KRON4 sold to Media General - what now?

[newsbot]

Is it worth more to MG or to someone else? Who would buy it if MG decided to spin it off? FOX? NBC? Any thoughts?

 

[LKellerIII]

Neither one would be interested IMO - nor would CBS which already has a local duopoly. ABC would probably be the best bet...but I'm not sure why they'd want KRON.

 

[1069_KIFR]

How much did they pay for it?

 

[oaktree]

It was NOT a sale of KRON 4. It was a merger with Media General and New Young Broadcasting (owner of KRON and 11 other stations.) They join with the 18 stations owned by Media General. Most, if not all, are network affiliates with ABC and NBC leading the way.

It was a straight stock deal to create the merger. Young sharholders will own 67.5%, the remaining third will go to Media General which will re-fi the deb load of both (some $900-mil) to create the new Media General. The deal to close in Q3 or Q4.

Again, it's a merger, not a sale.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Re:Young Broadcastin Merges With Media General -KRON4, what now?

The title reflects the subject. Merges not Sells.

 

[nickp]

Media General isn't one to run independent stations

 

[LKellerIII]

Media General isn't one to run independent stations

Well they won't be running a Bay Area CBS, NBC, or ABC affiliate, since all those are O&Os. Though "Fox 4" has a nice alliteration to it, I believe the prospect of changing affiliates for Fox would fall under the heading "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It."

 

[stewie]

Media General isn't one to run independent stations

Well they won't be running a Bay Area CBS, NBC, or ABC affiliate, since all those are O&Os. Though "Fox 4" has a nice alliteration to it, I believe the prospect of changing affiliates for Fox would fall under the heading "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It."

Excellent point. Nothing is broke at KTVU, right? No signal or coverage advantage that I know of. I think we all agree that CBS, ABC and NBC aren't moving.

 

[dgendvil]

Maybe Tribune should've bought KRON, then sold the rest of the stations to Media General. So I don't know what comes up next in the saga.

 

[FightingIrish]

Media General isn't one to run independent stations

Well they won't be running a Bay Area CBS, NBC, or ABC affiliate, since all those are O&Os. Though "Fox 4" has a nice alliteration to it, I believe the prospect of changing affiliates for Fox would fall under the heading "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It."

Excellent point. Nothing is broke at KTVU, right? No signal or coverage advantage that I know of. I think we all agree that CBS, ABC and NBC aren't moving.

I highly doubt FOX wants to move their affiliation and then have to compete with KTVU's news programming. KTVU is a very, very strong affiliate, so why mess that up?

 

[arnoldevns]

Let's put it this way: Fox would love to own KTVU - but has no interest in creating a new affiliate from the emaciated remains of KRON.

 

[dgendvil]

Oh by the way Tribune/Local TV LLC could be a prefect fit for KRON, but they send some of those stations to Media General anyway:

KFOR (NBC)/KAUT (Ind.) Oklahoma City
WREG (CBS) Memphis
WNEP (ABC) Scranton-Wilkes Barre
WTVR (CBS) Richmond (did own the station from 1996-97 when they purchased Park Broadcasting, but they were barred by the FCC cross ownership rule, which MG owned the Richmond Times Dispatch there, I'm not sure if MG still owns it)
WHO-TV (Des Moines)
WQAD-TV (Moline/Davenport)
KFSM (CBS)/KNKV (My) (Fort Smith, AR)

Then Media General will likely probably own those stations, despite that Tribune may or may not be interested in KRON.

 

[ding12]

It's possible MG would offer the KRON's news staff positions in it's other markets. Then drop the KRON newscasts.

As far as Dr.Phil, since it's a pricey syndicated show, I think MG would relinquish it. MG could sell off KRON's other programming (Dr.Phil, Doctors, ET, Insider, Inside Edition, 30 Rock) to competing stations, and then sell off KRON's signal to TBN.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Corporate Suits would not give a rip about the News Staff. It happens everyday, "your services are no longer needed, Good Luck on your endeavors"

 

[ding12]

One possible option is NBC to buy up KRON and move all the KNTV content and NBC to KRON, and build up the NBC4 branding. Then have KNTV flip to Telemundo. This way on cable, Ch.3 is Telemundo, Ch.4 is NBC and thus they both get optimal cable dial positions. If possible NBC could try to do a Sinclair type strategy to keep all three stations, KNTV, KRON and KSTS with possibly KSTS operating as a Spanish language independent.

The FCC permitted duopolies in 2001. Given that over a decade has passed and companies like Sinclair are abusing the system to essentially run triopolies in not major markets like Baltimore, Comcast might be able to push for triopolies in markets with a lot of stations.

If KSTS had to be sold, sell it to TBN. In Philly where NBC finally bought out WWSI, I could see a Telemundo TBN swap making sense, with WGTW better off as Telemundo, covering Philly DMA better, and WWSI with TBN, where TBN would get some cash, so maybe the deal can encompass some other swaps.

 

[LKellerIII]

One possible option is NBC to buy up KRON and move all the KNTV content and NBC to KRON, and build up the NBC4 branding. Then have KNTV flip to Telemundo. This way on cable, Ch.3 is Telemundo, Ch.4 is NBC and thus they both get optimal cable dial positions. If possible NBC could try to do a Sinclair type strategy to keep all three stations, KNTV, KRON and KSTS with possibly KSTS operating as a Spanish language independent.

The FCC permitted duopolies in 2001. Given that over a decade has passed and companies like Sinclair are abusing the system to essentially run triopolies in not major markets like Baltimore, Comcast might be able to push for triopolies in markets with a lot of stations.

