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Macon TV station dumps ABC

bpatrick said:
Makes sense, provided ABC programming on
WSB isn't blacked out.

Considering Cox is the primary cable provider for the Macon area, and they also own WSB-TV, I highly doubt that. Cox seems to always try to find a way around the Syndex rules when they have an advantage...
 
Submitted for your approval: Register's disdain for ABC has nothing to do with the network's programming and everything to do with the almighty dollar.
Did anybody notice that Register is running "Desperate Housewives" (reruns) late Saturday and Sunday nights? The shows aired originally on ABC and on WPGA.
 
fussbudget said:
Submitted for your approval: Register's disdain for ABC has nothing to do with the network's programming and everything to do with the almighty dollar.
Did anybody notice that Register is running "Desperate Housewives" (reruns) late Saturday and Sunday nights? The shows aired originally on ABC and on WPGA.

By checking out the overall schedule, sure looks like that is pretty much a given however by bringing up the "gay" factor the station would get a lot more press and it did, heck last month in COLORADO I heard a radio station there actually bringing up this station during a talk show and how "great" it was for this station to take a stand against gay rights and how it was the "Christian" thing to do..etc.etc..I have to wonder what their opinions will be now once they check out this schedule eh?

Sort of reminds me of a certain light rock radio station in West Virginia whose PD/Morning guy some years back on his show had spoke out against gays and gay marriage only to shortly thereafter offered a bus trip for his listeners to see ELTON JOHN in conert plus not to mention the same PD added more music by Melissa Etheridge and Clay Aiken to their playlist and as it turned out..there too it was the almighty dollar and it didn't take long for the listeners to figure that out either. Hey if it worked for Carrie Prejean.........
 
In my book, Register looks like a
hypocrite--he fusses about the content of ABC
shows but doesn't mind the ad dollars he picks
up showing syndicated reruns. Oh, wait. He's
a business executive. ::) I guess it just goes
to show the difference between reality and PR.
 
caller10 said:
well here is the new lineup coming in January 2010. You'd know that line-up worked great for independent stations ... in the 70s!

BTW the station is still carrying Ellen. Isn't she ... uh, you know. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

http://wpga58.com/index.php?option=...930:new-schedule&catid=41:front-page-rotators

It also looks like they will be airing some RTV programming as well (I believe their sister LPTV station, WPGA-CA, is a full RTV affiliate). It also looks like they are going to simulcast the entire morning show from their sister radio station.

I wonder if they will pursue a Fox affiliation when Fox's deal with WGXA expires?
 
kilamanjero said:
Considering Cox is the primary cable provider for the Macon area, and they also own WSB-TV, I highly doubt that. Cox seems to always try to find a way around the Syndex rules when they have an advantage...

You'd never know they were under the same corporate umbrella the way Cox Middle Georgia treats WSB's signal. The picture is never very clear, and sometimes it's completely unwatchable. In addition, the only programming from WSB that's actually carried on Cox Middle Georgia is local news. Absolutely no other programming, including WSB's other local programming. Every other bit of programming is replaced with infomercials. In fact, it's not uncommon for infomercials to cover WSB's newscasts. If anything, it seems Cox Middle Georgia does everything in their power to avoid carrying WSB. I half expect them to drop WSB entirely and put WGXA's new ABC sub-channel in its' place.
 
Yeah, I always noticed (whenever I went home) that the analog signal from WSB always had noise that looks like (rythmic) electrical interference from the runway strobes at the airport. Problem is, I don't think the Macon Airport has that much nighttime traffic to warrant running the strobes all night.

Might have been a nightclub, with flashing signs. How is it in the DTV age?
 
jal41 said:
caller10 said:
well here is the new lineup coming in January 2010. You'd know that line-up worked great for independent stations ... in the 70s!

BTW the station is still carrying Ellen. Isn't she ... uh, you know. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

http://wpga58.com/index.php?option=...930:new-schedule&catid=41:front-page-rotators

It also looks like they will be airing some RTV programming as well (I believe their sister LPTV station, WPGA-CA, is a full RTV affiliate). It also looks like they are going to simulcast the entire morning show from their sister radio station.

