FOX Switches Affiliates in Boise and Evansville, IN

[stationless listener]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar..._New_Affiliation_Agreements_Scraps_Others.php

Fox has signed some new affiliation agreements, while severing ties with other affiliates. Communications Corporation of America's WEVV Evansville, a CBS affiliate airing MyNetworkTV on its .2 channel, becomes a Fox-MyNet hybrid on channel 44.2.

WEVV replaces Nexstar's WTVW as the local Fox affiliate in DMA No. 103.

Fox also inked a deal with Journal Broadcast Group to launch Fox on Journal's KNIN Boise (DMA No. 113), currently a CW affiliate. That replaces Block Communications-owned KTRV, whose affiliation agreement, Fox says, expired in August.

WEVV, which had been a Fox affiliate years ago, begins its Fox partnership July 1, while KNIN kicks off Fox programming Sept. 1.

And this could only be the start. One FOX employee is even quoted as possibly going the cable-only route in some markets if affiliation economics don't work out from the network's standpoint.

 

[dave73]

For markets that have few stations, it could backfire for them if they don't have an affiliate for their network. I get the impression that they're getting greedy that they'd be willing to go cable only. With people slowly cutting the cord to cable TV (or cutting the cord to their satellite dish if it's DirecTV or Dish Network), people might not be willing to pay to watch Fox as a cable channel. Fox is already pissed off at the people running the O&O Fox station in Chicago, because they're dead last in the ratings (especially the news). I just hope they don't decide to put WFLD up for sale, then drop the station as a Fox station, just so they could go the cable route. It probably won't happen in Chicago, but the way this station, along with sister station WPWR-TV, being poorly run, it's anyone's guess what will happen.

 

[DToTheJ]

KNIN in Boise... gee, I wonder what channel that station is on... :

 

[bpatrick]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar..._New_Affiliation_Agreements_Scraps_Others.php

Fox has signed some new affiliation agreements, while severing ties with other affiliates. Communications Corporation of America's WEVV Evansville, a CBS affiliate airing MyNetworkTV on its .2 channel, becomes a Fox-MyNet hybrid on channel 44.2.

WEVV replaces Nexstar's WTVW as the local Fox affiliate in DMA No. 103.

Fox also inked a deal with Journal Broadcast Group to launch Fox on Journal's KNIN Boise (DMA No. 113), currently a CW affiliate. That replaces Block Communications-owned KTRV, whose affiliation agreement, Fox says, expired in August.

WEVV, which had been a Fox affiliate years ago, begins its Fox partnership July 1, while KNIN kicks off Fox programming Sept. 1.

And this could only be the start. One FOX employee is even quoted as possibly going the cable-only route in some markets if affiliation economics don't work out from the network's standpoint.

Where does all this leave WTVW? Is ABC now in play in Evansville, since WTVW was once the ABC affiliate?

 

[gregg75]

Did FOX switch affiliates, or did their old affiliates DUMP them?????

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Fox switched affiliates. Nexstar's CEO was quoted just last month saying he thought FOX was bluffing about pulling the affiliations from his company.

I'm pretty sure WEHT (ABC 25) has a long-term affiliation deal with ABC in place.

 

[w9wi]

KNIN in Boise... gee, I wonder what channel that station is on... :

10, if you ask the folks who think we should get rid of the Virtual Channel Table.......

 

[TheRob]

KNIN in Boise... gee, I wonder what channel that station is on... :

10, if you ask the folks who think we should get rid of the Virtual Channel Table.......

And to make it more confusing, K-9 airs a newscast from KIVI (PSIP 6).

 

[DToTheJ]

... Nexstar's CEO was quoted just last month saying he thought FOX was bluffing about pulling the affiliations from his company. I'm pretty sure WEHT (ABC 25) has a long-term affiliation deal with ABC in place.

Ask the people in New York and Philadelphia if they thought ABC would ever bluff with people over the availability of their services. :

 

[KML0224]

Meanwhile, WTIC-TV channel 61 of Hartford has been a FOX affiliate since the network started in 1986. Their 10 PM newscast is the highest rated one in the state. I guess being between Boston and NYC helps!

 

[Markxxx]

You have to make market to market comparisons. It's easy to pull an affiliation in a low ranked market, with high cable penetration. Can you do that in a high ranked market with low(er) cable penetration?

FOX isn't risking much even if they lose 100% of the audience in both Evansville and Boise.

 

[azumanga]

As for what happens next -- KTRV would be getting The CW, unless KNIN elects to keep "The CW Plus" subchannel; KNIN's contract with the CW expires this summer.

