(This is a cross-post from the main Tegna-Nexstar thread. I felt it was appropriate to post it here as well since it directly addresses effects of the merger on TV news in Denver.)
The Colorado Sun nonprofit news website has an in-depth examination of the effects of the Tegna-Nexstar merger on Denver TV news, written by Nicole Vap, a former executive producer at KUSA (9News). KUSA was owned by Tegna; Nexstar owns KDVR and KWGN and has promised to spin off KTVD. At present, effects from the merger have been limited to the additional of a Nexstar tag at the end of newscasts. KUSA's main channel is still carried on a digital subchannel of KTVD to take advantage of UHF's better performance for digital broadcasting.
However, there is considerable concern over what Nexstar might do. Former KUSA and KCNC president and general manager Roger Ogden, a genuine heavyweight in television management, lays it out in this quote from the Colorado Sun article:
-- “There’s never been anything like this before,” said Roger Ogden, who spent most of his career in newsroom and TV management starting at 9News in the 1960s. Ogden served as president and general manager at KCNC CBS4 and later KUSA 9News, as well as serving as president of NBC Europe and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting [Tegna's predecessor]
Ogden says Denver will feel the merger more than most of Nexstar’s markets because of the size of the newsrooms and their editorial impact.
“I don’t think there’ll be two news operations,” he said. “It’ll be combined, and Channel 31 [KDVR, Fox31] and their news director will be calling all the shots.”
The companies have said combining the two operations would allow them to “expand local news coverage, strengthen digital offerings, and increase advertising opportunities.”
But longtime Denver TV insiders like Ogden say this merger comes with a much higher cost to independent reporting in Colorado. Ogden predicts deep cuts will be needed to make the finances of this merger work. He expects to see 80 to 90 journalists laid off in Denver.
To complete the transaction, Nexstar took on $5.1 billion in new debt, adding to fears there will be cuts in the company’s 31 overlapping markets. The final deal has been met with mixed reaction on Wall Street.
(end quote)
There's also been a lot of focus on 9 News' marquee anchor, Kyle Clark, and whether Nexstar would remove him from the station because of criticism he gets from conservatives. There's the perception that Nexstar has a conservative slant, bolstered by Donald Trump's favorable remarks regarding the merger. Clark's signature program is "Next", airing nightly at 6 pm, featuring accountability and commentary from Clark. The program is successful but the perception is that it won't fit in with Nexstar's politics. Another quote from the article:
-- The fact that the show that bears his name is a ratings juggernaut, his sometimes-sarcastic tone when holding politicians and others to account, no matter their political affiliation, along with Clark’s ability to connect with viewers through social media, makes his future of particular interest to Ogden.
“It’s financially by far the most successful show that Channel 9 has now,” Ogden said. Which means Nexstar must decide, he said, “does the money matter most or does the content?”
Clark has given his most honest answers to what happens next for him during his daily viewer feedback segment when he answers comments that come in during the show. “Next” has covered the merger extensively and reported the FCC and DOJ decision within minutes of its announcement March 19.
Clark choked up reading a viewer comment that started with, “I am praying big time for all of you guys at 9News,” from a viewer named Emily. He went on to read the note from Emily, who said 9News has been “a part of my life all of my life.” Hers was a sentiment shared by many others in the community in comments to a post of the segment online.
(end quote)
9News has also been active in fundraising with charitable groups. Those groups are afraid that Nexstar will drop those efforts, some of which have already been discontinued by KUSA.
This is an insightful article, written by someone who understands and has deep experience in broadcast news. Link: Tegna-Nexstar megamerger drama has national implications, but seismic impact on Denver news
The Colorado Sun nonprofit news website has an in-depth examination of the effects of the Tegna-Nexstar merger on Denver TV news, written by Nicole Vap, a former executive producer at KUSA (9News). KUSA was owned by Tegna; Nexstar owns KDVR and KWGN and has promised to spin off KTVD. At present, effects from the merger have been limited to the additional of a Nexstar tag at the end of newscasts. KUSA's main channel is still carried on a digital subchannel of KTVD to take advantage of UHF's better performance for digital broadcasting.
However, there is considerable concern over what Nexstar might do. Former KUSA and KCNC president and general manager Roger Ogden, a genuine heavyweight in television management, lays it out in this quote from the Colorado Sun article:
-- “There’s never been anything like this before,” said Roger Ogden, who spent most of his career in newsroom and TV management starting at 9News in the 1960s. Ogden served as president and general manager at KCNC CBS4 and later KUSA 9News, as well as serving as president of NBC Europe and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting [Tegna's predecessor]
Ogden says Denver will feel the merger more than most of Nexstar’s markets because of the size of the newsrooms and their editorial impact.
“I don’t think there’ll be two news operations,” he said. “It’ll be combined, and Channel 31 [KDVR, Fox31] and their news director will be calling all the shots.”
The companies have said combining the two operations would allow them to “expand local news coverage, strengthen digital offerings, and increase advertising opportunities.”
But longtime Denver TV insiders like Ogden say this merger comes with a much higher cost to independent reporting in Colorado. Ogden predicts deep cuts will be needed to make the finances of this merger work. He expects to see 80 to 90 journalists laid off in Denver.
To complete the transaction, Nexstar took on $5.1 billion in new debt, adding to fears there will be cuts in the company’s 31 overlapping markets. The final deal has been met with mixed reaction on Wall Street.
(end quote)
There's also been a lot of focus on 9 News' marquee anchor, Kyle Clark, and whether Nexstar would remove him from the station because of criticism he gets from conservatives. There's the perception that Nexstar has a conservative slant, bolstered by Donald Trump's favorable remarks regarding the merger. Clark's signature program is "Next", airing nightly at 6 pm, featuring accountability and commentary from Clark. The program is successful but the perception is that it won't fit in with Nexstar's politics. Another quote from the article:
-- The fact that the show that bears his name is a ratings juggernaut, his sometimes-sarcastic tone when holding politicians and others to account, no matter their political affiliation, along with Clark’s ability to connect with viewers through social media, makes his future of particular interest to Ogden.
“It’s financially by far the most successful show that Channel 9 has now,” Ogden said. Which means Nexstar must decide, he said, “does the money matter most or does the content?”
Clark has given his most honest answers to what happens next for him during his daily viewer feedback segment when he answers comments that come in during the show. “Next” has covered the merger extensively and reported the FCC and DOJ decision within minutes of its announcement March 19.
Clark choked up reading a viewer comment that started with, “I am praying big time for all of you guys at 9News,” from a viewer named Emily. He went on to read the note from Emily, who said 9News has been “a part of my life all of my life.” Hers was a sentiment shared by many others in the community in comments to a post of the segment online.
(end quote)
9News has also been active in fundraising with charitable groups. Those groups are afraid that Nexstar will drop those efforts, some of which have already been discontinued by KUSA.
This is an insightful article, written by someone who understands and has deep experience in broadcast news. Link: Tegna-Nexstar megamerger drama has national implications, but seismic impact on Denver news
