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Can CBS Acquire Jefferson-Pilot's Broadcasting Roster?

D

DiamondJoe

Guest
In October of last year, Lincoln Financial Group announced it would merge with Jefferson-Pilot Corporation. Starting Monday, changes will being to take effect, from company logos, all the way to the famous clock tower in Greensboro, N.C., which displayed the "JPF" (JP Financial) initials, in addition to the time and temperature.

Jefferson-Pilot's broadcasting cluster of 3 television stations and 18 radio stations will apparently be unaffected by the merger. Still, you can't help but wonder if CBS has their eyes on it. All of these stations are in major markets, such as Denver, Miami, Charlotte and San Diego. (The only conflicts, given the FCC's maximum ownership rules, would given them an extra FM station in Denver and Charlotte.) And two of the three TV stations are already affiliated with CBS (WWBT/12 is an NBC affiliate, so such an acquisition may force Raycom's WTVR/6 to affiliate with NBC).

Keep in mind, there's also Jefferson-Pilot Sports, which CBS could possibly operate under its Westwood One umbrella of sports programming.

When you consider the past history of insurance companies that doubled as broadcasters, Nationwide operated a similar slew of attractive stations in major markets (WXEX-TV in Richmond, KEGL-FM in Dallas, KMJZ-FM in Minneapolis) until they eventually sold off their assets to Jacor in 1997 (which was eventually usurped by Clear Channel).

It makes you wonder if history is ready to repeat itself.<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
> Jefferson-Pilot's broadcasting cluster of 3 television
> stations and 18 radio stations will apparently be unaffected
> by the merger. Still, you can't help but wonder if CBS has
> their eyes on it. All of these stations are in major
> markets, such as Denver, Miami, Charlotte and San Diego.
> (The only conflicts, given the FCC's maximum ownership
> rules, would given them an extra FM station in Denver and
> Charlotte.) And two of the three TV stations are already
> affiliated with CBS (WWBT/12 is an NBC affiliate, so such an
> acquisition may force Raycom's WTVR/6 to affiliate with
> NBC).

There are also the national ownership limits to consider.

How close to 35% nationwide coverage does CBS have with its present O&O roster? Or are they exceeding it already with waivers? (I recall reading a figure of 39% in the past.)<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

Even if the name Jefferson-Pilot disappears from the company's insurance business, I hope the broadcasting division of Lincoln Financial remains known as Jefferson-Pilot.

It's one of broadcasting's greatest "brand names". In fact, ask most people in Charlotte what Jefferson-Pilot is, and they'll probably say "Oh yes. They own Channel 3 and WBT Radio". Few would answer with "They're an insurance company".
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> Even if the name Jefferson-Pilot disappears from the
> company's insurance business, I hope the broadcasting
> division of Lincoln Financial remains known as
> Jefferson-Pilot.
>
> It's one of broadcasting's greatest "brand names". In fact,
> ask most people in Charlotte what Jefferson-Pilot is, and
> they'll probably say "Oh yes. They own Channel 3 and WBT
> Radio". Few would answer with "They're an insurance
> company".

More likely, ask most people in Charlotte what Jefferson-Pilot is, and they say "what?"

Depsite Joseph's propensity for staying on top of such things, the vast majority of people DO NOT KNOW who owns a specific radio or television station.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

Nnnnnnnope. It will become Lincoln Financial Media or something to that degree. BUT the name will be changing.


> Even if the name Jefferson-Pilot disappears from the
> company's insurance business, I hope the broadcasting
> division of Lincoln Financial remains known as
> Jefferson-Pilot.
>
> It's one of broadcasting's greatest "brand names". In fact,
> ask most people in Charlotte what Jefferson-Pilot is, and
> they'll probably say "Oh yes. They own Channel 3 and WBT
> Radio". Few would answer with "They're an insurance
> company".
>
<P ID="signature">______________
The power is yours!</P>
 
> How close to 35% nationwide coverage does CBS have with its
> present O&O roster? Or are they exceeding it already with
> waivers? (I recall reading a figure of 39% in the past.)

