Could FOX purchase some MyNetworkTV affiliates?

mjlarochelle · Mar 12, 2006

I am thinking primarily of the Cleveland market, where FOX owns WJW, Channel 8, but it does not own WUAB, Channel 43, which will have the MNTV affiliation in the fall. As most of us know, WUAB is owned by Raycom, which also owns the region's CBS affiliate WOIO, Channel 19.

Might FOX purchase WUAB, or other stations in other markets that are in a similar position? What other markets with a FOX O&O are in this position?______________
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fybush · Mar 13, 2006

What My is...and what it's not

> I am thinking primarily of the Cleveland market, where FOX
> owns WJW, Channel 8, but it does not own WUAB, Channel 43,
> which will have the MNTV affiliation in the fall. As most
> of us know, WUAB is owned by Raycom, which also owns the
> region's CBS affiliate WOIO, Channel 19.
>
> Might FOX purchase WUAB, or other stations in other markets
> that are in a similar position? What other markets with a
> FOX O&O are in this position?

Fox has plenty of standalone O&Os, in markets as large as Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

But if I were a betting man, I wouldn't put much money on the idea that Fox will be rushing to buy second stations in those markets just to own the MNTV outlet. Remember that MNTV was originally designed not so much as a national network but as a way to fill the prime-time hours being vacated by UPN on the Fox-owned UPN stations in the really big markets. To the extent that it's being offered to other stations, my perception is that it's being treated basically as a syndicated program offering, with additional distribution beyond the Fox stations being basically gravy. (Think of the structure of "A Current Affair," back in its heyday.)

That's not to say that Fox won't put its affiliate relation team on overtime for the next few months to try to pump up nationwide coverage for launch day - but I don't think they'll be looking to buy anything new just to have more MNTV O&Os. ______________
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Poledo · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

I am under the impression that Fox's My Network TV is being launched as competition to the America 1 or UATV networks. They have no intention My Network competing with the top 5 (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW), at least not right away. The only reason I could see Fox buying a station would be to carry the main FOX network or if it was capable of being a strong independent with or without the My programs.

How far off am I?

OldAkronite · Mar 13, 2006

The Fallacy of My Network TV

> That's not to say that Fox won't put its affiliate relation
> team on overtime for the next few months to try to pump up
> nationwide coverage for launch day - but I don't think
> they'll be looking to buy anything new just to have more
> MNTV O&Os.

Since my home market was brought up, I'll chime in here...I'll have to agree.

FOX/NewsCorp created this thing because they HAD stations (the ex-UPNers) which were about to lose two hours of prime-time programming. The MNTV effort is driven by this fact. Then, it's driven by supplying that replacement programming to other displaced WB/UPN affiliates - that's a no-brainer.

I don't think we're even CLOSE to FOX actually picking up stations for the sole purpose of getting an outlet for their new mini-network. And Raycom, as far as I know, certainly isn't gonna sell WUAB here.

If My leaps past The CW and becomes a solid "fifth network" years down the road, who knows? But it's not really designed that way. Note that most of the groups jumping at the idea are doing so not because it's good...they're doing so because IT IS CHEAP. No reverse compensation, less programming and more opportunity for local spot sales.

And really, if your opening programming gambit is remaking ALREADY WRITTEN Spanish-language telenovela scripts with unknown actors, how much money are you planning to spend on the thing? FOX certainly has marketing savvy, but lipstick, meet pig.

There are plenty of arguments to be made against networks moving to reverse compensation. The CW folks are probably overdoing it in that regard. But at least their network appears to be a traditional, full-service (sub-big-four) network. MNTV looks more like it's the answer to "crap! How can we fill two hours cheaply?"

-OA______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a>

fybush · Mar 13, 2006

Re: The Fallacy of My Network TV

> There are plenty of arguments to be made against networks
> moving to reverse compensation. The CW folks are probably
> overdoing it in that regard. But at least their network
> appears to be a traditional, full-service (sub-big-four)
> network. MNTV looks more like it's the answer to "crap!
> How can we fill two hours cheaply?"

CW's strategy sure looks like it was designed on the assumption that once UPN and WB were both out of the picture, CW would stand alone as the only "fifth network." They'd have had a much easier time actually getting reverse comp and all their other demands if MNTV hadn't appeared on the scene as a cheaper choice. Its existence has got to be causing some heartburn for CW now.______________
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mjlarochelle · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> I am under the impression that Fox's My Network TV is being
> launched as competition to the America 1 or UATV networks.
> They have no intention My Network competing with the top 5
> (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW), at least not right away. The only
> reason I could see Fox buying a station would be to carry
> the main FOX network or if it was capable of being a strong
> independent with or without the My programs.
>
> How far off am I?
-----------

I think the MNTV affiliates have some potential, if they program their other hours properly. WUAB and WWOR have the advantage of having sports programming, but stations like WNYS Syracuse (as far as I know) do not. They are likely to be at least as successful as i/PAX, since they are on mainly full-power stations that get cable carriage, while A1 and UATV is mainly on low-power stations that aren't required to be carried on cablesystems.

