FOX'S MY NETWORK in BOSTON

[wxctintern]

I thought of 3 possible senarios for which station in Boston might carry FOX's new MY NETWORK.

Senario #1: FOX buys WBPX/68 from Bud Paxson. I'm sure FOX has enough programming to fill the remaining 158 hours a week that will not be used for MY Network Programming. I think for the right price Bud Paxson would give up 68.

Senario #2: FOX buys WMFP/62 from E.W. Scrips. Again I'm sure FOX has enough programming to fill the remaining 158 hours a week that will not be used for MY Network Programming. Problem: I don't know if E.W. Scripps would be willing to sell their station.

Senario #3: E.W. Scripps flips Channel 62 to the MY NETWORK. Problem: Can E.W. Scripps acquire enough programing to fill the remaining 158 hours a week, that MY NETOWRK doesn't use. Questions: Does E.W. Scripps own any stations affiliated with the doomed WB and UPN Network and if so are any going to CW? Would E.W. Scrips get rid of a 24 hour Shop-At-Home Station?

Or are all 3 senarios completely ridiculous?

 

[jjkktj]

>
> Senario #1: FOX buys WBPX/68 from Bud Paxson. I'm sure FOX
> has enough programming to fill the remaining 158 hours a
> week that will not be used for MY Network Programming. I
> think for the right price Bud Paxson would give up 68.

This one is almost plausable. Paxson is losing money however for full market coverage, they would also need to purchase at least WPXG/21 in Concord as well. Question is is PAX ready to throw in the towel? Speaking of PAX/i I think DirecTV is dropping WBPX and the national feed at the end of March.


> Senario #2: FOX buys WMFP/62 from E.W. Scrips. Again I'm
> sure FOX has enough programming to fill the remaining 158
> hours a week that will not be used for MY Network
> Programming. Problem: I don't know if E.W. Scripps would be
> willing to sell their station.

That is a good question. I am not sure there is.
>
> Senario #3: E.W. Scripps flips Channel 62 to the MY NETWORK.
> Problem: Can E.W. Scripps acquire enough programing to fill
> the remaining 158 hours a week, that MY NETOWRK doesn't use.
> Questions: Does E.W. Scripps own any stations affiliated
> with the doomed WB and UPN Network and if so are any going
> to CW? Would E.W. Scrips get rid of a 24 hour Shop-At-Home
> Station?
>

1. If I remember correctly the majority of Scripps non Shop-at-Home stations are with ABC (WFTS-Tampa, WCPO-Cincinatti, WXYZ-Detroit, WNXV-Phoenix, WEWS-Cleveland) Two are with NBC (KSHB-KC and Ch2 in Tulsa) They also operate an Independent in the KC market. I don't beleive they own UPN or WB affiliates.

2. Since they own Shop at Home I would doubt they would pull the plug on running SAH on WMFP unless they sell it.

Somehow I still think that WZMY is going to be the My affiliate in the Boston DMA.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Despite CBS orphaning several Fox-owned UPN affiliates with the creation of The CW, could My Network TV still end up affiliating with WSBK-38??

The chances of that happening may be minimal, but I wouldn't completely discount it. My Network TV may need WSBK........badly.

 

[MCarney]

> The chances of that happening may be minimal, but I wouldn't
> completely discount it. My Network TV may need
> WSBK........badly.
>
Extremly minimal, as there is bad blood between Fox and CBS over News Corp. acquiring the former Chris-Craft UPN stations. As stated in another thread - the purpose of My Network TV is to service the Fox-owned UPN stations, not to be a full-service network. Other affiates are gravy and the financial structure may be such that it's of minimal vaule to WSBK.

 

[fatbastard]

> Despite CBS orphaning several Fox-owned UPN affiliates with
> the creation of The CW, could My Network TV still end up
> affiliating with WSBK-38??
>
> The chances of that happening may be minimal, but I wouldn't
> completely discount it. My Network TV may need
> WSBK........badly.
>

More like non-existant. "My Network" is targeting the young bilingual
Hispanic market. Not that Boston DMA is out of the question but it's not exactly ranks at the top of that demographic segment. And WSBK is already
loaded up with enough Paramount TV and King World syndicated and first-run
inventory, it won't make any kind of sense. The My Network's demo is narrow
for WSBK to run it and make money on it. You could probably see on another
small station like 68, 62 or 50, but 38 is out of the question.