As for WTVW, it's practically slim pickings for networks -- WEVV will be keeping MyNetwork TV as part of the new Fox subchannel, while The CW, This TV and America One are called for by other stations. At this point, WTVW could affiliate with MeTV, Antenna TV or RTV, or go off the board altogether and be independent.

 

[KeithE4]

And this could only be the start. One FOX employee is even quoted as possibly going the cable-only route in some markets if affiliation economics don't work out from the network's standpoint.

I can see Fox dropping all their affiliates in Markets #101-210 in time. How much revenue do the smaller markets really generate for any of the networks, given that those markets are only about 15% of the total viewing public and few national advertisers target them at all?

 

[tripinva]

As for WTVW, it's practically slim pickings for networks -- WEVV will be keeping MyNetwork TV as part of the new Fox subchannel, while The CW, This TV and America One are called for by other stations. At this point, WTVW could affiliate with MeTV, Antenna TV or RTV, or go off the board altogether and be independent.

The CW is currently airing on a station that is operating without an FCC license on a signal with 1.1 kW ERP. I can certainly imagine CW being available if WTVW wants it. That's a big if.

- Trip

 

[upstate29651]

I can see Fox dropping all their affiliates in Markets #101-210 in time. How much revenue do the smaller markets really generate for any of the networks, given that those markets are only about 15% of the total viewing public and few national advertisers target them at all?

Pay close attention.

If Fox ever hopes to keep the NFL, MLB & NASCAR, what you propose will never happen.

See what I did there?

G

 

[KeithE4]

Pay close attention.

If Fox ever hopes to keep the NFL, MLB & NASCAR, what you propose will never happen.

See what I did there?

G

They could resurrect FoxNet, which could carry NASCAR since they're one national feed, and syndicate the NFL package regionally to areas without Fox affiliates. By the time this would happen - 5 or 10 years down the road - I'll be surprised if MLB has any OTA presence at the network level at all, other than the World Series (maybe), so it could be a moot point.

 

[Nate Wesley]

As for WTVW, it's practically slim pickings for networks -- WEVV will be keeping MyNetwork TV as part of the new Fox subchannel, while The CW, This TV and America One are called for by other stations. At this point, WTVW could affiliate with MeTV, Antenna TV or RTV, or go off the board altogether and be independent.

CBS wouldn't be in play?

 

[nomadcowatbk]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar..._New_Affiliation_Agreements_Scraps_Others.php

Fox has signed some new affiliation agreements, while severing ties with other affiliates. Communications Corporation of America's WEVV Evansville, a CBS affiliate airing MyNetworkTV on its .2 channel, becomes a Fox-MyNet hybrid on channel 44.2.

WEVV replaces Nexstar's WTVW as the local Fox affiliate in DMA No. 103.

Fox also inked a deal with Journal Broadcast Group to launch Fox on Journal's KNIN Boise (DMA No. 113), currently a CW affiliate. That replaces Block Communications-owned KTRV, whose affiliation agreement, Fox says, expired in August.

WEVV, which had been a Fox affiliate years ago, begins its Fox partnership July 1, while KNIN kicks off Fox programming Sept. 1.

And this could only be the start. One FOX employee is even quoted as possibly going the cable-only route in some markets if affiliation economics don't work out from the network's standpoint.

Is this a big deal since these aren't top 40 markets?

 

[nomadcowatbk]

For markets that have few stations, it could backfire for them if they don't have an affiliate for their network. I get the impression that they're getting greedy that they'd be willing to go cable only. With people slowly cutting the cord to cable TV (or cutting the cord to their satellite dish if it's DirecTV or Dish Network), people might not be willing to pay to watch Fox as a cable channel. Fox is already pissed off at the people running the O&O Fox station in Chicago, because they're dead last in the ratings (especially the news). I just hope they don't decide to put WFLD up for sale, then drop the station as a Fox station, just so they could go the cable route. It probably won't happen in Chicago, but the way this station, along with sister station WPWR-TV, being poorly run, it's anyone's guess what will happen.

Rupert should have just bought Tribune before the formation of the WB to put Fox on WGN

 

[nomadcowatbk]

And this could only be the start. One FOX employee is even quoted as possibly going the cable-only route in some markets if affiliation economics don't work out from the network's standpoint.

I can see Fox dropping all their affiliates in Markets #101-210 in time. How much revenue do the smaller markets really generate for any of the networks, given that those markets are only about 15% of the total viewing public and few national advertisers target them at all?

I don't know if the NFL would go for that. How would they distribute the games on cable? I guess on ABC or NBC station in those places would pick up the games like what was done when Fox first got the NFC.