Comcast Likely to Purchase NBCU; Then Spin-Off NBC Network and O&Os

[bostonmediaguy]

According to this article on bNet (http://industry.bnet.com/media/10004939/comcast-nbcu-could-lead-to-sale-of-nbc-tv-network-stations/), Comcast is likely to purchase NBC Universal and then spin off the NBC Television Network and owned-and-operated stations to a television station group owner (Hearst, Gannett, Belo, or Scripps).

This would have quite an impact on station affiliations throughout the country. I would imagine the new owners would want all of their stations to be O&O affiliates. Only Gannett and Belo have stations in NBC O&O markets; WUSA/Washington and WFAA/Dallas, respectively.

 

[kenrayc]

This will be interesting in The Bay Area being that KNTV 11 the O&O station was owned by Gannett. It can also give KRON 4 a chance to get their network affiation back with NBC.

 

[mleach]

This would have quite an impact on station affiliations throughout the country. I would imagine the new owners would want all of their stations to be O&O affiliates. Only Gannett and Belo have stations in NBC O&O markets; WUSA/Washington and WFAA/Dallas, respectively.

About Washington DC, last I heard NBC wanted to get rid of WRC-TV and had the station up for sale so maybe when its all said and done I guess we really could see a "CBS 4" and "NBC 9" in Washington, DC.

 

[JayR]

If this does go through expect Versus to be back on DirecTV in the future.

 

[mescutia]

Hearst has the largest group of ABC affiliates, many of which (WCVB, WISN, KMBC, and, arguably, WMUR) are among the network's top affiliates... something that I don't think can be said about its NBC-affiliated stations. I'm probably the layman of laymen around here, but I don't see Hearst risking those stations' ratings here.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

I honestly don't see any of these station groups attempting to take on both NBC-TV and the NBC stations. All, or nearly all, of these companies are already highly leveraged, especially on the newspaper side, and some are nearing bankruptcy day by day.

If anything, I could see the groups buying one or two individual stations, depending on their market, but not the entire NBC group whole. The days of buying, trading and leveraging entire groups is over. Additionally, of the ten-station group, two are partially owned by Lin Broadcasting: KXAS-Dallas and KNSD-San Diego (Lin was not listed in the article). I would surmise NBC's controlling interest in the two stations be sold, or optioned to them, to them first with the rest of the group divided up among other suitors, possibly one or all of the groups noted in the article.

The network...I couldn't even imagine who would be interested in that. One of the studios, perhaps...though Sony Pictures is the only one that comes to mind that is not alligned with any specific network (Time-Warner would be a long shot, because of their relationship with CBS for CW-TV, but not completely out of the picture perhaps. Though that would most assuredly spell the end for MSNBC.).

 

[jal41]

While this arrangement probably would meet regulatory muster...I must ask why buy NBC Universal for everything but one of the two core assets (NBC).

One option could be Comcast buying everything but NBC (and possibly CNBC and MSNBC), and GE taking over 100% control of the NBC assets. In other words...going back to the late-80's/early-90's when that was how things were. Of course...it sounds like GE is just wanting to wash their hands of the whole thing.

This could become very complicated.

 

[Nate Wesley]

Would Time Warner get involved if NBC Television is sold? NBC's still a bigger deal than the CW.

 

[Garrett]

According to this article on bNet (http://industry.bnet.com/media/10004939/comcast-nbcu-could-lead-to-sale-of-nbc-tv-network-stations/), Comcast is likely to purchase NBC Universal and then spin off the NBC Television Network and owned-and-operated stations to a television station group owner (Hearst, Gannett, Belo, or Scripps).

This would have quite an impact on station affiliations throughout the country. I would imagine the new owners would want all of their stations to be O&O affiliates. Only Gannett and Belo have stations in NBC O&O markets; WUSA/Washington and WFAA/Dallas, respectively.

This is all very nice speculation, except for one problem: This article is someone's opinion, and not based on any kind of actual news.
It's like me saying "I think CBS could sell WCBS in New York. Okay, lets talk about potential buyers."

Yet another attempt to manufacture a discussion topic when there's nothing to talk about. And given the time it's taken for this so-called merger to take place, convince me that the merger will still even happen.

 

[powergate92]

According to this article on bNet (http://industry.bnet.com/media/10004939/comcast-nbcu-could-lead-to-sale-of-nbc-tv-network-stations/), Comcast is likely to purchase NBC Universal and then spin off the NBC Television Network and owned-and-operated stations to a television station group owner (Hearst, Gannett, Belo, or Scripps).

