• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

(KRON) Young Broadcasting

1

1069_KIFR

In reporting financial reports from Young Broadcasting, this was stated....
"Young excluded KRON San Francisco from the comparisons, labeling the MyNetworkTV station “a discontinued operation in the company’s financial statements pending sale.” It has not announced a buyer for KRON."

So it looks like they have a buyer? To be announced soon? I hope when they leave they learned their manners like camping. Always leave it better than you used it. Young will not give a crap about the Bay Area, so why not leave us with a good owner that will do something great with Channel 4!
 
"So it looks like they have a buyer? To be announced soon? I hope when they leave they learned their manners like camping. Always leave it better than you used it."

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...that's a good one, KIFR. OK - to run with your analogy: Young Broadcasting has pooped all over the campsite and didn't have the decency to bury it like a common house cat. They've clear-cut the trees and picnic benches and burned them for warmth. After they bought the campsite, they cut the budget, fired the janitors, and made the Park Rangers clean out the bathrooms and haul the trash. They slaughtered all the wildlife, so now the rat population has exploded because they have no natural predators. Now they're trying to sell the polluted piece of land claiming it's a "jewel of nature." So far, the only interested buyers want to pave over what's left of the forest and put up a Wal-Mart.

I could go on, but I'm starting to bore myself...
 
Lkeller said:
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...that's a good one, KIFR. OK - to run with your analogy: Young Broadcasting has pooped all over the campsite and didn't have the decency to bury it like a common house cat. They've clear-cut the trees and picnic benches and burned them for warmth. After they bought the campsite, they cut the budget, fired the janitors, and made the Park Rangers clean out the bathrooms and haul the trash. They slaughtered all the wildlife, so now the rat population has exploded because they have no natural predators. Now they're trying to sell the polluted piece of land claiming it's a "jewel of nature." So far, the only interested buyers want to pave over what's left of the forest and put up a Wal-Mart.

I could go on, but I'm starting to bore myself...
Click to expand...
Lkeller, you may be bored, but that pointed analogy was so accurate and funny! Retorical as it may be, can you think of any Bay Area broadcast outlet that has fallen from a greater height over the last 9 years? A similar analogy I'm thinking of is the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. It was the center of the world during the 1984 Winter Olympics when everything was well scrubbed and ready for company. Less than one decade later that Olympic city was torn to shreds with the awful Bosnian war in the disintegration of Yugoslavia. I can't imagine a KRON that can regain the self respect, prestige, and gloss it had until January 1, 2000.
 
sloux said:
Lkeller said:
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...that's a good one, KIFR. OK - to run with your analogy: Young Broadcasting has pooped all over the campsite and didn't have the decency to bury it like a common house cat. They've clear-cut the trees and picnic benches and burned them for warmth. After they bought the campsite, they cut the budget, fired the janitors, and made the Park Rangers clean out the bathrooms and haul the trash. They slaughtered all the wildlife, so now the rat population has exploded because they have no natural predators. Now they're trying to sell the polluted piece of land claiming it's a "jewel of nature." So far, the only interested buyers want to pave over what's left of the forest and put up a Wal-Mart.

I could go on, but I'm starting to bore myself...
Click to expand...


Lkeller, you may be bored, but that pointed analogy was so accurate and funny! Retorical as it may be, can you think of any Bay Area broadcast outlet that has fallen from a greater height over the last 9 years? A similar analogy I'm thinking of is the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. It was the center of the world during the 1984 Winter Olympics when everything was well scrubbed and ready for company. Less than one decade later that Olympic city was torn to shreds with the awful Bosnian war in the disintegration of Yugoslavia. I can't imagine a KRON that can regain the self respect, prestige, and gloss it had until January 1, 2000.
Click to expand...

KRON makes me think of a Neiman Marcus store being converted to Big Lots over a period of 6 years.
 
"KRON makes me think of a Neiman Marcus store being converted to Big Lots over a period of 6 years."

MRK - a good analogy when you consider the two stores differering inventory, but an imperfect analogy also, considering that Big Lots is financially sound....as far as I know.