Now remember, I'm comparing them with i/PAX, which has low viewership, but is still better (from my understanding) than the LP networks.______________
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Doctah · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Pretty far off. My Network TV is a syndication service for TV stations coming out of a major studio. A1 and UATV are for low powers.

> I am under the impression that Fox's My Network TV is being
> launched as competition to the America 1 or UATV networks.
> They have no intention My Network competing with the top 5
> (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW), at least not right away. The only
> reason I could see Fox buying a station would be to carry
> the main FOX network or if it was capable of being a strong
> independent with or without the My programs.
>
> How far off am I?
>

JeeperOne · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Hi everyone:

> That's not to say that Fox won't put its affiliate relation
> team on overtime for the next few months to try to pump up
> nationwide coverage for launch day - but I don't think
> they'll be looking to buy anything new just to have more
> MNTV O&Os.

In Miami though, they're gonna have to considering that CBS and Tribune own the UPN and WB affiliates respectively (unless either Ed Ansin or Post Newsweek step in).

But yeah, I do agree with you about Cleveland. If they wanted WUAB, they would've kept it.

Just my opinion

Cheers

Pat

______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT??

JeeperOne · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Hi everyone:

> I am under the impression that Fox's My Network TV is being
> launched as competition to the America 1 or UATV networks.
> They have no intention My Network competing with the top 5
> (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW), at least not right away. The only
> reason I could see Fox buying a station would be to carry
> the main FOX network or if it was capable of being a strong
> independent with or without the My programs.
>
> How far off am I?

Not far. Look at Miami.

THE ONLY reason why I think FOX will buy the current WB affiliate (I believe that's the one that didn't get The CW) is because of Tribune's investment in The CW and the fact they own THE ONLY station FOX will even CONSIDER (If it isn't the only one available).

I would think Tribune's investment in The CW would pose a conflict of interest if they owned a station in Miami affiliated with The CW's main competition - Rupert's Murdoch's MY Network TV while CW itself was on the current CBS-owned UPN affiliate (who I believe has been awarded the CW affiliation).

Cheers

Pat______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT??

fybush · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> Not far. Look at Miami.
>
> THE ONLY reason why I think FOX will buy the current WB
> affiliate (I believe that's the one that didn't get The CW)
> is because of Tribune's investment in The CW and the fact
> they own THE ONLY station FOX will even CONSIDER (If it
> isn't the only one available).
>
> I would think Tribune's investment in The CW would pose a
> conflict of interest if they owned a station in Miami
> affiliated with The CW's main competition - Rupert's
> Murdoch's MY Network TV while CW itself was on the current
> CBS-owned UPN affiliate (who I believe has been awarded the
> CW affiliation).

Other way around - CW is on Tribune's WBZL 39 in Miami, in no small part because WBZL serves as the default WB (and soon CW) affiliate for DirecTV and Dish customers in markets with no OTA WB/CW affiliate. (KSWB San Diego does the same for western customers.)

Tribune has no investment in The CW. They sold their interest in The WB a while back. They've committed some of their stations to the new network, but they're wide open in places like Seattle and Philadelphia to take My if they so choose. (Remember, the other Tribune station in Seattle is a Fox affiliate, and Tribune owns major Fox outlets in Hartford, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids and other markets.)

But in Miami, it's CBS's WBFS that would be the likely candidate. And yes, CBS does business with Fox, just as NBC does business with CBS and so on. Think of it as a syndicated program deal, not as a network affiliation, and it may begin to make more sense.

Also, I don't think Fox has any room under the national ownership cap to add Miami, where they don't currently have any stations. ______________
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JeeperOne · Mar 13, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Hi everyone:

> > Not far. Look at Miami.
> >
> > THE ONLY reason why I think FOX will buy the current WB
> > affiliate (I believe that's the one that didn't get The
> CW)
> > is because of Tribune's investment in The CW and the fact
> > they own THE ONLY station FOX will even CONSIDER (If it
> > isn't the only one available).
> >
> > I would think Tribune's investment in The CW would pose a
> > conflict of interest if they owned a station in Miami
> > affiliated with The CW's main competition - Rupert's
> > Murdoch's MY Network TV while CW itself was on the current
>
> > CBS-owned UPN affiliate (who I believe has been awarded
> the
> > CW affiliation).
>
> Other way around - CW is on Tribune's WBZL 39 in Miami, in
> no small part because WBZL serves as the default WB (and
> soon CW) affiliate for DirecTV and Dish customers in markets
> with no OTA WB/CW affiliate. (KSWB San Diego does the same
> for western customers.)

