Disney selling ABC O&Os???

[Rollo-Smokes]

This has flown under the radar for a few days. Several sites, including Broadcasting & Cable and NewsBlues.com, are reporting that Disney is considering selling off the ten-station ABC owned-and-operated group. It sounds like it's all for the benefit of the bottom line to shareholders.

If such a move does materalize -- Disney is denying the rumors and I personally hope it doesn't happen -- ABC would set a precedent as the first broadcast network to sell off its entire group of flagship stations.

Check out this article: http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=485664

 

[BrigThomson]

Sure..they can sell them to Citadel, so it can start it's own TV division, and make them as worthless as the radio stations. Maybe they can even make the stock drop to under a dime a share!

 

[Markxxx]

Sounds odd they'd even consider selling them. Maybe if the Tribune bails on the CW then the CW can buy the stations

 

[Ultimajock]

If such a move does materalize -- Disney is denying the rumors and I personally hope it doesn't happen -- ABC would set a precedent as the first broadcast network to sell off its entire group of flagship stations.

...only as far as TV stations are concerned. Both Metromedia (just before Rupert Murdoch turned it into Fox) and NBC sold their flagship radio O&Os in the 1980s...

 

[azumanga]

Maybe if the Tribune bails on the CW then the CW can buy the stations

Only the Warner Bros. half -- I'm sure CBS can't buy most of the ABC O&Os.

 

[only1moore]

Let's not forget the other players who would love to have those "Circle 7" (along with those famous WPVI-6, KTRK-13, WTVD-11, KFSN-30, WTVG-13 and WJRT-12) logos/idents in their portfolio:

Hearst-Argyle: A majority of their stations are aligned with ABC, but they might have to severe ties with NBC and CBS beacuse they have relationships with those networks, so we could see some properties being sold (sacrificing WGAL-8/Lancaster and KCRA-3 & KQCA-58/Sacramento along with the San Francisco Chronicle and The Houston Chronicle so they can acquire WPVI, KGO-TV and KTRK respectively) or switch affils because of heritage (WBAL-11 Baltimore, the NBC affil, comes to mind).

Albritton: All of their stations are ABC affils, but as for them buying the stations I doubt they'll be interested even though they would have to worry about having a network news bureau in DC.

Scripps: They would have to dump their NBC properties in Kansas City, West Palm Beach and Tulsa and sell the ABC stations in Flint and probably Toledo because of WXYZ/Detroit and WEWS/Cleveland.

McGraw-Hill: Could work because all four of their ABC affils won't interfere with each other, although KGTV/San Diego could be a issue.

 

[Markxxx]

Maybe if the Tribune bails on the CW then the CW can buy the stations

Only the Warner Bros. half -- I'm sure CBS can't buy most of the ABC O&Os.

Actually other than Los Angeles, if the CW bought the stations it'd constitute a duopoly. I don't know if LA is big enough to have another triopoly.

(I'm just joking above, I know that would never really happen)

Just for the speculation ABC owns station in

1) New York - #1
2) Los Angeles - #2
3) Chicago - #3
4) Philadelphia - #4
5) San Francisco - #5
6) Houston - #10
7) Durham -#29
8) Fresno - #55
9) Flint -#66
10 Toledo - #71

 

[Markxxx]

oops evidently

8) comes out a smiley if you don't uncheck the box

 

[azumanga]

Maybe if the Tribune bails on the CW then the CW can buy the stations

Only the Warner Bros. half -- I'm sure CBS can't buy most of the ABC O&Os.

Actually other than Los Angeles, if the CW bought the stations it'd constitute a duopoly.

However, the only way anyone can own an ABC affiliate and another station in the same market is if one of those stations aren't one of the Top 4 stations in that market. Duopolies in Jacksonville (WTLV (NBC) / WJXX (ABC)) and Grand Rapids (WOOD (NBC) / WOTV (ABC)) are possible, because one of these stations are not among the Top 4 in their market. And in Miami, Post-Newsweek, the owner of WPLG (ABC), was able to buy NBC O&O WTVJ, because that station was not among the Top 4 (mainly because of the Latino-heavy population watching the Spanish networks).