If KSTS had to be sold, sell it to TBN. In Philly where NBC finally bought out WWSI, I could see a Telemundo TBN swap making sense, with WGTW better off as Telemundo, covering Philly DMA better, and WWSI with TBN, where TBN would get some cash, so maybe the deal can encompass some other swaps.

But why would they need "NBC4?" Because LA and New York each have one? I doubt most viewers these days even know that KNTV is Channel 11. Besides, for some reason I can't explain, the trend seems to be going away from that kind of branding, as in 'CBS5" going back to "KPIX5." Over the next decade, I expect dial position branding to continue to fade away.

 

[michael hagerty]

One possible option is NBC to buy up KRON and move all the KNTV content and NBC to KRON, and build up the NBC4 branding. Then have KNTV flip to Telemundo. This way on cable, Ch.3 is Telemundo, Ch.4 is NBC and thus they both get optimal cable dial positions. If possible NBC could try to do a Sinclair type strategy to keep all three stations, KNTV, KRON and KSTS with possibly KSTS operating as a Spanish language independent.

The FCC permitted duopolies in 2001. Given that over a decade has passed and companies like Sinclair are abusing the system to essentially run triopolies in not major markets like Baltimore, Comcast might be able to push for triopolies in markets with a lot of stations.

If KSTS had to be sold, sell it to TBN. In Philly where NBC finally bought out WWSI, I could see a Telemundo TBN swap making sense, with WGTW better off as Telemundo, covering Philly DMA better, and WWSI with TBN, where TBN would get some cash, so maybe the deal can encompass some other swaps.

But why would they need "NBC4?" Because LA and New York each have one? I doubt most viewers these days even know that KNTV is Channel 11. Besides, for some reason I can't explain, the trend seems to be going away from that kind of branding, as in 'CBS5" going back to "KPIX5." Over the next decade, I expect dial position branding to continue to fade away.

Yeah...we've covered this in another thread. Station groups aren't channel-obsessed. Swaps are expensive and confusing to viewers. NBC bought KNTV and invested heavily to bring it up to their standards and make it a winner. They're not going to do all that over again for KRON just to say they're Channel 4. If Univision needs a better dial position, maybe KRON makes sense for them.

But only maybe.

 

[LKellerIII]

One possible option is NBC to buy up KRON and move all the KNTV content and NBC to KRON, and build up the NBC4 branding. Then have KNTV flip to Telemundo. This way on cable, Ch.3 is Telemundo, Ch.4 is NBC and thus they both get optimal cable dial positions. If possible NBC could try to do a Sinclair type strategy to keep all three stations, KNTV, KRON and KSTS with possibly KSTS operating as a Spanish language independent.

The FCC permitted duopolies in 2001. Given that over a decade has passed and companies like Sinclair are abusing the system to essentially run triopolies in not major markets like Baltimore, Comcast might be able to push for triopolies in markets with a lot of stations.

If KSTS had to be sold, sell it to TBN. In Philly where NBC finally bought out WWSI, I could see a Telemundo TBN swap making sense, with WGTW better off as Telemundo, covering Philly DMA better, and WWSI with TBN, where TBN would get some cash, so maybe the deal can encompass some other swaps.

But why would they need "NBC4?" Because LA and New York each have one? I doubt most viewers these days even know that KNTV is Channel 11. Besides, for some reason I can't explain, the trend seems to be going away from that kind of branding, as in 'CBS5" going back to "KPIX5." Over the next decade, I expect dial position branding to continue to fade away.

Yeah...we've covered this in another thread. Station groups aren't channel-obsessed. Swaps are expensive and confusing to viewers. NBC bought KNTV and invested heavily to bring it up to their standards and make it a winner. They're not going to do all that over again for KRON just to say they're Channel 4. If Univision needs a better dial position, maybe KRON makes sense for them.

But only maybe.

Would Univision change the brand to "KRONica 4?"

"Cronica" is Spanish for Chronicle.

I apologize...

 

[michael hagerty]

One possible option is NBC to buy up KRON and move all the KNTV content and NBC to KRON, and build up the NBC4 branding. Then have KNTV flip to Telemundo. This way on cable, Ch.3 is Telemundo, Ch.4 is NBC and thus they both get optimal cable dial positions. If possible NBC could try to do a Sinclair type strategy to keep all three stations, KNTV, KRON and KSTS with possibly KSTS operating as a Spanish language independent.

The FCC permitted duopolies in 2001. Given that over a decade has passed and companies like Sinclair are abusing the system to essentially run triopolies in not major markets like Baltimore, Comcast might be able to push for triopolies in markets with a lot of stations.

If KSTS had to be sold, sell it to TBN. In Philly where NBC finally bought out WWSI, I could see a Telemundo TBN swap making sense, with WGTW better off as Telemundo, covering Philly DMA better, and WWSI with TBN, where TBN would get some cash, so maybe the deal can encompass some other swaps.

But why would they need "NBC4?" Because LA and New York each have one? I doubt most viewers these days even know that KNTV is Channel 11. Besides, for some reason I can't explain, the trend seems to be going away from that kind of branding, as in 'CBS5" going back to "KPIX5." Over the next decade, I expect dial position branding to continue to fade away.

Yeah...we've covered this in another thread. Station groups aren't channel-obsessed. Swaps are expensive and confusing to viewers. NBC bought KNTV and invested heavily to bring it up to their standards and make it a winner. They're not going to do all that over again for KRON just to say they're Channel 4. If Univision needs a better dial position, maybe KRON makes sense for them.

But only maybe.

Would Univision change the brand to "KRONica 4?"

"Cronica" is Spanish for Chronicle.

I apologize...

Why, Llew? It's the best idea related to KRON in about 25 years.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Maybe KRON 4ornica? LOL!