Noted.

But even so, in that case, I DEFINATELY don't see Miami's current UPN affiliate (which just happens to be WBFS 33, sister station to WFOR 4) picking up the MY Network. Hence the thought that either Ed Ansin or (most likely) Post Newsweek (owners of WPLG 10, the local ABC affiliate) buying it and the linked channel on channel 34 that serves West Palm Beach.

I don't see anyone else moving into Miami just to establish themselves in the market with a MY Network affiliate. It just wouldn't be worth it.

> They've committed some of their stations to the new network, but they're wide > open in places like Seattle and Philadelphia to take My if they so
> choose. (Remember, the other Tribune station in Seattle is a
> Fox affiliate, and Tribune owns major Fox outlets in
> Hartford, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids and other markets.)

Yeah but you can bet that CW will get WTTV 4 in Indy, which will basically leave Indy WITHOUT a home for MY (unless they put it on a subchannel of FOX 59 or make it a secondary to 4 or 59).

In Hartford, they'll probably make MY a secondary network on WTIC 61, the local FOX affiliate.

In Seattle, Q13 will undoubtedly get MY on a secondary basis unless Belo and KONG 6/16 drops the "i" Network (The latter not likely to happen though).

> But in Miami, it's CBS's WBFS that would be the likely
> candidate.

But I can't see CBS owning the station though. And if News Corp. DOES want WBFS for MY, I would think they would want either someone else other than CBS to own it OR they (FOX) would want to buy it themselves.

> And yes, CBS does business with Fox, just as NBC
> does business with CBS and so on.

True, but they don't own each other's stations. The last time that happened was when CBS-owned (what is now) WFOR had NBC on it.

> Think of it as a syndicated program deal, not as a network affiliation, and
> it may begin to make more sense.

This looks more like FOX being at the mercy of CBS. A scenario I don't think they will put themselves through again ANYWHERE, let alone in South Florida.

> Also, I don't think Fox has any room under the national
> ownership cap to add Miami, where they don't currently have
> any stations.

They do if the station is a UHF, which WBFS is last time I checked....

Just my $.02 worth

Cheers

Pat______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT??

hintomedia · Mar 14, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> Yeah but you can bet that CW will get WTTV 4 in Indy, which
> will basically leave Indy WITHOUT a home for MY (unless they
> put it on a subchannel of FOX 59 or make it a secondary to 4
> or 59).
_____

Hmm, there's this little station called WNDY/23, the market's current UPN affil. I guess they wouldn't mind getting together with MY.

> In Seattle, Q13 will undoubtedly get MY on a secondary basis
> unless Belo and KONG 6/16 drops the "i" Network (The latter
> not likely to happen though).
_____

Indeed it's not likely to happen, given the fact that they're not *EVEN* affiliated with "i" to begin with. KONG's an indie.

I guess if Belo wanted, they *could* put MY on that station. However, they air a second-run of Oprah/Dr. Phil during primetime (after KING 5 already aired them in the afternoon), and from what I hear they've been doing very well with that format. Don't think they'd want to give that up for some "telenovelas".______________
Derek
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.tvvancouver.cjb.net>TV.Vancouver</a>: Covering TV stations in Vancouver, BC

Poledo · Mar 14, 2006

How important is My?

Just how important is My Net to Fox? They are only providing 12 hours a week of programming to stations and they are doing this for free. Does FOX really care if they have 100% coverage of US markets? Are they putting any effort into soliciting affiliates or just waiting for anyone interested to call them? Is Fox signing strict "long term" deals with My affiliates? Wouldn't it be more likely for a station to show My Network shows durring late night hours or on weekends rather than create a seperate station and program 22 hours a day, on their own, on a digital sub channel?

KMRichards · Mar 14, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> Other way around - CW is on Tribune's WBZL 39 in Miami, in
> no small part because WBZL serves as the default WB (and
> soon CW) affiliate for DirecTV and Dish customers in markets
> with no OTA WB/CW affiliate. (KSWB San Diego does the same
> for western customers.)

I don't believe DirecTV has a "default" set of stations for any but the Big Four.______________

KMRichards · Mar 14, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> > Also, I don't think Fox has any room under the national
> > ownership cap to add Miami, where they don't currently
> have
> > any stations.
>
> They do if the station is a UHF, which WBFS is last time I
> checked....

