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CBS on the move in Birmingham

C

Charles1

www.wvtm13.com

WVTM 13 will expand programming to include CBS on Aug. 1

Beginning August 1, you'll be able to watch CBS programming from WVTM 13, including CBS primetime shows, CBS Sports, and CBS News.
www.wvtm13.com www.wvtm13.com

This raises lots of questions in my mind...

*How much of daytime programming on the new CW42 will be devoted to newscasts? Outside of Jeopardy, Entertainment Tonight and a few of the newer game shows that insult one's intelligence, WIAT doesn't have a robust supply of off-network programming.

*Does this open an opportunity for WVTM to start a 3:00 pm newscast on either 13.1 (NBC) or 13.4 (CBS)?

*Will Sinclair move ABC from 68.2 to WTTO?

*Who is the bigger loser in the latest round of network musical chairs in central Alabama: Sinclair or Nexstar?
 
RoseCatkw_21 said:
how about let WTTO 21 as Independent Affiliate until I invent new Network for this station
Click to expand...
The idea of a "traditional" independent station is likely unworkable today for a lot of reasons. When WTTO signed on in 1982, cable penetration wasn't nearly as prevalent as it later became and even so most cable systems had no more than 30-50 channels, if that many. Most metro areas had no more than five or six broadcast stations, including PBS. Home satellite dishes weren't available. More importantly, most independent stations filled their schedules with reruns of network shows from 5-20 years ago and movies, or occasionally live sports or the occasional network show that the local network affiliate chose not to run. Cable channels such as AMC and TCM that ran older movies weren't yet around. ESPN was yet to become the one-stop shop for live sports.

Today, most reruns of network shows from the past are now available on MeTV, Antenna TV, Catchy Comedy and the like. All of those channels are available in all or most of Birmingham on subchannels of over the air broadcast channels (13.2, 21.2 and 33.3). Outside of college football, the NFL and a couple of MLB or NBA games a week, live sports on TV are the near-exclusive domain of cable or streaming services. Most households subscribe to at least one if not multiple streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.

Most independent stations from 30-40 years ago are now affiliated with Fox or the CW. WGN from Chicago and what was then WTBS from Atlanta are now CW affiliates. (W)WOR from New York is now owned by Fox and is now the poorer cousin of that market's Fox affiliate. And in many markets, independent stations from the past are now affiliated with ABC, NBC or CBS because Fox affiliated with legacy Big Three affiliates (i.e., Memphis, Atlanta, Mobile, New Orleans, Tampa, Greensboro, Cleveland, Detroit annd several others).

The gist of my comments is that the business model that made WTTO successful 30-40 years ago would likely be unworkable today, not just in the 45th largest television market, but even in markets far bigger than Birmingham.
 
Now for $2000 Alex or Ken, I'll take WIAT's future. Okay Dan, here we go, will they drop all their newscasts? I would say yes but nothing really surprises me any longer.

Dan <><

P.S. I look for WVTM to add more news, once they get CBS and if WTTO does pick up ABC, what will happen to WABM 68.2? B-Ham has had many changes over the years with the tv dial. Been keeping up with it for years now. Thanks in part to, Alec Harvey's weekly TV news, in the Punch insert. Man I must be getting old, if I can remember that.​
 
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Still the only mention of changes for the 4 CBS stations flipping to something else is in Albuqueque where it will change to Fox. In Birmingham current CBS station 42.1 WAIT will go with the CW that currently airs on 21.1 WTTO. Nexstar has said that they are looking to add news in the market. Hearst is saying on their website that all WVTM News 13 shows will simlucast on the new CBS 13.4 tv. Townsquares 95.3 the Bear in Tuscaloosa has so many errors on what the changes will bring. Current NBC programming will stay on 13.1 and the change will be that All CBS programs and WVTM local news will air on 13.4 tv.

42 is gong to have to change its name of CBS 42 News of course on we will see where they will add local news and how they will fill all those hours with no CBS. 21 only has two hours to fill form 7-9pm. Sinclair is so big on the ABC 33/40 branding so would that stick if WTTO picks up ABC from 68.2 to put on 17.1 and 21.1 keeping the ABC 33/40 brand that has existed 29 years since it started when 6 went with Fox.
 


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