WSBK is going to be full independent. They'll be launching a big
marketing campaign this summer to promote the return of the old/new
WSBK.

 

[Garrett]

> Despite CBS orphaning several Fox-owned UPN affiliates with
> the creation of The CW, could My Network TV still end up
> affiliating with WSBK-38??
>
> The chances of that happening may be minimal, but I wouldn't
> completely discount it. My Network TV may need
> WSBK........badly.
>

As was already suggested... However, I don't think they need them "badly." The quesetion is more, how badly does WSBK need programming. With a MyTV network, I wonder 38 could get lost completely. Or for that matter, would CBS even consider selling WSBK to Fox outright.

 

[kenwood]

Re: FOX'S MY NETWORK in BOSTON and Rhode Island

>I was wondering about Pax/i too. in RI we have WPXQ. What if "i" would sell off to "MY".Have original "MY/FOX programming in Prime-time and air the boring crap "i" airs now during primetime in the afternoon. Fill mornings with syndication. Well you get the picture.I don't know how "i" is still on the air. At least WB and UPN had a handfull of useful programming.

 

[fybush]

> > The chances of that happening may be minimal, but I
> wouldn't
> > completely discount it. My Network TV may need
> > WSBK........badly.

> Extremly minimal, as there is bad blood between Fox and CBS
> over News Corp. acquiring the former Chris-Craft UPN
> stations. As stated in another thread - the purpose of My
> Network TV is to service the Fox-owned UPN stations, not to
> be a full-service network. Other affiates are gravy and the
> financial structure may be such that it's of minimal vaule
> to WSBK.

Yeah, but it's also a cheap source of programming for a station that will have those prime-time hours available to be filled.

Sure, there's bad blood, but not enough to keep both sides' syndication arms from doing business with each other's stations. And in the end, that's ALL that "My" really is - a glorified syndication offering.

Make book on it: Fox will NOT be buying a second station in Boston just to carry My. Scripps isn't selling the (quite profitable) SAH stations. Pax/i, however much of a mess it may appear to be, isn't selling its stations at the moment.

So that leaves WZMY and WSBK. If I were a betting man, I'd put a few bucks on My ending up on WSBK when the dance ends - probably with an announcement coming very late in the game, and with CBS getting a very favorable deal (perhaps even a little better than the already favorable deal My is offering most of its prospective new affiliates) to get My on the air in Boston (and probably in Miami, West Palm and perhaps out of pattern on WLWC). I would not expect to see "My" branding on WSBK, outside of prime-time hours, and I would expect to see some pretty liberal preemptions whenever CBS has something better to put on 38 (sports, bumped CBS programming when 4 goes local, etc.)

Maureen is right that most of the non-O&O clearances for My are just gravy, but national ad buyers will want to see Boston and Miami clearances, and that means Fox will have to play ball with CBS. <P ID="signature">______________
Tower Site Calendar 2006 ON SALE! - <a target="_blank" href=http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html#calendar>www.fybush.com</a></P>

 

[BRNout]

Re: FOX'S MY NETWORK in BOSTON and Rhode Island

> >I was wondering about Pax/i too. in RI we have WPXQ. What
> if "i" would sell off to "MY".Have original "MY/FOX
> programming in Prime-time and air the boring crap "i" airs
> now during primetime in the afternoon. Fill mornings with
> syndication. Well you get the picture.I don't know how "i"
> is still on the air. At least WB and UPN had a handfull of
> useful programming.
>
A little clarification would seem to be in order here. For one thing, "i" wont sell out to "MY" because there is no such company. It's a network created by Fox consisting of 2 hours of prime time programming.

In simplest terms, this was to fill time on Fox-owned stations that were left high and dry when the UPN/WB merger/dissolution was announced and "CW" was brought out in its place. Stations like WWOR-9 New York, who suddenly found out that prime time programming would be lost by the loss of affiliation - in this case with UPN. Becasue of bad blood between CBS and Fox, don't look for WSBK to go "My" for example. TV-38 will become an indie.

"i" has it's own issues and it would be great to have this waste of electricity to be flushed down the tube. However, I wouoldn't hold my breath for your "i" affiliate to start carrying the "My" network prime time lineup in place of whatever junk they usually show.

