Allbritton Next on the Block?

[jdb820]

I wonder if Cox would be interested in any of these.

Not in DC or Tulsa, at least -- Cox has cable systems in those areas.

Also Cox is buying TV in markets it already has radio in, and selling off radio in markets it doesn't have tv in.

To be more accurate, markets they own News-Talk stations in. If it was any radio, they'd have taken WOAI when they got their share of the Newport stations and they would've held onto their Richmond and Birmingham radio clusters given the potential synergies in play.

And since a few years back, Cox Media and Cox Cable have been for all intents and purposes separate companies and the former can own stations in markets served by the latter as is what happened in Tulsa when they bought KOKI/KMYT from Newport.

 

[kilamanjero]

There's something I didn't consider until I read your reply:
Orlando is DMA #19, and doesn't Fox have an o&o there
(WOFL)? Tampa has one o&o (WTVT); Miami has two
(WFOR and WTVJ), so I still think--Disney World or no
Disney World--Orlando would make an attractive o&o
market for ABC; the Alphabet Network has o&os in markets
smaller than Orlando (Raleigh/Durham and Fresno, to be precise).

I don't know, however, how profitable WFTV is for Cox; they may
not be willing to sell.

I've always found it interestingly how most networks have held off on Orlando (like Charlotte until recently) on owning their network affiliates. Newscorp/FOX got hold of WOFL as result of their switcharoo with Meredith, but otherwise Orlando would have been of the largest markets without an English-language O&O affiliate. Disney/ABC holds a very "tight" relationship with Cox considering how powerful and pivotal WSB-TV has been for them in Atlanta (along with its by far dominance of the Atlanta DMA ratings), so I don't think Disney would even want to rock the boat with Cox in Orlando. Although I do wonder why "Live with Kelly & Michael" doesn't air on WFTV like it does on WSB-TV and WSOC-TV, which is just weird...

 

[ding12]

I like DCRTV Dave's wild card out in left field suggestion - CBS buys WJLA forcing Gannet to make WUSA an ABC affiliate. He also said then CBS could buy Channel 50 from Tribune since CBS has a stake in The CW Network.

As much as I like and respect Dave Hughes' opinion, I doubt CBS will get WJLA and/or WDCW. If anything they ought to work out a deal with Gannett to give up WUSA and allow them to operate as an O&O. Disney/ABC has their eyes on WJLA along with the owners of their most dedicated affiliate groups (Hearst and Scripps). One thing I can say about the DC market is that network affiliation changes is something everybody is avoiding since it one of the few major markets where that has not occurred (like Chicago and New York).

I don't see why it's implausible for CBS to buy WJLA and the stations from Allbritton, esp. if it wants it more badly than Disney or another broadcaster. Then maybe it'd sell off the small stations.

CBS would gain pretty much at ABC's expense, as ABC in those markets would be tossed around, which CBS as a competitor wouldn't mind doing. It's anyways #1 in primetime.

In DC, CBS would also benefit being in the middle of the dial between 4 5 7 and 9, or 24 25 27 29 how some Comcasts have it, although HD numbering is different. But, people that tune among the 4 stations will more likely see CBS when tuning up and down between the big 4 networks in most scenarios. Also important to market size is that it'd have synergies with WJZ up the road. It might not need WDCW at the moment.

Since Gannett is based in Northern Virginia and WUSA is Gannett's largest market station, I don't see CBS being influential in "working out a deal with Gannett to give up WUSA and allow them to operate as an O&O" unless Gannett was given a lot of cash for WUSA.

 

[Morgan Wick]

There's something I didn't consider until I read your reply:
Orlando is DMA #19, and doesn't Fox have an o&o there
(WOFL)? Tampa has one o&o (WTVT); Miami has two
(WFOR and WTVJ), so I still think--Disney World or no
Disney World--Orlando would make an attractive o&o
market for ABC; the Alphabet Network has o&os in markets
smaller than Orlando (Raleigh/Durham and Fresno, to be precise).

I don't know, however, how profitable WFTV is for Cox; they may
not be willing to sell.