Let's substitute Woolworth or Montogmery Ward...one of those retailers who declared bankruptcy and then went out of business, because there was no hope.
 
Lkeller said:
"KRON makes me think of a Neiman Marcus store being converted to Big Lots over a period of 6 years."

MRK - a good analogy when you consider the two stores differering inventory, but an imperfect analogy also, considering that Big Lots is financially sound....as far as I know.

Let's substitute Woolworth or Montogmery Ward...one of those retailers who declared bankruptcy and then went out of business, because there was no hope.
Click to expand...

And....of course try to keep Neiman Marcus name, with a Woolworth or Wards business model.
 
You can't say anything for sure till after digital transition is done. Then we'll know how things will work out. There is a recession on despite what people claim and Young picked a bad time to sell.
 
"You can't say anything for sure till after digital transition is done...There is a recession on despite what people claim and Young picked a bad time to sell."

Huh? Other than President Dubya, who's claiming we're not in a recession?

I guess you can't blame Young for bad timing, unless you put it in context with all their other bad decisions and past "bad timing."

And how would a digital transition make things better, with such a poor product on the air? You can come to my house and "digitally" record the contents of my compost pile, but it's still a pile of s__t.
 
We are hearing that on Monday or sometime next week an announcement will be made regarding the sale of the station. As to who is buying it is unknown at this point.
 
"We are hearing that on Monday or sometime next week an announcement will be made regarding the sale of the station. As to who is buying it is unknown at this point."

I know I'm cynical on this subject, but I'll go out on a short limb here, and say - I don't believe it. If, by some fluke it is true, I doubt it's any company with pockets deep enough to return KRON to even a fraction of it's old glory. In other words, it's not Fox, NBC, or a similar big broadcaster.
 
Lkeller said:
"We are hearing that on Monday or sometime next week an announcement will be made regarding the sale of the station. As to who is buying it is unknown at this point."

I know I'm cynical on this subject, but I'll go out on a short limb here, and say - I don't believe it. If, by some fluke it is true, I doubt it's any company with pockets deep enough to return KRON to even a fraction of it's old glory. In other words, it's not Fox, NBC, or a similar big broadcaster.
Click to expand...

Several years ago I had heard a rumor Kevin O'Brien (former KTVU GM) might return to the market and purchase the station. Maybe the price is right now.
 
Garrett said:
What about Tribune? They just took Fox in San Diego, and nobody saw that comming!
Click to expand...

Completely different situation. They already own a station in San Diego and are merely changing affiliations. Buying out CW will cost a fraction of what it would cost to buy KRON.
 
Just saw a posting on the Young YBTVA message board that NBCU is the buyer who will convert KRON into a Telemundo Station and sell off KSTS (48) in San Jose. There was also mention that the 1001 Van Ness building will be sold off. Looks like KRON will move to San Jose but the city of license will still be San Francisco. NBC does have a studio near Broadway near CBS and ABC.

Don't know how accurate this is but kinda makes sense. I just can't imagine how this ever could have happen but in this business anything goes.....
 
Newschannel4SF said:
Just saw a posting on the Young YBTVA message board that NBCU is the buyer who will convert KRON into a Telemundo Station and sell off KSTS (48) in San Jose. There was also mention that the 1001 Van Ness building will be sold off. Looks like KRON will move to San Jose but the city of license will still be San Francisco. NBC does have a studio near Broadway near CBS and ABC.

Don't know how accurate this is but kinda makes sense. I just can't imagine how this ever could have happen but in this business anything goes.....
Click to expand...

With this kind of scenario, the best bet would be to move NBC and current KNTV programming back to KRON, and try to resurrect its lost value. They could merge the best elements of the two stations' news departments as well. KRON has a stronger signal than 11 (and a very powerful DTV signal), a commonly-located cable channel and longtime NBC heritage. Then, Telemundo could move to KNTV. This actually makes sense. Telemundo on KRON would be foolish.