The national limit is 39%, which was a number developed in congress as a "compromise" between the old limit of 35% and the FCC's proposed limit of 45% from a couple years back. By a remarkable coincidence, 39% just happened to be a number that allowed NewsCorp and Viacom (now CBS Corp) to stay just barely under the limit.
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> More likely, ask most people in Charlotte what
> Jefferson-Pilot is, and they say "what?"
>
> Depsite Joseph's propensity for staying on top of such
> things, the vast majority of people DO NOT KNOW who owns a
> specific radio or television station.
>

You're both wrong. Ask anybody in the South who Jefferson Pilot is and they'll say the "network" that has low-quality SEC Football and Basketball games and teh SEC Basketball Tourney. Go ask any of the many college sport message boards. EVERY sports fan in SEC country knows who JP is, at least from a TV rights standpoint.

I understand they cover ACC games as well is conjunction with Raycom, meaning the brand recgonition in those areas may not be as great as in SEC country.
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> You're both wrong. Ask anybody in the South who Jefferson
> Pilot is and they'll say the "network" that has low-quality
> SEC Football and Basketball games and teh SEC Basketball
> Tourney. Go ask any of the many college sport message
> boards. EVERY sports fan in SEC country knows who JP is, at
> least from a TV rights standpoint.

I can see people remembering the name of a network (even an ad hoc net like the one you describe), but that is hardly the same as people knowing who owns the station running the network programming.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> I can see people remembering the name of a network (even an
> ad hoc net like the one you describe), but that is hardly
> the same as people knowing who owns the station running the
> network programming.
>

I know, I'm just using his example of asking people in Charlotte who Jefferson Pilot is. You ask people in most of the south who JPm is, and they'll say a sports broadcaster.
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> > I can see people remembering the name of a network (even
> an
> > ad hoc net like the one you describe), but that is hardly
> > the same as people knowing who owns the station running
> the
> > network programming.
> >
>
> I know, I'm just using his example of asking people in
> Charlotte who Jefferson Pilot is. You ask people in most of
> the south who JPm is, and they'll say a sports broadcaster.

Yep, and ACC fans (at least those in North Carolina) know J-P just as well as you surmised. Ask any Wake, Duke, Carolina, or State fan.<P ID="signature">______________
radiodude.jpg

http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> > > I can see people remembering the name of a network (even
>
> > an
> > > ad hoc net like the one you describe), but that is
> hardly
> > > the same as people knowing who owns the station running
> > the
> > > network programming.
> > >
> >
> > I know, I'm just using his example of asking people in
> > Charlotte who Jefferson Pilot is. You ask people in most
> of
> > the south who JPm is, and they'll say a sports
> broadcaster.
>
> Yep, and ACC fans (at least those in North Carolina) know
> J-P just as well as you surmised. Ask any Wake, Duke,
> Carolina, or State fan.

I believe we are in agreement, since my original statement was that "if you ask people in Charlotte" they will <u>not</u> automatically recognize J-P as owning the television station. I don't disagree that they would recognize J-P as owning the sports network, but that is not what the original poster had said.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: The Name "Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting"

> > Yep, and ACC fans (at least those in North Carolina) know
> > J-P just as well as you surmised. Ask any Wake, Duke,
> > Carolina, or State fan.
>
> I believe we are in agreement, since my original statement
> was that "if you ask people in Charlotte" they will not
> automatically recognize J-P as owning the television
> station. I don't disagree that they would recognize J-P as
> owning the sports network, but that is not what the original
> poster had said.

Exactly. I was posting with that idea in mind.
<P ID="signature">______________
radiodude.jpg

http://theradioblog.blogspot.com</P>
 
Why is it called "Jefferson-Pilot"...

...rather than "Polk-Engineer" (I'm a railfan, hence *that* Engineer) or something like that? :)

Hey, no one else asked, so I did. I've always wondered.

ixnay
 
Re: Why is it called "Jefferson-Pilot"...

> ...rather than "Polk-Engineer" (I'm a railfan, hence *that*
> Engineer) or something like that? :)
>
> Hey, no one else asked, so I did. I've always wondered.
>
> ixnay
>

They're in the Carolinas... maybe it started in Mt. Pilot
(the town Mayberry is based in, I believe).

James Crystal Radio in Fla. has nothing to do with
crystal radio. James & Crystal are his kids' names.

Another such question and I'll give you a Polk!!

Trivia:

What TV character played football at Polk High and got
<u>four touchdowns in a single game</u>?

73s<P ID="signature">______________
"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument." ... William G. McAdoo
</P>
 
Re: Why is it called "Jefferson-Pilot"...

> Trivia:
>
> What TV character played football at Polk High and got
> four touchdowns in a single game?

Even though this is the <u>radio</u> board ...

... the answer is Al Bundy.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
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