I've always found it interestingly how most networks have held off on Orlando (like Charlotte until recently) on owning their network affiliates. Newscorp/FOX got hold of WOFL as result of their switcharoo with Meredith, but otherwise Orlando would have been of the largest markets without an English-language O&O affiliate. Disney/ABC holds a very "tight" relationship with Cox considering how powerful and pivotal WSB-TV has been for them in Atlanta (along with its by far dominance of the Atlanta DMA ratings), so I don't think Disney would even want to rock the boat with Cox in Orlando. Although I do wonder why "Live with Kelly & Michael" doesn't air on WFTV like it does on WSB-TV and WSOC-TV, which is just weird...

How many O&Os are there outside the top 15?

 

[kilamanjero]

I like DCRTV Dave's wild card out in left field suggestion - CBS buys WJLA forcing Gannet to make WUSA an ABC affiliate. He also said then CBS could buy Channel 50 from Tribune since CBS has a stake in The CW Network.

As much as I like and respect Dave Hughes' opinion, I doubt CBS will get WJLA and/or WDCW. If anything they ought to work out a deal with Gannett to give up WUSA and allow them to operate as an O&O. Disney/ABC has their eyes on WJLA along with the owners of their most dedicated affiliate groups (Hearst and Scripps). One thing I can say about the DC market is that network affiliation changes is something everybody is avoiding since it one of the few major markets where that has not occurred (like Chicago and New York).

I don't see why it's implausible for CBS to buy WJLA and the stations from Allbritton, esp. if it wants it more badly than Disney or another broadcaster. Then maybe it'd sell off the small stations.

CBS would gain pretty much at ABC's expense, as ABC in those markets would be tossed around, which CBS as a competitor wouldn't mind doing. It's anyways #1 in primetime.

In DC, CBS would also benefit being in the middle of the dial between 4 5 7 and 9, or 24 25 27 29 how some Comcasts have it, although HD numbering is different. But, people that tune among the 4 stations will more likely see CBS when tuning up and down between the big 4 networks in most scenarios. Also important to market size is that it'd have synergies with WJZ up the road. It might not need WDCW at the moment.

Since Gannett is based in Northern Virginia and WUSA is Gannett's largest market station, I don't see CBS being influential in "working out a deal with Gannett to give up WUSA and allow them to operate as an O&O" unless Gannett was given a lot of cash for WUSA.

The implausibility is based on the fact that Disney would like outbid CBS by a long shot to keep ABC on 7 in the DC DMA. CBS might be "strategic in their moves" as of late, but Disney/ABC has been sitting on cash for years hence why all their O&Os with exception of WTVD are #1 in their markets in newscast operations. Disney is more strategic than CBS on this front so the underestimation of what Disney will or won't do is foolish at best. Remember Disney acquired Marvel and Lucasfilms and those purchases were drops in the bucket to them. Trust me when I say, if they think they can outbid Disney over WJLA even in this economy. Additionally, CBS could have kept channel 9 back in the day, but let Gannett wind up with it. Also remember back in the 1990s when media purchases by networks were going on like crazy? Well, CBS could have bought it from Gannett then, but didn't (along its predecessor with giving up WDCA to Fox in 2001). CBS isn't worried about DC anymore than they are worried about Atlanta when it comes to stations.

 

[kilamanjero]

There's something I didn't consider until I read your reply:
Orlando is DMA #19, and doesn't Fox have an o&o there
(WOFL)? Tampa has one o&o (WTVT); Miami has two
(WFOR and WTVJ), so I still think--Disney World or no
Disney World--Orlando would make an attractive o&o
market for ABC; the Alphabet Network has o&os in markets
smaller than Orlando (Raleigh/Durham and Fresno, to be precise).

I don't know, however, how profitable WFTV is for Cox; they may
not be willing to sell.

I've always found it interestingly how most networks have held off on Orlando (like Charlotte until recently) on owning their network affiliates. Newscorp/FOX got hold of WOFL as result of their switcharoo with Meredith, but otherwise Orlando would have been of the largest markets without an English-language O&O affiliate. Disney/ABC holds a very "tight" relationship with Cox considering how powerful and pivotal WSB-TV has been for them in Atlanta (along with its by far dominance of the Atlanta DMA ratings), so I don't think Disney would even want to rock the boat with Cox in Orlando. Although I do wonder why "Live with Kelly & Michael" doesn't air on WFTV like it does on WSB-TV and WSOC-TV, which is just weird...

