KTXD dumps MeTV

[Mediafrog+]

The FCC has limits on the number of duopolies in a market based on the number of overall owners in a market. My understanding was that the DFW market can't have another. (I could be mistaken)

CBS, NBC, FOX, and Univision have duopolies in DFW, so it would be kind of odd for the non-O&O WFAA to be denied the same opportunity.

 

[ContinuousWave]

Gannett could do what Sinclair is doing with Deerfield and other similar companies in smaller markets where Sinclair legally could not do a true duopoly

 

[newsmark]

The FCC is cracking down on virtual duopolies such as the Sinclair/Deerfield arrangement.

However, if I read the current rules right, DFW could legally have one more duopoly.

Here's what I found on the FCC website:

>>Permit common ownership of two television stations within the same DMA if eight full-power independent television stations (commercial and noncommercial) will remain post-merger, and one of the stations is not among >>the top four-ranked stations in the market based on audience share;

If 8 and 47 were in a duopoly, we'd still have independent voices from:
2, 13, 29, 33, 52, 55, 58, 68. That's eight, exactly what the rule requires.

 

[Brother]

Actually, it's that duopolies are allowed so long as at least eight separate ownership groups are in the market. Thus, a market with 9 stations can have 1 duopoly at most, a 10-station market can have 2 duopolies, and so on. My count could be off, but it appears DFW has 18 full-power stations. So, you could theoretically have 9 duopolies in the market without any hassle, at least from the FCC.