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Could CBS go to WATL?

J

JohnBlaze

Guest
For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is leaving WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go to WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence in Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...


jb
 
> For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would
> either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of
> the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is leaving
> WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go to
> WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns
> 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence in
> Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...
>
>
> jb
>
I have asked this same question and the consensus is that
CBS will stay on WGCL; its owner, Meredith, is pretty tight
with CBS, since it also owns CBS affiliates in Phoenix,
Kansas City, and Syracuse. Whether CBS would be willing to
tamper with this relationship by buying WATL is another question.

One thing that people who have responded to my question
like to point out is that WGCL-DT operates on Channel 19, and they
may choose to promote this channel once analog shuts down.
 
Future of ABC and CBS in Atlanta

> For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would
> either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of
> the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is leaving
> WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go to
> WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns
> 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence in
> Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...

I think either
a) ABC might jump to WATL, either by plain affiliation (Tribune owns the ABC affiliate in New Orleans), or ABC might buy the station. (Possible, but highly unlikely.
b) CBS might go to WATL, but WGCL would most likely want ABC. However, I do not see ABC doing this (WGCL can be as bad as WSB-TV sometimes in preemptions) unless ABC buys WGCL or CBS buys WATL.

I believe that everything will stay status quo for the immediate future (next 3-4 years or so), with the possible exception of CBS buying WGCL (which I highly believe will happen). Since CBS is keeping WUPA, CBS might want a duopoly in Atlanta. (and that might be why WUPA was never for sale).

Either way, I personally believe that WSB-TV will become the next KTVK, KRON, and WJXT sometime in the next few years as a heritage station going independent. Of any TV station in Atlanta that could make it as an indie (including WATL), it is WSB-TV.

That is my two cents worth. It is very hard to predict the future, so all we can do is wait to see what happens.
 
Re: Future of ABC and CBS in Atlanta

> > For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would
> > either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of
> > the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is
> leaving
> > WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go
> to
> > WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns
>
> > 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence
> in
> > Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...
>
> I think either
> a) ABC might jump to WATL, either by plain affiliation
> (Tribune owns the ABC affiliate in New Orleans), or ABC
> might buy the station. (Possible, but highly unlikely.
> b) CBS might go to WATL, but WGCL would most likely want
> ABC. However, I do not see ABC doing this (WGCL can be as
> bad as WSB-TV sometimes in preemptions) unless ABC buys WGCL
> or CBS buys WATL.
>
> I believe that everything will stay status quo for the
> immediate future (next 3-4 years or so), with the possible
> exception of CBS buying WGCL (which I highly believe will
> happen). Since CBS is keeping WUPA, CBS might want a duopoly
> in Atlanta. (and that might be why WUPA was never for sale).
>
>
> Either way, I personally believe that WSB-TV will become the
> next KTVK, KRON, and WJXT sometime in the next few years as
> a heritage station going independent. Of any TV station in
> Atlanta that could make it as an indie (including WATL), it
> is WSB-TV.
>
> That is my two cents worth. It is very hard to predict the
> future, so all we can do is wait to see what happens.
>

Why do you think ABC is looking for a new home? WSB is one of their better performing affiliates.
 
> > For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would
> > either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of
> > the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is
> leaving
> > WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go
> to
> > WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns
>
> > 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence
> in
> > Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...
> >
> >
> > jb
> >
> I have asked this same question and the consensus is that
> CBS will stay on WGCL; its owner, Meredith, is pretty tight
> with CBS, since it also owns CBS affiliates in Phoenix,
> Kansas City, and Syracuse. Whether CBS would be willing to
> tamper with this relationship by buying WATL is another
> question.
>
> One thing that people who have responded to my question
> like to point out is that WGCL-DT operates on Channel 19,
> and they
> may choose to promote this channel once analog shuts down.
>


First of all, I have already discussed why CBS nor ABC will purchase one of the independents in Atlanta and make it an O&O, here:

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=612476&Board=tv-atlanta

Second, it is incredibly *incredibly* expensive to build a quality news department from the ground up and bring the viewers to it. CBS already tried in Detroit on their duopoly WJW-62/WKBD-50. In fact, WKBD had an established news department, and they tried to expand it to include an 11:00pm newscast on WJW. Didn't work. In fact, it failed so badly that CBS shuttered their news department all together and outsourced to WXYZ-7 (for WKBD only).

Simply put, it's not going to happen.

Finally, as regards WGCL's digital assignment. It's my understanding that the FCC is forcing stations to keep their current "analog" station IDs after the switch to digital is complete. Therefore, don't expect "CBS 46 News" to become "CBS 19 News."
 
It might also be a problem for CBS switching to another station, since it had signed a 10-year contract with Meredith.

