KCOP/Los Angeles moving MyNetworkTV out of primetime

[nathannah]

(Yes, there's already a topic on this on the LA TV board, but this is big and a move here was suggested...)

Just happened to browse the listings of the generically named new entertainment newsmag (and viewing it, generic) Hollywood Today Live and noticed it was airing at 9pm on KCOP on Los Angeles, which was surprising to me as it's a Fox owned station carrying the Fox-owned MyNetworkTV. Lo and behold, it's true; TMZ Live is on at 8 (Fox Television stations has a heavy relationship with TMZ and primetime is a coup for them), followed by HTL at 9, then two Seinfelds at 10pm leading into MyNetworkTV's two hours at 11pm. In the #2 market, MyNetworkTV isn't even airing at its mandated time, though most California stations already don't bother with the default 8-10pm scheduling. The only other explanation is that Fox wants KTTV to have all the ratings for Fox by airing low-rated entertainment shows on KCOP, but KCOP didn't have much of a ratings pulse with MyNet to begin with (it probably competes more with KPXN/Ion most nights than KTTV).

There's no story about this online since KCOP went from one of the top indies in the nation to the equivalent of the MyNetworkTV station in Peoria under Fox Television Stations ownership, so nobody bothers to write about it (and judging from the move, watch it). WWOR, WPWR, KTXH and KDFI and all of Fox's other MNTV O&O's still carry it in primetime, but it sounds like a mortal wound for MyNet if they can't get primetime on a station with no sports rights to excuse pre-emptions. I'm sure we'll know more if we hear if Sinclair declines to renew the network on their stations (that would be the big nail in the coffin), but not a good sign.

 

[CaliRadioFan]

But they do have sports rights. They are the overflow channel for Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket. Last season about a dozen Kings and Ducks games aired on KCOP. They also aired an Angels game in early April when the Clippers were in the early round playoffs.

 

[Ccook55]

Since My Network TV no longer considers themselves as a network (now a "television service" as all their fare are off-network repeats of old shows), wouldn't that give affiliates some clearance to air the schedules wherever they choose?

 

[nathannah]

I did read that after the fact, but it's still not a lot of sports; pretty much only a few nights (compare to your average NFL preseason games) and only a few were thinking they were watching the games on KCOP unless they looked in the TRHC and saw the 'My13' bug. If Fox perhaps is thinking of pulling a Sinclair and adding high school sports to the schedule, it would probably work out well. Like I said, I hope this isn't tanking by Fox to make KTTV look better.

 

[crackedscreen]

According to a recent Deadline article regarding CW and Tribune, MyNetworkTV stations outside of the Fox O&O group rely on year-to-year affiliation deals. I think the MyNet stations are waiting to see how 2016 shakes out with CW and Tribune. If those two parties can't reach a deal, I bet the MyNet stations in the affected markets (outside of the Fox O&O's) will flip to CW. This could put a sizable dent in MyNet's clearance, and leave Fox with the decision of shutting it down.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Since My Network TV no longer considers themselves as a network (now a "television service" as all their fare are off-network repeats of old shows), wouldn't that give affiliates some clearance to air the schedules wherever they choose?

Depends on how the affiliation agreements are written. There is nearly always a clause allowing for delays in carriage to other days or time periods when pre-emption is for breaking news or live sports coverage, and I know there have been cases where MyNet had to settle for sharing a Fox, UPN, or WB channel back in the pre-subchannel days, so there is precedent for such a clause to exist.

But without seeing how the agreements are structured now, no telling what is and isn't allowable.

Sidebar:
In Santa Barbara, MyNet is carried on KEYT/3.2 with Retro during non-prime time hours. However, that move allowed KEYT to displace KCOP/13 on Cox Cable, which is of particular interest because Cox does something I have never seen a cable system do anywhere, ever: As they have eliminated the Los Angeles stations as distant signals (the only ones left are CBS' indie KCAL/9 and public broadcaster KCET/28) they continue to carry KNBC/4's local newscasts as part of the programming on their local access channel 8. (Their CW comes via KSBY/6.2 San Luis Obispo and their Fox via KCOY/12.2 Santa Maria.)

 

[K.M. Richards]

I think the MyNet stations are waiting to see how 2016 shakes out with CW and Tribune. If those two parties can't reach a deal, I bet the MyNet stations in the affected markets (outside of the Fox O&O's) will flip to CW. This could put a sizable dent in MyNet's clearance, and leave Fox with the decision of shutting it down.

Which would be ironic, many years after the fact, since Fox started MyNetwork because their New York and Los Angeles duopolies were UPN affiliates, and in the "two networks shut down, a new one is created from the ashes" creation of the CW, the affiliation went to the Tribune-owned WB affiliates in those markets. To have to shut down MyNetwork because of a CW-Tribune disagreement is ... well, kind of funny.