Peacock and Fox O&O KTVU on the Fox One App, Tubi and Fox Local app.
But we keep finding out that some of the companies are pushing for ATSC 3.0 to justify consolidation for local TV stations. We have some idea who are the biggest promoters of ATSC 3.0 are like Tegna, Nexstar, Gray, Sinclair, EW Scripps, Hearst but we have to find out more where this is going or will this be TV's version of "Stereo AM" is yet to be seen given that newer TV's by default has to pick up apps and wifi
signals.
Remember, many buyers of OTA TV stations have the same attitude and philosophy as those who buy oil wells. They know that the results will decline, and that the asset will eventually have no value. But they pay for it what they think will give a good return on investment (ROI) while the wells gradually run dry.
so, when will local TV news that's currently available OTA be paywalled? they never mention antennas during retrans disputes
Headline don't sound right when any of the big 4 networks are talking about getting ota stations especially in cities where they have an O&O its protect their tv apps. But when its the biggest promoters of ATSC 3.0 are involved then we can expect something on the lines of News Press Gazette, Marquee, Cocola, Rincon, Imaginecomm, CNZ communications have discussions over buying new OTA Stations for spectrum allocation over ATSC 3.0. Or we can wait and see when the TV version of EMF will come out.
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I haven't talk to him in a few years (2021 or 2022) but at the time he said he was looking to lessen the amount of stations owned and not add new ones.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I talk to Gary a couple of times a year and he is definitely looking for buyers for most of his stations. But LPTVs are relatively inexpensive to run, so he isn't running a "bargain basement" sale ... he can wait until someone will ante up what the stations are worth.
And it's not very likely that he will bid on any full-power stations. KGMC is enough for him.
IMHO local news will be the last thing paywalled. In Atlanta you would be competing indirectly with AJC, who is going all digital 2026. Based on number of reporters, I doubt no one would want to compete. That being said, Gray is spending big bucks to do 12+ hours of local news. They and a TV station in Florida feel can make some money doing only local news OTA. I hope they give this at least 4 years. It will be hard to change viewing habits.
As the previous poster mentioned, I doubt local news will be paywalled. Local stations are increasing the number of streaming options including free streaming, presumably to maximize viewership.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
And they make no secret about it on the air. Every edition of KABC/7's Eyewitness News opens with one of the anchors mentioning "live on abc7.com and streaming on the ABC7 app". (And there are usually at least two promos per hour hyping same.)
They don't need paywalls in the markets where stations do a good local news effort. Those are the easy sells to advertisers locally; they are a lot easier to pitch than game shows, court shows and talk shows.
Likewise, sister WPVI has bumpers in most newscasts listing several streaming options, the scroll on the bottom the screen mentions it, and one of their more active promos running through the day is devoted entirely to hyping the various ways to watch the news on streaming platforms. At least through last year, they would promote the Saturday infotainment show they produce as streaming at its usual airtime when college football takes over the full day. That’s on top of streaming-only newscasts weekdays at 7 am and 6:30 pm. That’s pretty committed to the platform, though offering streaming news when sports preempts it on air would be a nice enhancement.