Well, if Fox (or anyone) wants to acquire UHFs and have them count for one-half, they better do it before the analog cutoff, since that formula will only apply to grandfathered stations afterwards.______________

Mark_Ericson · Mar 14, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> > Other way around - CW is on Tribune's WBZL 39 in Miami, in
>
> > no small part because WBZL serves as the default WB (and
> > soon CW) affiliate for DirecTV and Dish customers in
> markets
> > with no OTA WB/CW affiliate. (KSWB San Diego does the same
>
> > for western customers.)
>
> I don't believe DirecTV has a "default" set of stations for
> any but the Big Four.

Any market where the WB is 100+ or the local WB is not available gets WBZL on channel 14.

Some folks on AVSForum's Greenville, NC thread and possibly Charleston, WV thread can vouch for that.

- Trip______________
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!

Mark_Ericson · Mar 14, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> Yeah but you can bet that CW will get WTTV 4 in Indy, which
> will basically leave Indy WITHOUT a home for MY (unless they
> put it on a subchannel of FOX 59 or make it a secondary to 4
> or 59).

WNDY UPN23 is owned by LIN?

> In Hartford, they'll probably make MY a secondary network on
> WTIC 61, the local FOX affiliate.

WCTX UPN59, owned by LIN?

> In Seattle, Q13 will undoubtedly get MY on a secondary basis
> unless Belo and KONG 6/16 drops the "i" Network (The latter
> not likely to happen though).

KTWB WB22, owned by Tribune (who also owns Q13)?

Also, KONG-16 is not Pax, KWPX-33 is. KONG is an Independent.

- Trip
______________
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!

KMRichards · Mar 15, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

> Any market where the WB is 100+ or the local WB is not
> available gets WBZL on channel 14.

That may be the best kept secret at DirecTV. Not mentioned anywhere on their website (and you would think it would be mentioned along with the NYC/LA Big Four stations for subscribers who cannot receive off-air local network affiliates), not mentioned in printed program guides, isn't even clustered with the NYC/LA stations.______________

JeeperOne · Mar 16, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Hi everyone:

> > Yeah but you can bet that CW will get WTTV 4 in Indy,
> which
> > will basically leave Indy WITHOUT a home for MY (unless
> they
> > put it on a subchannel of FOX 59 or make it a secondary to
> 4
> > or 59).
>
> WNDY UPN23 is owned by LIN?

Doesn't mean they'll get either of the new networks though.

> > In Hartford, they'll probably make MY a secondary network
> on
> > WTIC 61, the local FOX affiliate.
>
> WCTX UPN59, owned by LIN?

This station could get either (if not both) networks (CW primary, MY secondary if they do get both).

> > In Seattle, Q13 will undoubtedly get MY on a secondary
> basis
> > unless Belo and KONG 6/16 drops the "i" Network (The
> latter
> > not likely to happen though).
>
> KTWB WB22, owned by Tribune (who also owns Q13)?

KTWB is already getting CW. Given what's below, your point is...

> Also, KONG-16 is not Pax, KWPX-33 is. KONG is an
> Independent.

Touche.

In that case, MY will most likely go here.

Cheers

Pat______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT??

JeeperOne · Mar 16, 2006

Re: What My is...and what it's not

Hi everyone:

> > Yeah but you can bet that CW will get WTTV 4 in Indy,
> which
> > will basically leave Indy WITHOUT a home for MY (unless
> they
> > put it on a subchannel of FOX 59 or make it a secondary to
> 4
> > or 59).
> _____
>
> Hmm, there's this little station called WNDY/23, the
> market's current UPN affil. I guess they wouldn't mind
> getting together with MY.

Like I said...Doesn't mean they'll get the affiliation though.

> Indeed it's not likely to happen, given the fact that
> they're not *EVEN* affiliated with "i" to begin with. KONG's
> an indie.

You're the second one to correct me. Touche.

> I guess if Belo wanted, they *could* put MY on that station.
> However, they air a second-run of Oprah/Dr. Phil during
> primetime (after KING 5 already aired them in the
> afternoon), and from what I hear they've been doing very
> well with that format. Don't think they'd want to give that
> up for some "telenovelas".

I wouldn't be so quick to say that if I were you. Keep in mind Dr. Phil & Oprah BOTH cost Belo BIG $$$ to get the rights to air (As they do any local broadcaster). ON TOP OF THAT, viewers can also get them in primetime via the Oxygen Network as well. Given all this, do you honestly believe Belo will keep either show in lieu of network programming that's CHEAPER for them to obtain?

Cheers

Pat______________

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT??

Could FOX purchase some MyNetworkTV affiliates?

mjlarochelle

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