And, Fox isn't so committed to this "My" thing that they will go on a station buying binge to promote it. They are merely signing up affiliates and making money. It's a programming option for independents that is financially attractive. I'm sure that Fox would like to have it on in Boston and, frankly the best fit in the market (programming-wise) would seem to be WZMY. It would have been true even if they did not go by the "My TV" moniker - which just gives them a bit of leverage. Anyone else in that market would be faced with having shopping and/or religion mixed with 2 hours of telenovelas. A bad fit.

Not sure where it would fit in Providence, by I haven't heard of any "i" stations going this way - so I would not count on it happening in Providence.

 

[fatbastard]

> Make book on it: Fox will NOT be buying a second station in
> Boston just to carry My. Scripps isn't selling the (quite
> profitable) SAH stations. Pax/i, however much of a mess it
> may appear to be, isn't selling its stations at the moment.

Just because they're not officially on the block, it doesn't
mean the deal can't happen tomorrow. As an example, everyone
found about CW on the day when it was announced and no one
had a clue about behind the door talks between CBS and Time Warner.

>
> So that leaves WZMY and WSBK. If I were a betting man, I'd
> put a few bucks on My ending up on WSBK when the dance ends
> - probably with an announcement coming very late in the
> game, and with CBS getting a very favorable deal (perhaps
> even a little better than the already favorable deal My is
> offering most of its prospective new affiliates) to get My
> on the air in Boston (and probably in Miami, West Palm and
> perhaps out of pattern on WLWC). I would not expect to see
> "My" branding on WSBK, outside of prime-time hours, and I
> would expect to see some pretty liberal preemptions whenever
> CBS has something better to put on 38 (sports, bumped CBS
> programming when 4 goes local, etc.)

Ain't gonna happen. You have two big brothers like CBS and Time Warner
putting their resources into CW. Why would one of them help out with the distribution of a rival network?

>
> Maureen is right that most of the non-O&O clearances for My
> are just gravy, but national ad buyers will want to see
> Boston and Miami clearances, and that means Fox will have to
> play ball with CBS.
>

You're way off. They don't have to play ball with CBS
because My is not Madison Avenue-centric. They're not about national
clearance. They're all about niche demos. CW is focused on cost per thousand
and is charging premium rates for proven programming like "Smallville",
"America's Top Model" and "Gilmore Girls" CW is only giving stations
3 minutes of local time per hour, plus taking cash payments from affils.
My can afford to give six minutes of local time, no cash transactions
and stay station-friendly because it doesn't have the bloated
proudcition overhead of CBS-TW and its programming is untested.
My's telenovellas like "Desire" or reality shows like "Cat Walk"
cost a fraction of CW's programming.

 

[kenwood]

From what I get from "MY"

"MY" will just be a service for indies to fill Thier Prime-Time schedule.They won't buy stations to promote it. It will just be there as basically a filler.
It will be a few extra bucks for the executives to make runs to Micky D's. That's it. I think....

 

[upn38fan]

>
> WSBK is going to be full independent. They'll be launching a
> big
> marketing campaign this summer to promote the return of the
> old/new
> WSBK.
>

Where did you hear this? If this is true, this made my day!

 

[Garrett]

> >
> > WSBK is going to be full independent. They'll be launching
> a
> > big
> > marketing campaign this summer to promote the return of
> the
> > old/new
> > WSBK.
> >
>
> Where did you hear this? If this is true, this made my day!
>

They had a press release where they said they would be going back to the popular "WSBK TV 38," but that release seems to have been pulled or moved somewhere...

Hmmm....

 

[MCarney]

"Full indepenent" could mean Entertainment Tonight and other syndicated Viacom related programs in prime time, much like Dr. Phil at 10.

 

[upn38fan]

> > >
> > > WSBK is going to be full independent. They'll be
> launching
> > a
> > > big
> > > marketing campaign this summer to promote the return of
> > the
> > > old/new
> > > WSBK.
> > >
> >
> > Where did you hear this? If this is true, this made my
> day!
> >
>
> They had a press release where they said they would be
> going back to the popular "WSBK TV 38," but that release
> seems to have been pulled or moved somewhere...
>
> Hmmm....
>

The press release still exists, but it could be found on their sister station's site:

www.upn28.com/cwfaq

lets hope Ch. 38 stays with their original January plans.