WGCL will remain the CBS affiliate for quite a while.

As far as WATL, Tribune likely has some programming strategies in the works (it's not as if the company hasn't had experience with independent TV stations before).
 
> > I have asked this same question and the consensus is that
> > CBS will stay on WGCL; its owner, Meredith, is pretty
> tight
> > with CBS, since it also owns CBS affiliates in Phoenix,
> > Kansas City, and Syracuse. Whether CBS would be willing
> to
> > tamper with this relationship by buying WATL is another
> > question.
> >
> > One thing that people who have responded to my question
> > like to point out is that WGCL-DT operates on Channel 19,
> > and they
> > may choose to promote this channel once analog shuts down.
>

I doubt ABC will leave WSB. WSB is one of ABC highest rated affiliates. I believe CBS did sign a long term deal with WGCL, but if "Atlanta's Clear Newschannel" keeps doing bad in the ratings, then CBS will take over. They'll pay big time, but they could do it. As for other CBS stations in the Meredith group... they are #1 or #2s in each market.


> Second, it is incredibly *incredibly* expensive to build a
> quality news department from the ground up and bring the
> viewers to it. CBS already tried in Detroit on their
> duopoly WJW-62/WKBD-50. In fact, WKBD had an established
> news department, and they tried to expand it to include an
> 11:00pm newscast on WJW. Didn't work. In fact, it failed
> so badly that CBS shuttered their news department all
> together and outsourced to WXYZ-7 (for WKBD only).

I am fimiliar of that situation, being from the Detroit Area... growing up watching WKBD and others. (BTW, its WWJ-TV not WJW. WJW I believe is in Cleveland.) There are many factors on why WWJ's news didn't work in Detroit. WKBD had a solid news department. I believe it became too much for WKBD to do an hour long news at 10, then turn around and do news on WWJ, especially since WKBD only had a small news department for it's 10pm news. And WWJ is like WGCL... no one knows or knew it was there. WWJ's signal was a weak one and hardly any cable outlets carried WWJ. CBS sucked so bad in Detroit, none of the other stations wanted to talk to CBS when WJBK dropped CBS to become FOX.
Maybe if CBS was on WXON-TV 20 (now WDWB), it may of done better since WXON was a popular indie in Detroit, and carried on more cable stations than WWJ.


> Simply put, it's not going to happen.

Never say never! lol

> Finally, as regards WGCL's digital assignment. It's my
> understanding that the FCC is forcing stations to keep their
> current "analog" station IDs after the switch to digital is
> complete. Therefore, don't expect "CBS 46 News" to become
> "CBS 19 News."

I agree with that... when the price of digital ready tv comes down and the majority can afford to buy one, then analog will go away. I don't think analog will be washed away for many years after all stations go digital.

jb
 
> Finally, as regards WGCL's digital assignment. It's my
> understanding that the FCC is forcing stations to keep their
> current "analog" station IDs after the switch to digital is
> complete. Therefore, don't expect "CBS 46 News" to become
> "CBS 19 News."

I believe they could choose either, but if another station gets 46, WGCL would get the first option to use virtual channel 46.

WUPA-DT has their PSIP configured as 43-1.
 
Re: Future of ABC and CBS in Atlanta

> > > > >
> Why do you think ABC is looking for a new home? WSB is one
> of their better performing affiliates.
>
I have to agree. Someone commented awhile back that it would
take a major disagreement between Cox and ABC to get WSB to
move to another network.

Now let's go back to 1994. One of the posts points out that when
WJBK/2 Detroit went to Fox, neither WDIV/4 (NBC) nor WXYZ/7 (ABC)
was willing to talk to CBS about an affiliation (Scripps-Howard
even moved four other stations to ABC as part of a deal to keep
WXYZ and Cleveland's WEWS/5 in the ABC fold). IIRC, WJBK was not
one of CBS's strongest affiliates, but it was superior to WWJ.

In Atlanta, OTOH, WAGA was a strong, not dominant, CBS affiliate.
It would seem that either WSB or WXIA would have been willing to
consider going to CBS, especially WSB when ABC was third in the
ratings.

So why did neither 2 nor 11 jump at the chance to go to the Eye
network?<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bpatrick on 02/03/06 03:36 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> WUPA-DT has their PSIP configured as 43-1.

Then they are violating FCC rules.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
Re: Future of ABC and CBS in Atlanta

> Now let's go back to 1994. One of the posts points out that
> when
> WJBK/2 Detroit went to Fox, neither WDIV/4 (NBC) nor WXYZ/7
> (ABC)
> was willing to talk to CBS about an affiliation
> (Scripps-Howard
> even moved four other stations to ABC as part of a deal to
> keep
> WXYZ and Cleveland's WEWS/5 in the ABC fold). IIRC, WJBK
> was not
> one of CBS's strongest affiliates, but it was superior to
> WWJ.