This would have quite an impact on station affiliations throughout the country. I would imagine the new owners would want all of their stations to be O&O affiliates. Only Gannett and Belo have stations in NBC O&O markets; WUSA/Washington and WFAA/Dallas, respectively.

This is all very nice speculation, except for one problem: This article is someone's opinion, and not based on any kind of actual news.
It's like me saying "I think CBS could sell WCBS in New York. Okay, lets talk about potential buyers."

Yet another attempt to manufacture a discussion topic when there's nothing to talk about. And given the time it's taken for this so-called merger to take place, convince me that the merger will still even happen.

That article is based on actual news: it's based on this news article: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar...edia_s_Recovery.php?rssid=20068&q=nbc+comcast from Broadcasting & Cable, that says "One Wall Street player confirmed market rumors that bankers have already descended on the MSO's Philadelphia headquarters to work with management on selling the NBC Network and stations to a third party."

 

[philosofy]

Nothing can happen with the merger until Vivendi decides whether or not to sell their current 20% interest in NBCU. I dont think the window for that to happen even opens until later this month and runs for 30 days.

 

[bpatrick]

Hearst has the largest group of ABC affiliates, many of which (WCVB, WISN, KMBC, and, arguably, WMUR) are among the network's top affiliates... something that I don't think can be said about its NBC-affiliated stations. I'm probably the layman of laymen around here, but I don't see Hearst risking those stations' ratings here.

Hearst does well with NBC affiliates WESH Orlando, WYFF Greenville, SC,
and WXII Winston-Salem, NC; WYFF is consistently first in its market, while
WESH and WXII usually run second or no worse than third (WESH is helped
by a weak CBS affiliate; WXII, by a weak ABC one).

As for WUSA becoming an NBC o&o, do you think Gannett would give up
one of its two flagships (WXIA being the other?). Now I can see WUSA as
an NBC affiliate, since most Gannett stations are with the Peacock network
(at least four of which, WXIA, KUSA Denver, WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg,
and WTLV Jacksonville, were formerly ABC affiliates; and WBIR Knoxville
is a fomer CBS affiliate) and if NBC were to sell WRC, that could be a possibility.
Two stations will be out of play in Washington: WTTG (Fox o&o) and WJLA
(all of Allbritton's stations are ABC affiliates).

 

[azumanga]

Now I can see WUSA as
an NBC affiliate, since most Gannett stations are with the Peacock network
(at least four of which, WXIA, KUSA Denver, WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg,
and WTLV Jacksonville, were formerly ABC affiliates; and WBIR Knoxville
is a fomer CBS affiliate)...

WTSP is actually a CBS affiliate these days -- since 1955 NBC was, and still is, on WFLA.

 

[Garrett]

According to this article on bNet (http://industry.bnet.com/media/10004939/comcast-nbcu-could-lead-to-sale-of-nbc-tv-network-stations/), Comcast is likely to purchase NBC Universal and then spin off the NBC Television Network and owned-and-operated stations to a television station group owner (Hearst, Gannett, Belo, or Scripps).

This would have quite an impact on station affiliations throughout the country. I would imagine the new owners would want all of their stations to be O&O affiliates. Only Gannett and Belo have stations in NBC O&O markets; WUSA/Washington and WFAA/Dallas, respectively.

This is all very nice speculation, except for one problem: This article is someone's opinion, and not based on any kind of actual news.
It's like me saying "I think CBS could sell WCBS in New York. Okay, lets talk about potential buyers."

Yet another attempt to manufacture a discussion topic when there's nothing to talk about. And given the time it's taken for this so-called merger to take place, convince me that the merger will still even happen.

That article is based on actual news: it's based on this news article: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar...edia_s_Recovery.php?rssid=20068&q=nbc+comcast from Broadcasting & Cable, that says "One Wall Street player confirmed market rumors that bankers have already descended on the MSO's Philadelphia headquarters to work with management on selling the NBC Network and stations to a third party."

Great.
But that's not the article cited orignally, and it should have been.

 

[mescutia]

Hearst has the largest group of ABC affiliates, many of which (WCVB, WISN, KMBC, and, arguably, WMUR) are among the network's top affiliates... something that I don't think can be said about its NBC-affiliated stations. I'm probably the layman of laymen around here, but I don't see Hearst risking those stations' ratings here.

