KLDT & KNWS - Azteca America affiliates?

[arnoldevns]

The Houston Chronicle reports creditors may force a sale of both stations to Una Vez Mas of Houston for $14.8 million.
The company is owned by Una Vez Mas of Dallas which owns the Azteca America stations in both Dallas and Houston.
The way this is structured, it seems unlikely anyone would step in to stop it. I think you can also assume that it means the deal to put RTV on both stations is dead.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6679441.html

 

[intx]

Azteca, I'd assume, would move to the stronger signal in both cities ... which would leave room for something new on the existing Azteca stations. Looks like the only other net Una Vez Mas runs on any of its 31 stations is MTV's Tr3s, so that's a good guess.

 

[eskipper411]

Oh god, oh dear god nooooooo!

 

[Mediafrog+]

Perhaps this is why LPTV KUVM Channel 34 in Houston hasn't bothered to switch over to digital...it is the only analog station still on the air here. If they get full-power Channel 51 they can simply shut down or sell off the LPTV.

However, Azteca America fizzled on full-power KAZH/57, but that was under absolutely awful Pappas ownership.

Of course, 51 has to get its digital transmitter issues fixed. Seems they lost most of their OTA audience after the June switchover.

 

[fredcantu]

Nothing says they have to shut down their LPTVs because they acquire a full power station. They can continue to use the analog LPTV to feed the TV sets that are not digital ready.s

 

[TexasTom]

This is not a completely done deal -- the article notes that the debtor-in-possession, Johnson Broadcasting wants to reorganize, not sell. While I doubt that Johnson will prevail, they could slow down any deal. Also, if anyone wants to outbid Una Vez Mas (the proposed buyer) by $800k or more, the courts will be happy to auction off both stations to the highest bidder.

The article breaks down the price for each station: $9 million for KNWS and $5.8 million for KLDT. And to think that nine years back, KLDT was under contract for $35 million in a sale that never consummated. Talk about depreciation.

 

[arnoldevns]

I'll put it this way, unless Johnson has come up with some cash he hasn't been able to find for years, he's going to lose these stations. While Johnson can dely, it seems highly likely Una Vez Mas will wind up with both stations.

 

[X-Man]

I'll put it this way, unless Johnson has come up with some cash he hasn't been able to find for years, he's going to lose these stations. While Johnson can dely, it seems highly likely Una Vez Mas will wind up with both stations.

I'll have to agree on that, Johnson has had those stations up for sale for years now and hasn't had any buyers. So if there are no other buyers for the stations (Which we all know won't happen but I could eat my words) then Una Vez Mas may be lucky in getting them. I'm still upset that I won't be able to see Retro TV...UGH

 

[TexasTom]

I'll have to agree on that, Johnson has had those stations up for sale for years now and hasn't had any buyers. So if there are no other buyers for the stations (Which we all know won't happen but I could eat my words) then Una Vez Mas may be lucky in getting them. I'm still upset that I won't be able to see Retro TV...UGH

Yeah, they've had KLDT and KNWS for sale for a long time -- but at a ridiculous asking price. The listing is still up at Hadden & Associates for a pair of independent stations in Dallas and Houston, and this can only be those two stations. The listed asking price is (or, perhaps I should say, was) $75 million for the pair! It's not surprising that they didn't get a lot of interest at that price.

My gut feeling is that a reasonable price for KLDT might be at or just below $10 million. If I assume the value of KNWS as being comparable, that might suggest somewhere around $20 million for the pair. That's substantially more than the Una Vez Mas bid, which means that the possibility of other bidders coming in is quite real.

Weighing against the possibility of alternate bidders is the rather touchy financial markets right now -- any bidder will need to have cash on hand, which limits the number of potential bidders rather dramatically.

All I can say is that I wish I had that sort of money -- I'd love to take a crack at KLDT, in particular! Ah, well...

 

[eskipper411]

If Una Vez Mas gets KNWS and KLDT, you can expect a simulcast of all the lowpowers they own on subs.

 

[DallasGal]

I just don't understand this -- Dallas and Houston are big markets (aren't they)??

Why can't somebody carry Retro TV -- don't they think anyone would watch it. Is there anyone we can write to or anyone else on here that is interested?

 

[arnoldevns]

While you're asking that question, also wonder why neither market has a station carrying America One.
From what little I know of it, I suspect there are some advertising commitments that make carrying some of these networks a problem.

As I understand it, RTV is in some financial trouble to begin with and I think some of the potential stations are staying away because they want a solid programming supplier.

A1 has other issues, but I think is on better financial footing.

 

[azumanga]

As I understand it, RTV is in some financial trouble to begin with and I think some of the potential stations are staying away because they want a solid programming supplier.

And some stations that did pick up and show RTV had dropped it, because of the poor quality of the signal and haphazard engineering. Bridgeport, CT's WSAH, for instance:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,139787.0.html
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,153908.0.html