That's not the story I know.

The way I heard it, Scripps-Howard blackmailed ABC into moving ABC to WTSP-28 Tampa, KNXV-15 Phoenix, etc by threatening to take WEWS-5 Cleveland and WXYZ-7 Detroit to CBS. So to say WXYZ wouldn't talk to CBS doesn't exactly ring true, unless this story I've heard repeatedly (especially in the Phoenix forum) is false.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
> > WUPA-DT has their PSIP configured as 43-1.
>
> Then they are violating FCC rules.
>
> - Trip
>

Maybe not necessarily, considering that the 50+ frequencies (digital and analog) are no longer going to be used for broadcasting after the transition. Since WUPA is on 69 it would make sense to go ahead and PSIP to their digital assignment.
 
Re: Future of ABC and CBS in Atlanta

> > Now let's go back to 1994. One of the posts points out
> that
> > when
> > WJBK/2 Detroit went to Fox, neither WDIV/4 (NBC) nor
> WXYZ/7
> > (ABC)
> > was willing to talk to CBS about an affiliation
> > (Scripps-Howard
> > even moved four other stations to ABC as part of a deal to
>
> > keep
> > WXYZ and Cleveland's WEWS/5 in the ABC fold). IIRC, WJBK
> > was not
> > one of CBS's strongest affiliates, but it was superior to
> > WWJ.
>
> That's not the story I know.
>
> The way I heard it, Scripps-Howard blackmailed ABC into
> moving ABC to WTSP-28 Tampa, KNXV-15 Phoenix, etc by
> threatening to take WEWS-5 Cleveland and WXYZ-7 Detroit to
> CBS. So to say WXYZ wouldn't talk to CBS doesn't exactly
> ring true, unless this story I've heard repeatedly
> (especially in the Phoenix forum) is false.
>
> - Trip
>
To be honest, the story I've always heard is that WEWS
and WXYZ were threatening to move to CBS. I'm merely repeating
what I've read on one of the threads, because I'm trying to figure out
why neither WSB nor WXIA showed any interest in going to CBS
when WAGA went to Fox.
 
> > > WUPA-DT has their PSIP configured as 43-1.
> >
> > Then they are violating FCC rules.
> >
> > - Trip
> >
>
> Maybe not necessarily, considering that the 50+ frequencies
> (digital and analog) are no longer going to be used for
> broadcasting after the transition. Since WUPA is on 69 it
> would make sense to go ahead and PSIP to their digital
> assignment.

Yes necessarily. A year or so ago, the FCC adopted A/65B of the ATSC protocol as their official policy. It states in no uncertain terms that all stations are to map to their ANALOG CHANNEL NUMBER. If they have no analog, only then can they map to their digital.

See the top of Page 63 here: http://www.atsc.org/standards/practices/a_69.pdf (PDF WARNING)

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
> I have asked this same question and the consensus is that
> CBS will stay on WGCL; its owner, Meredith, is pretty tight
> with CBS, since it also owns CBS affiliates in Phoenix,
> Kansas City, and Syracuse. Whether CBS would be willing to
> tamper with this relationship by buying WATL is another
> question.
>

Merideth also owns WFSB-TV/DT (CBS) channel 3/D 33 in Hartford, CT. WFSB-DT 33-2 (or "3-2") is home to "CBS 3", a secondary station serving the Springfield, MA market. Springfield, which doesn't have its own CBS affiliate, gets this station over-the-air on low-power channel 67 and is on cable channel 3 in many cities (hence the name). It knocked the actual channel 3 out of those spots, and quite a few people complained to no avail. Anyway, Post-Newsweek owned the station before that. Channel 3 news is #1 most of the time and is neck-and-neck with NBC O&O WVIT-TV channel 30 of New Britain/Hartford at 11 PM.
<P ID="signature">______________
#13 Dan Marino...2005 Football Hall Of Fame Inductee :)</P>
 
> I believe they could choose either, but if another station
> gets 46, WGCL would get the first option to use virtual
> channel 46.

Nobody else has elected channel 46. (unless one of the LPTVs decides to do so?)
 
> For many years, rumors floated around WGCL that CBS would
> either buy the station or dump its affiliation because of
> the constant low ratings in Atlanta. Now that WB is leaving
> WATL, what would be the possibilities of CBS trying to go to
> WATL or purchasing WATL? Would make some sense... CBS owns
> 69, and if they owned 36... could increase there presence in
> Atlanta. I doubt Tribune would want to loose WATL...
>
>
> jb
>
Has anyone asked the question as to if any of the stations are going to change their call letters...especially UPN 69 (WUPA)???
 
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