Hearst does well with NBC affiliates WESH Orlando, WYFF Greenville, SC,
and WXII Winston-Salem, NC; WYFF is consistently first in its market, while
WESH and WXII usually run second or no worse than third (WESH is helped
by a weak CBS affiliate; WXII, by a weak ABC one).

Okay, my bad. I was only aware of the strength of Hearst's ABC affiliates. In fact, I had forgotten that WESH usually pulls a strong second.

Here's a thought: What if Comcast were to sell the O&O stations but keep the network itself?

 

[1069_KIFR]

Hearst also has KCRA (NBC) in Sacramento, CA

 

[mleach]

As for WUSA becoming an NBC o&o, do you think Gannett would give up
one of its two flagships (WXIA being the other?). Now I can see WUSA as
an NBC affiliate, since most Gannett stations are with the Peacock network
(at least four of which, WXIA, KUSA Denver, WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg,
and WTLV Jacksonville, were formerly ABC affiliates; and WBIR Knoxville
is a fomer CBS affiliate) and if NBC were to sell WRC, that could be a possibility.
Two stations will be out of play in Washington: WTTG (Fox o&o) and WJLA
(all of Allbritton's stations are ABC affiliates).

In the event where Washington's WUSA does go NBC, I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of "marriage" to take place between them and Denver's KUSA. Notice I didn't say "merger" but I wouldn't be surprised say that some KUSA people like Kathy Sabine or Adele Arakawa end up being seen more often on WUSA or WUSA's Andrea Roane or Topper Shutt doing "things" for KUSA. After all, both would be NBC, both Gannett, both use "metromix", both uses the news brand "9 News" ( though WUSA does have that extra "NOW" ) and of course both stations the similar call letters are well known to their local TV audiences.

Yeah there is quite a bit of distance between DC and Denver but I doubt DC viewers would object or even notice say for example Kathy Sabine doing the local DC weather from the 9 News backyard in Denver ( of course with no mention of any Denver references ) likewise with Topper Shutt doing the same for KUSA. Something tells me this could very well happen if WUSA does go NBC.

 

[Markxxx]

Well the article is speculation notice it says "potential buyers could be." Could be is speculative.

After Sam Zell and the mess he made with Tribune by buying everything outright I would hope others would learn a lesson. NBC could also simply spin the network stations into their own brand new company and be done with it. Then let the stations survive or sink on their own.

The best profit will come by selling them off piece by piece. The most interesting case will be Chicago. Since Comcast dominates, they'd have to get rid of WMAQ-TV 5 (29) or get a waiver as well as WSNS-TV 44 (45). It's hard to think of any network not having an O&O station in Chicago, NYC or LA.

I wonder what would happen to the Telemundo stations? In Chicago there was a huge gripe when Univision was thinking of selling Channel 60 (50) WXFT as Spanish groups say there isn't enough Spanish TV in Chicago. (though that's another thread )

 

[PDXREXX]

Hearst has the largest group of ABC affiliates, many of which (WCVB, WISN, KMBC, and, arguably, WMUR) are among the network's top affiliates... something that I don't think can be said about its NBC-affiliated stations. I'm probably the layman of laymen around here, but I don't see Hearst risking those stations' ratings here.

Hearst does well with NBC affiliates WESH Orlando, WYFF Greenville, SC,
and WXII Winston-Salem, NC; WYFF is consistently first in its market, while
WESH and WXII usually run second or no worse than third (WESH is helped
by a weak CBS affiliate; WXII, by a weak ABC one).

As for WUSA becoming an NBC o&o, do you think Gannett would give up
one of its two flagships (WXIA being the other?). Now I can see WUSA as
an NBC affiliate, since most Gannett stations are with the Peacock network
(at least four of which, WXIA, KUSA Denver, WTSP Tampa/St. Petersburg,
and WTLV Jacksonville, were formerly ABC affiliates; and WBIR Knoxville
is a fomer CBS affiliate) and if NBC were to sell WRC, that could be a possibility.
Two stations will be out of play in Washington: WTTG (Fox o&o) and WJLA
(all of Allbritton's stations are ABC affiliates).

Let's Not Forget Gannett also owns KARE/Minneapolis and KPNX/Phoenix as Well
KPNX is Usually First or Second in the market

 

[only1moore]

I doubt Hearst will go after NBC. They like the diversity they have with their O&Os and they seem to be more in bed with ABC than NBC.

However, I do suspect that Gannett will make a major play for the Peacock if the "For Sale" is posted outside 30 Rock.