 

[Garrett]

> > > >
> > > > WSBK is going to be full independent. They'll be
> > launching
> > > a
> > > > big
> > > > marketing campaign this summer to promote the return
> of
> > > the
> > > > old/new
> > > > WSBK.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Where did you hear this? If this is true, this made my
> > day!
> > >
> >
> > They had a press release where they said they would be
> > going back to the popular "WSBK TV 38," but that release
> > seems to have been pulled or moved somewhere...
> >
> > Hmmm....
> >
>
> The press release still exists, but it could be found on
> their sister station's site:
>
> www.upn28.com/cwfaq
>
> lets hope Ch. 38 stays with their original January plans.
>

Why?
They'll have no programming, and won't survive.
Better for CBS to bite the bullet and go MyTV, imho.

 

[r566]

> > Make book on it: Fox will NOT be buying a second station
> in
> > Boston just to carry My. Scripps isn't selling the (quite
> > profitable) SAH stations. Pax/i, however much of a mess it
>
> > may appear to be, isn't selling its stations at the
> moment.
>
> Just because they're not officially on the block, it doesn't
>
> mean the deal can't happen tomorrow. As an example, everyone
>
> found about CW on the day when it was announced and no one
> had a clue about behind the door talks between CBS and Time
> Warner.
>

My guess is Tribune will sign an agreement with MyNetwork. But not CBS, based on the same premise: "You have two big brothers like CBS and Time Warner putting their resources into CW. Why would one of them help out with the distribution of a rival network?"

Tribune stations in Philadelphia (WPHL), Atlanta (WATL) and Seattle (KTWB) will carry MyNetworkTV in primetime.

In Miami (WBZL), Indianapolis(WXIN), Grand Rapids (WXMI) and Harrisburg(WPMT), Tribune stations carrying other primetime network programming will carry MyNetwork programs but during the day or after midnight.

In Sacramento, if Hearst is uninterested in MyNetwork for KQCA, it could go to KTXL for the arrangement above.

(In Harrisburg, I was assuming WLYH picks up The CW in above comment, though I see Clear Channel/WLYH actually wanting My Network instead.) Then CW goes off pattern late hours on WPMT, like how WB did before.

In Boston, my guess is WZMY will pick up affiliation. If that isn't the case, WFXT 25 keeps MyNetwork for off pattern past midnight or daytime programming. Another Fox O&O in Detroit is possible for such situation, if Granite is upset over S.F. loss and no longer wants to MyNetwork for its Detroit station.

I don't see Fox wanting to buy out really minor stations (with no programming currently), but I could be wrong. Maybe, they could buy some stations from Paxson. Aside from the Paxs, Fox might want stations like WTTA 38/Tampa and WDWB 20/Detroit, to create duopoly partners of MyNetwork affiliate stations, for their Fox owned stations.

At the same token, they should divest WUTB 24/Baltimore, which has no Fox duopoly, to CBS, Hearst or Scripps.


> >
> > So that leaves WZMY and WSBK. If I were a betting man, I'd
>
> > put a few bucks on My ending up on WSBK when the dance
> ends
> > - probably with an announcement coming very late in the
> > game, and with CBS getting a very favorable deal (perhaps
> > even a little better than the already favorable deal My is
>
> > offering most of its prospective new affiliates) to get My
>
> > on the air in Boston (and probably in Miami, West Palm and
>
> > perhaps out of pattern on WLWC). I would not expect to see
>
> > "My" branding on WSBK, outside of prime-time hours, and I
> > would expect to see some pretty liberal preemptions
> whenever
> > CBS has something better to put on 38 (sports, bumped CBS
> > programming when 4 goes local, etc.)
>
> Ain't gonna happen. You have two big brothers like CBS and
> Time Warner
> putting their resources into CW. Why would one of them help
> out with the distribution of a rival network?
>
> >
> > Maureen is right that most of the non-O&O clearances for
> My
> > are just gravy, but national ad buyers will want to see
> > Boston and Miami clearances, and that means Fox will have
> to
> > play ball with CBS.
> >
>
> You're way off. They don't have to play ball with CBS
> because My is not Madison Avenue-centric. They're not about
> national
> clearance. They're all about niche demos. CW is focused on
> cost per thousand
> and is charging premium rates for proven programming like
> "Smallville",
> "America's Top Model" and "Gilmore Girls" CW is only giving
> stations
> 3 minutes of local time per hour, plus taking cash payments
> from affils.
> My can afford to give six minutes of local time, no cash
> transactions
> and stay station-friendly because it doesn't have the
> bloated
> proudcition overhead of CBS-TW and its programming is
> untested.
> My's telenovellas like "Desire" or reality shows like "Cat
> Walk"
> cost a fraction of CW's programming.
>