Commission Looking at Revised Ownership Rules

[PTBoardOp94]

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/12/23/56287/fcc-mulls-limits-on-ssas-lns-agreements/page/1

The FCC has published a rulemaking proposal that would relax ownership rules in some cities and tighten them in others. For example, in Chicago, Tribune's ownership of the "Chicago Tribune" would no longer count against its electronic media ownership cap.

But 3 hours south in Terre Haute, IN, the marriage between Nexstar's WTWO NBC 2 and Mission's WAWV ABC 38 could be annulled because the commission is considering counting shared services agreements as "ownership" under the already existing duopoly rules.

 

[MarcB]

The FCC has published a rulemaking proposal that would relax ownership rules in some cities and tighten them in others. For example, in Chicago, Tribune's ownership of the "Chicago Tribune" would no longer count against its electronic media ownership cap.

What about Hartford, Connecticut? Tribune has had a wavier for years to own The Hartford Courant, WTIC-TV (FOX) 61, and WCCT-TV (CW) 20 [formerly WTXX]. They're also doing business in Hartford as CT-1 Media.

 

[mjlarochelle]

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/12/23/56287/fcc-mulls-limits-on-ssas-lns-agreements/page/1

The FCC has published a rulemaking proposal that would relax ownership rules in some cities and tighten them in others. For example, in Chicago, Tribune's ownership of the "Chicago Tribune" would no longer count against its electronic media ownership cap.

But 3 hours south in Terre Haute, IN, the marriage between Nexstar's WTWO NBC 2 and Mission's WAWV ABC 38 could be annulled because the commission is considering counting shared services agreements as "ownership" under the already existing duopoly rules.

For small-market stations, this move could be quite harmful. I know that in Erie PA, WSEE/35 (CBS) has had services provided by WICU/12 (NBC) since May 2009. This is a market with a duopoly between the other two commercial stations, WJET/24 (ABC) and WFXP/66 (FOX). In this day and age, I can't see a market the size of Erie supporting three fully independent commercial station operations without something having to give.

 

[w9wi]

I *really* don't like starting conspiracy theories, but I will

Is it possible they want to get WSEE to surrender its license, have the CBS affiliation end up as a subchannel on WICU, and free up the channel 16 spectrum for auction?

 

[arnoldevns]

Don't buy into conspiracy theories like this. This is a far bigger issue than just one market.

My take: many large markets are okay with several duopolies. There's still plenty of ownership diversity in those markets. Looking at my own market, Fox, NBC, CBS and Univision all have duopolies here in the DFW market (plus an LMA between Belo and another station that creates what amounts to a 5th duopoly) and there are still about 11 different owners of full power stations here.

In smaller markets, these duopolies or triopolies have a devastating impact and create monopolies that are not good for anyone in the market. It's not good when you've got a market with say 5 stations and 3 of them are run out of one building even though only two of the stations are actually "co-owned." This is the problem the commission is supposedly trying to address. I'm not going to hold my breath. They'll be lobbied heavily by station owners with dire predictions of dozens of local news stations closing their doors if they restrict these arrangements. I think they need to go back and undo a lot of these deals - particularly the ones where a dummy corporation is set up to "own" a station, but they sign a shared services agreement with a duopoly that's owned by family members and business partners of the owners of the dummy corporation.

 

[dave73]

WAWV & WTWO in Terre Haute, IN is one that definitely needs to be undone. Nexstar having a duopoly there has intentionally kept Fox off the main channel of a station, due to Nexstar & Fox refusing to work with each other. Terre Haute also has just 3 stations with commercial licenses, while 1 on the Indiana side, & one on the Illinois side of the Terre Haute market are non-commercial. Granite & Malara is another ownership thing that needs to be looked into, since in Fort Wayne, IN, you have WISE-TV & WPTA. Worse yet, they have ABC & NBC on the main channels, & Fox on a subchannel of WISE-TV, giving them control of 3 of the top 4 networks in that market (typically, that's not allowed, and especially not on main channels). Now in the case of LIN Broadcasting in the Grand Rapids market, the only reason they're allowed to own WOOD-TV (NBC) & WOTV (ABC) is because WOTV doesn't cover the entire market, & WZZM (also ABC) covers the areas WOTV does not under different owners.

 

[mescutia]

Forget Terre Haute. How about Lima, OH?

 

[Sammi Brie]

[T]he commission is considering counting shared services agreements as "ownership" under the already existing duopoly rules.

Thank you! This is needed. However, it will mean a lot of station sales — and a lot of stations that will need new studios in rather small markets (all Nexstar markets with duopolies share a studio).

 

[dhett]

[T]he commission is considering counting shared services agreements as "ownership" under the already existing duopoly rules.

Thank you! This is needed. However, it will mean a lot of station sales — and a lot of stations that will need new studios in rather small markets (all Nexstar markets with duopolies share a studio).

I predict it will mean a lot of TV stations in small markets going dark. The remaining stations will then multicast multiple networks, leading to one company controlling all network broadcasts in the market. I can't see the difference between that and what we have now, other than maybe more small markets lacking major network clearances.

 

[JeeperOne]

Forget Terre Haute. How about Lima, OH?

Forget either one of those. The Tribune/Local Media duopoly between Tribune's KWGN 2 (CW) & Local Media's KDVR 31 (FOX) is in REAL danger if this goes through

What's worse, the two stations combined the news departments into one. Can you imagine them undoing that?

News on KWGN barely survives as it is. There's NO WAY a newscast would survive on that station now if they had to do it on their own (KDVR 31 currently produces all newscasts & other related programming aired on KWGN)

That all said, I don't think anything will come of this. As corrupt as Washington is, the FCC is just spewing forth a smoke signal to appease the few HONEST politicians who are actually trying to work for the people (The FCC has to do this every once in a while to keep us on our toes). JMO.....

Cheers & 73

 

[mescutia]

Forget Terre Haute. How about Lima, OH?

Forget either one of those. The Tribune/Local Media duopoly between Tribune's KWGN 2 (CW) & Local Media's KDVR 31 (FOX) is in REAL danger if this goes through

Ummm.... all four of Lima's major network affiliates [ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox] are on stations that are either owned by or run by the same company. How is the KWGN/KDVR duopoly in greater danger than that?

<--- curious

 

[JeeperOne]

Forget Terre Haute. How about Lima, OH?

Forget either one of those. The Tribune/Local Media duopoly between Tribune's KWGN 2 (CW) & Local Media's KDVR 31 (FOX) is in REAL danger if this goes through

Ummm.... all four of Lima's major network affiliates [ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox] are on stations that are either owned by or run by the same company. How is the KWGN/KDVR duopoly in greater danger than that?

<--- curious

1) Larger city
2) Two companies (As opposed to one like traditional duopolies) with one (Local Media) actually running the two stations while the other (Tribune) owns & runs the only newspaper in town

IF this comes to pass, Tribune would likely have to pick between owning the newspaper (Denver Post) & selling KWGN to Local Media outright or selling the newspaper & keeping KWGN

That's how it's in danger

Cheers & 73