How many O&Os are there outside the top 15?

Miami-Fort Lauderdale (#16), Denver (#17), Orlando (#19), Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto (#20), Pittsburgh (#23), Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville (#24), Charlotte (#25), Baltimore (#27), San Diego (#28), Hartford-New Haven (#30), Austin (#45), Fresno-Visalia (#55) and Gainesville-Ocala (#163)

 

[bpatrick]

I want to raise a strictly hypothetical here. All of Allbritton's
stations are ABC affiliates. Now let's suppose Allbritton did
sell WJLA to ABC with the proviso that ABC would have to take
all the others (Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Birmingham,
Little Rock, Tulsa). Would that put ABC over the legal limit on
how much of the country its o&os can cover? Seems either some
of these or some of ABC's existing o&os would be on the block.

 

[kilamanjero]

I want to raise a strictly hypothetical here. All of Allbritton's
stations are ABC affiliates. Now let's suppose Allbritton did
sell WJLA to ABC with the proviso that ABC would have to take
all the others (Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Birmingham,
Little Rock, Tulsa). Would that put ABC over the legal limit on
how much of the country its o&os can cover? Seems either some
of these or some of ABC's existing o&os would be on the block.

That is a good question. If that did happen likely ABC would keep Birmingham, but the rest would likely be sold off. Fresno would likely be kept as well (since is already owned by Disney/ABC), and it is like a "talent farm" station for the other O&Os but primarily KGO-TV and KABC-TV.

 

[e-dawg]

I want to raise a strictly hypothetical here. All of Allbritton's
stations are ABC affiliates. Now let's suppose Allbritton did
sell WJLA to ABC with the proviso that ABC would have to take
all the others (Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Birmingham,
Little Rock, Tulsa). Would that put ABC over the legal limit on
how much of the country its o&os can cover? Seems either some
of these or some of ABC's existing o&os would be on the block.

If Allbritton sell their tv stations to Disney, Maybe Disney will sell or trade some station to EW Scripps such as WXYZ-TV 7 Detroit, KNXV ABC 15 Phoenix, KGTV ABC 10 San Diego and/or KMGH ABC 7 Denver and sell ABC 30/40 Birmingham, Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Little Rock to EW Scripps.

 

[kilamanjero]

Yeah, my bad. How could I forget about WHBQ-TV still being an O&O. It's actually decently ran station.

 

[kilamanjero]

I want to raise a strictly hypothetical here. All of Allbritton's
stations are ABC affiliates. Now let's suppose Allbritton did
sell WJLA to ABC with the proviso that ABC would have to take
all the others (Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Birmingham,
Little Rock, Tulsa). Would that put ABC over the legal limit on
how much of the country its o&os can cover? Seems either some
of these or some of ABC's existing o&os would be on the block.

If Allbritton sell their tv stations to Disney, Maybe Disney will sell or trade some station to EW Scripps such as WXYZ-TV 7 Detroit, KNXV ABC 15 Phoenix, KGTV ABC 10 San Diego and/or KMGH ABC 7 Denver and sell ABC 30/40 Birmingham, Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Little Rock to EW Scripps.

That wouldn't make much sense considering why would they want to keep KFSN-TV but not WBMA/WJSU/WCFT? Birmingham is a much larger market than Fresno. If they were to trade some of the stations, I'm pretty sure they would just leave Birmingham out of the deal for those other lower market stations.

 

[JeeperOne]

Maybe Citadel or EW Scripps could buy them off, since most of them are abc affiliates.

One problem - Citadel was a RADIO broadcaster that no longer exists

And no Cumulus wouldn't be interested either as they don't own any TV stations

Cheers & 73 ;D

 

[JeeperOne]

they bought large market KOMO, don't know if they're keeping it

Wrong Washington.....

Cheers & 73 ;D

 

[JeeperOne]

I wonder if owning WMAR would make Scripps MORE likely to want to acquire WJLA?