 

[lugnuts6]

its a rumor..bunk...

 

[Nate Wesley]

I don't believe that ABC would go through with such a move just yet. As a package or individually according to market, who's got the money to buy these stations?

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

If such a move does materalize -- Disney is denying the rumors and I personally hope it doesn't happen -- ABC would set a precedent as the first broadcast network to sell off its entire group of flagship stations.

...only as far as TV stations are concerned. Both Metromedia (just before Rupert Murdoch turned it into Fox) and NBC sold their flagship radio O&Os in the 1980s...

To clarify, Metromedia was just an operator of stations, and was not a network.

 

[KeithE4]

To clarify, Metromedia was just an operator of stations, and was not a network.

Yes, it was at one time, but back then it was called "Dumont." (OK, so I'm nitpicking. ;D )

 

[andreajesus]

Those oldies but goodies....

Dumont was like WAY BEFORE my time...but I DO remember it as a PART of TV history...

Andrea

 

[Markxxx]

Thanks I forgot the station in a duopoly had to be #5 or below. I wonder if any of the CBS stations in the markets are below #5.

I'm sure the ABC stations are all in the top 4.

Then again it'd be just as easy to set up a dummy corporation to "own" the station. The FCC is pretty lax about things like that now.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

I don't believe that ABC would go through with such a move just yet. As a package or individually according to market, who's got the money to buy these stations?

It was in another post that someone mentioned possible suitors for the group should the rumors prove true. If I were Disney, I would pare the group down and sell off the smaller markets -- Fresno, Flint, and Toledo. The remaining seven stations are all in top-30 markets. Focus on strenghening those outlets (or keeping them strong, in most cases).

 

[dgendvil]

Heree's another player to this... Journal Broadcast Group. They already own KTNV (Las Vegas) & KGUN (Tucson), which is a big dependence to the network. Their newscasts have the same theme music as most of the O&O stations. Also, besides that they own a Fox station in Lansing, they should be interested in buying the ABC/Disney stations in Fresno, Toledo, & Flint. I hope that's true.

 

[KTN Corp]

Maybe it's one letter off? Substitute "A" for a "N."

ABC is doing fine but NBC is in the doldrums of ratings. Someone once said that the NBC O&Os, like the networks, are the lowest rated in their markets and their newscasts reflect on it.

 

[Markxxx]

Yes but ratings can turn around quickly. I recall a few years back people on this board talking about how bad ABC was, the "Desperate Housewives," became a hit and the whole thing turned around.

I seem to recall reading ABC bought the stations in Flint and Toledo as a hedge against losing WXYZ-TV in Detroit. (So if they had to go with a weaker UHF, those Flint and Toledo stations would still reach Detroits outer areas).

ABC whether it was Disney or Cap Cities never was really as agressive as the other networks about getting O&O stations.

 

[Garrett]

This has flown under the radar for a few days. Several sites, including Broadcasting & Cable and NewsBlues.com, are reporting that Disney is considering selling off the ten-station ABC owned-and-operated group. It sounds like it's all for the benefit of the bottom line to shareholders.

If such a move does materalize -- Disney is denying the rumors and I personally hope it doesn't happen -- ABC would set a precedent as the first broadcast network to sell off its entire group of flagship stations.

Check out this article: http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=485664

Let's separate the fact from the fiction here....
The article has no information on Disney having any kind of discussion. It is merely an outsiders "extrapolation," kinda like me saying "hey, CBS could make some money if they sold KCBS in LA."

That's why it isn't getting legs, it has no basis or merit, nor would it make sense to me. Those stations are distribution streams. Maybe ABC would sell some smaller market stations, but I don't see them giving up LA, NY, or Chicago.