I wonder if they will pursue a Fox affiliation when Fox's deal with WGXA expires?

I doubt they'll try to pick up FOX. Wanda Sykes is gay!
 
trevor2 said:
the only programming from WSB that's actually carried on Cox Middle Georgia is local news. Absolutely no other programming, including WSB's other local programming. Every other bit of programming is replaced with infomercials. In fact, it's not uncommon for infomercials to cover WSB's newscasts. If anything, it seems Cox Middle Georgia does everything in their power to avoid carrying WSB. I half expect them to drop WSB entirely and put WGXA's new ABC sub-channel in its' place.

Seconded -- if all they carry on WSB's channel space is infomercials and local newscasts (which may also be bumped for infomercials), what's the point carrying it? I'm better off putting WSB's local shows "on demand" and putting something else on that channel instead.
 
Lowell Register appearantly forgets that Cox communications is running their business as they see fit and of what they consider to be the best offering for their customers. Lowell Register runs HIS BUSINESS as he sees fit and this is why Macon viewers are in this position. Hope he enjoys his ignorance and bad business decisions while he's bankrupt, especially now that it seems he is going to be outsourcing news from the bankrupt INN. Airing A-Team and Simon & Simon reruns won't save the station either.
 
Latest wrinkle:

http://www.macon.com/local/story/962889.html

Cox was set to drop WPGA altogether. Register sued and has won a temporary restraining order preventing WPGA from being dropped.

ABC (via WGXA-DT2) will be carried on their leased-access channel. Looks like Cox wanted to protect the WSB-TV newscasts.

And finally...here is the real reason why WPGA is dropping ABC:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/440256-WPGA_Losing_Affiliation_Cable_Partner.php

ABC was wanting reverse compensation from WPGA (WPGA to pay ABC for programming).
 
notalkallstatic said:
jal41 said:
That sounds odd...dumping a network because of soap operas.

Well, if he is a starch hard conservative, it's believable. It's a family owned and opearted station, so it's very possible this is the reason, since one of his statements were:

“I had somebody tell me they’re running a good bit of gay and lesbian stuff on it, that’s really just in-your-face so to speak, and I’m not sure that’s appropriate. That’s happening in prime time,” he said. “I’m not really happy with it.”

Sad, I wonder how much of a hit the station is going to take with revenue and ratings.

Wow,not many Conservatives on this Message board(or Christians from what I've read on some posts)!
 
David67 said:
Wow,not many Conservatives on this Message board(or Christians from what I've read on some posts)!

I'm a conservative and a Christian, but I also understand how the market works. Lowell is creating nothing more than a high powered LPTV station. There are cable channels all over the place with nothing but syndicated shows on, ah la TV Land. What's going to make the "new" WPGA TV any different than what's already out there?
 
dustintv said:
Lowell Register... Hope he enjoys his ignorance and bad business decisions while he's bankrupt, especially now that it seems he is going to be outsourcing news from the bankrupt INN. Airing A-Team and Simon & Simon reruns won't save the station either.

Wow, INN is still around? :eek: Has WPGA partnered with RTN yet?
 
BarryATL said:
Not only the lost revenue... the value of the station itself is not worth much as an independant in the Macon market.

I wonder if Register truly disliked the network content, and the idea of reverse comp wasn't favorable, if the station should have been just sold off instead, and they take the proceeds of sale elsewhere with the idea they would have been better off.

In a few years, they might be without "Ellen", "The Office" and a number of shows, that will switch stations, and Register would be looking to sell the station, but at this time, for much less to Daystar.
 
bpatrick said:
BTW, why is WSB the default ABC affiliate for
Albany instead of WTVM or Tallahassee's WTXL?

According to wikipedia (read the last line), it says "WSB-TV is also available on cable TV systems in South Georgia (as far south as the Florida border) due to a lack of an ABC affiliate in the Albany media market covering southwest Georgia. This is possible because WSB-TV is uplinked to the AMC-10 TV satellite."

http://www.lyngsat.com/amc10.html
Apparently the CBS and FOX station in Atlanta are also.
 
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