Only if The Mouse doesn't make a move to buy it

OTOH.....The Mouse could also use the opportunity to dangle WTVD 11 in front of Scripps as well since ABC has the only O&O in the Raleigh-Durham area if for no other reason than to trim some more fat

Cheers & 73 ;D

 

[JeeperOne]

If Allbritton sell their tv stations to Disney, Maybe Disney will sell or trade some station to EW Scripps such as WXYZ-TV 7 Detroit, KNXV ABC 15 Phoenix, KGTV ABC 10 San Diego and/or KMGH ABC 7 Denver and sell ABC 30/40 Birmingham, Harrisburg, Lynchburg, Charleston, Little Rock to EW Scripps.

How can Disney trade stations to Scripps if Scripps already owns them ??

Am I missing something ??

 

[kilamanjero]

I wonder if owning WMAR would make Scripps MORE likely to want to acquire WJLA?

Only if The Mouse doesn't make a move to buy it

OTOH.....The Mouse could also use the opportunity to dangle WTVD 11 in front of Scripps as well since ABC has the only O&O in the Raleigh-Durham area if for no other reason than to trim some more fat

Cheers & 73 ;D

I don't know about that one. Disney/ABC would have dumped WTVD a long time ago if they didn't care about Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville) DMA. However, that market is now in the top 25 and growing like gangbusters even during the worst of the recession. All one has to do is look at the enormous amount of growth that has occurred in Wake County, NC in the past 5 years alone.

The Raleigh-Durham market is projected to surpass Pittsburgh in the next 2 years thus it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that this market could wind up in the top 20 very soon.

 

[james32746]

I've always found it interestingly how most networks have held off on Orlando (like Charlotte until recently) on owning their network affiliates. Newscorp/FOX got hold of WOFL as result of their switcharoo with Meredith, but otherwise Orlando would have been of the largest markets without an English-language O&O affiliate. Disney/ABC holds a very "tight" relationship with Cox considering how powerful and pivotal WSB-TV has been for them in Atlanta (along with its by far dominance of the Atlanta DMA ratings), so I don't think Disney would even want to rock the boat with Cox in Orlando. Although I do wonder why "Live with Kelly & Michael" doesn't air on WFTV like it does on WSB-TV and WSOC-TV, which is just weird...

WFTV did originally air what is now Live with Kelly & Michael from 1988 to 1992.

 

[Rube Dali the DodoHorse]

Disney doesn't need another TV station in it's group. In fact, even if Allbritton gave WJLA to Disney for free, Disney would not consider it, or any other deal. It's more interested in brands, than in physical assets(see ESPN Radio in New York).

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney eventually sells off the rest of the ABC O&O group(with the exception of New York and LA, possibly Chicago).

 

[ding12]

The implausibility is based on the fact that Disney would like outbid CBS by a long shot to keep ABC on 7 in the DC DMA. CBS might be "strategic in their moves" as of late, but Disney/ABC has been sitting on cash for years hence why all their O&Os with exception of WTVD are #1 in their markets in newscast operations. Disney is more strategic than CBS on this front so the underestimation of what Disney will or won't do is foolish at best. Remember Disney acquired Marvel and Lucasfilms and those purchases were drops in the bucket to them. Trust me when I say, if they think they can outbid Disney over WJLA even in this economy.

Disney didn't care to buy up Seattle and Portland ABC affiliates when they were for sale just recently with the loads of cash reserved. It could have bought out Fisher, kept what it wanted, then sell of the rest. Seattle might not be as big as DC, but it's definitely a key market in the country and likely would have been profitable. Disney has been more focused on ESPN's exposure and revenue, and ABC is second fiddle to it.

CBS's main revenue is CBS.

One can't get ABC on DirecTV on plane, but Fox NBC and CBS show up, along with ESPN. The casual viewer that might tune into 'Body of Proof' then watch it back home, won't see it, oh because Disney didn't think ABC needed to be on flight while three of it's competitors are there.

 

[Morgan Wick]

The above two posts raise the question: might Disney eventually sell off ABC itself?