The only drawback would be the swapping of affiliations, but this has been successful in other markets. People followed NBC to Ch. 11 a few years ago, they'll do it again. At least this saves a dying station that was once a powerhouse. Ch. 11 has a long history as an also-ran, so no major loss.

NBC could come out way ahead on this deal, acquiring the long sought-after KRON for much cheaper than they offered in 2000. Young will be desperate to sell to them, as they currently have little choice.

As for KSTS, this would likely be spun off. It could be turned into a MyTV affiliate (to satisfy the KRON agreement), or they could swing a deal with chs. 20 or 36 to take over the affiliation.

Perhaps it could be sold and moved farther south to give the Monterey Bay area back its ABC affiliate, though they currently overlap too much with KGO. I don't see this.

I don't think Young will find many takers for KRON as-is. It holds little value as an indy or a MyTV affiliate. NBC is the only suitor with anything resembling a use for it.
 
Is it possible no one will buy it? Remember WKBS-TV 48 (sister to the old KBHK) in Philadelphia? The Field brothers returned the license to the FCC because they could not find a buyer; the signal went dark for several years. With analog signals shutting off next year, Young could conceivably return the license to the FCC as a last resort. If this happens, it is probable that NBC will attempt to move KNTV's virtual channel off 11 and cable position off 3, moving both to 4; and getting its COL changed to San Francisco; with the main studio in San Jose staying put as well as the SF bureau across from CBS. MyNetworkTV would move to 20 or 36, Dr. Phil, ET and The Insider move to 5/44, Sex and the City moves to 20, 36, or 44, maybe even 2 very late at night. Radnich moves to the new NBC4, Darya and Pam Moore stay in town at any of the other stations (except 5 which just laid off a bunch of people.)
NBC may resurrect the KRON call letters or stay KNTV NBC4.

Probably won't happen, but weirder things have.
 
It's a compelling scenario, and from what others are saying, having the NBC signal back on 4 could be a slight advantage over 11 in terms of signal coverage. But I really can't see the plus side for NBC unless they could get KRON at such a low price that they can come out even financially (or close to it) after selling KSTS.

In an era of lower revenue for traditional network TV, not to mention a recession that has to be depressing advertising revenue, I can't see why NBC would want to spend good money to do this.

Of course, there will be a serious bump in advertising in the fall with all the presidential year political ads...
 
gibby88 said:
Is it possible no one will buy it? Remember WKBS-TV 48 (sister to the old KBHK) in Philadelphia? The Field brothers returned the license to the FCC because they could not find a buyer; the signal went dark for several years. With analog signals shutting off next year, Young could conceivably return the license to the FCC as a last resort. If this happens, it is probable that NBC will attempt to move KNTV's virtual channel off 11 and cable position off 3, moving both to 4; and getting its COL changed to San Francisco; with the main studio in San Jose staying put as well as the SF bureau across from CBS. MyNetworkTV would move to 20 or 36, Dr. Phil, ET and The Insider move to 5/44, Sex and the City moves to 20, 36, or 44, maybe even 2 very late at night. Radnich moves to the new NBC4, Darya and Pam Moore stay in town at any of the other stations (except 5 which just laid off a bunch of people.)
NBC may resurrect the KRON call letters or stay KNTV NBC4.

Probably won't happen, but weirder things have.
Click to expand...

Not a chance of it going dark. A heritage VHF in the Bay Area is very high in demand and will still command a good price (though far less than what Young paid for it). Plus, aside from low-power stations, very few TV stations tend to go dark these days, especially with all the various networks and specialty broadcasters around to get programming from. Kaiser was known for taking successful UHF stations dark back in the 70s when they couldn't get the price they wanted (they did it in Cleveland too, but that was because they bought partial interest in a competitor).

FOX could be a player, but I think NBC will come full-circle and buy it. The top-rated shows, such as "Dr. Phil" will stay, since they get great ratings. Whatever NBC can't find a place for will go elsewhere. "Dr. Phil" is probably the only thing KRON has going for it nowadays, and they even bump the MyTV schedule an hour to air it.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom