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NBC Boston channel speculation.
- Thread starter Garrett
- Start date
How much sharing will the new NBC Boston do with NECN, New England Cable News, also owned by NBC? It seems odd that NBC wouldn't just run both operations jointly if it owns both operations. NECN was originally a project of Comcast Cable, giving its subscribers a local all-news channel. But now Comcast and NBC are one company.
I'm certainly for providing employment for many news professionals. But since NECN spends about half its time doing Boston stories, I wonder why NBC would need two sets of meteorologists, two sets of sportscasters, etc.
(And personally, I wouldn't mind if NBC and WHDH go their separate ways. My family's summer cottage in NH gets WHDH on cable, but all the NBC shows get blanked due to WCSH Portland not wanting another NBC affiliate in its market. WHDH is the only Boston station on the system, minus NBC shows.)
I'm certainly for providing employment for many news professionals. But since NECN spends about half its time doing Boston stories, I wonder why NBC would need two sets of meteorologists, two sets of sportscasters, etc.
(And personally, I wouldn't mind if NBC and WHDH go their separate ways. My family's summer cottage in NH gets WHDH on cable, but all the NBC shows get blanked due to WCSH Portland not wanting another NBC affiliate in its market. WHDH is the only Boston station on the system, minus NBC shows.)
I'm with Mr. Padden. Quoting from the article above:
"The second broader public policy question involves the government’s review of major media mergers. The imposition of negotiated “conditions” has long been a safety valve to allow private parties to close transactions that pose a threat to competition and the public interest. The slippery, and apparently meaningless, “cooperative dialog” language in the Comcast/NBC conditions raises the question whether conditions ever can be relied upon to protect the public interest. Perhaps, as former FCC Commissioner Mike Copps has argued for years, problematic mergers like Comcast/NBC simply should be blocked."
We are repeating the cycle of the early 1900s where entities gain too much power over a marketplace. Never is such excess power more dangerous than in the marketplace of ideas
"The second broader public policy question involves the government’s review of major media mergers. The imposition of negotiated “conditions” has long been a safety valve to allow private parties to close transactions that pose a threat to competition and the public interest. The slippery, and apparently meaningless, “cooperative dialog” language in the Comcast/NBC conditions raises the question whether conditions ever can be relied upon to protect the public interest. Perhaps, as former FCC Commissioner Mike Copps has argued for years, problematic mergers like Comcast/NBC simply should be blocked."
We are repeating the cycle of the early 1900s where entities gain too much power over a marketplace. Never is such excess power more dangerous than in the marketplace of ideas
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There's an article in today's Boston Herald about Dish customers losing WHDH-TV and WLVI-TV if Sunbeam cannot reach an agreement by today. Direct TV stopped carrying the stations July 16th, and the possible loss of the NBC affiliation is a factor. We'll see what happens by January 1st.
Well, that's odd. WHDH isn't going off the air. If it loses NBC affiliation, it will still be a major station in the Boston market. It will likely run its own news where Today and NBC Nightly News air. It already runs more local news than any other Boston station. It still has all its syndicated programming. And it will find shows and movies for prime time. Not to mention, WLVI isn't losing its affiliation.
So why would Direct TV and Dish drop the station?
So why would Direct TV and Dish drop the station?
WHDH & WLVI may be wanting more retrans compensation than Dish is willing to pay.
NBC Boston channel speculation
It has been speculated that Comcast may buy Channel 68 WBPX to launch the new NBC station. If that happens, Ion still has both Channel 21, WPXG from NH and Channel 58 WDPX on the Cape. If Ion negotiates and gets one of the two remaining Ion station on Comcast, Verizon, DirecTv, & Dish, most people won't lose it. Ion even has low powered translator in Boston for OTA in the city.
It has been speculated that Comcast may buy Channel 68 WBPX to launch the new NBC station. If that happens, Ion still has both Channel 21, WPXG from NH and Channel 58 WDPX on the Cape. If Ion negotiates and gets one of the two remaining Ion station on Comcast, Verizon, DirecTv, & Dish, most people won't lose it. Ion even has low powered translator in Boston for OTA in the city.
I thought the speculation centered around Channel 62, WMFP.
Looking at coverage maps, the WBPX signal has only minimally less coverage area than any other signal transmitted from Needham. WPXG and WDPX are also both in the Boston market and either could insist on must-carry status once no longer redundant to WBPX. Some of the cable systems north of Boston now carry WPXG and not WBPX.
WMFP actually seems to have the least value now, with SonLife now on it's main channel. SonLife is no doubt mainly interested in the must-carry status of the channel. Comcast / NBCUniversal could possibly work out a swap with WMFP owner NRJ of the WNEU and WMFP licenses / transmitters. NRJ would still have must carry rights, and a signal with value in the spectrum auction, while NBC would have a full coverage signal.
Wait I thought the Telemundo station that NBC owns was supposed to be converted into an NBC station at the end of the year on Channel 60? Wow the contract disputes with Sunbeam and DirecTV and Dish only bolsters why NBC wants their own station in the Boston area.
Remember KRON in San Francisco it used to be a Major NBC affiliate in the Bay Area until 2002 when NBC took over KNTV and ran that station very well. Only difference is that KNTV was launched in most parts of the Bay Area. Note Some parts of Solano county in California was diverted to KCRA in Sacramento the NBC Affiliate/Hearst station in that area once KRON lost their affiliation. KRON has not been as relevant since they lost the NBC affiliation. WHDH could face the same fate.
I think 60 is a last ditch option due to not covering the whole Boston area
or the fact WHDH wont have as much value being an Indy as it was with NBC maybe they (Dish/Directv) is taking into consideration.
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