NBC Reacts To Pax's Rebranding

[Joseph_Gallant]

NBC has given an official reaction to Paxson Communications' plan to rebrand Pax TV as "i".

Broadcasting and Cable reports (registration may be required) that NBC is unhappy about Pax's rebranding plans.

 

[Skynet74]

President Dean Goodman announced today that on July 1st, 2005, PAX will begin to be known as "i", in which it will air "independent television by offering a mix of original series, movies, specials, sports, and news that appears to a variety of interests."


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[WLYNWAZNgm]

NBC - PAX relationship

As a former PAX staffer - my take:
NBC bought into PAX so they would gain additional outlets for NBC programming, as PAX greatly benefited from the must-carry rules back in 1998. But NBC then built up their CNBC and MSNBC cable outlets, and the PAX stations were superfluous and no longer needed. NBC also bought the Telemundo network outright. I would guess that a large number of the PAX stations will eventually become full-time Telemundo stations. It would make sound economic sense...

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

Re: NBC - PAX relationship

> I would guess that a large number of the PAX stations will eventually become full-time Telemundo stations. It would make sound economic sense...>

As had been mentioned on these boards before, don't expect NBC to buy up Pax stations with the intention of converting them to Telemundo O&Os. In many of these markets, the Hispanic population is way too small to support any Spanish-language station (and this includes Univision/Telefutura, and Azteca America), or doesn't exist. The example used by many has been Cleveland, where Univision owns WQHS-TV 61 in a market where the Latino population was measured at only 7.26 percent in the 2000 U.S. Census (according to Wikipedia.com).

Here's a list of the Pax O&Os and affiliates. Look at it and find an area:

1) that has some significant percentage of Hispanic/Spanish-speaking population, at least 15 to 20 percent;
2) where Telemundo, or any of the other Spanish networks, aren't already on over-the-air.
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[Markxxx]

Re: NBC - PAX relationship

> Here's a list of the Pax O&Os and affiliates. Look at it
> and find an area:
>
> 1) that has some significant percentage of
> Hispanic/Spanish-speaking population, at least 15 to 20
> percent;
> 2) where Telemundo, or any of the other Spanish networks,
> aren't already on over-the-air.
>
May seem like a lot but Chicago has three full time, full power Spanish TV stations. Channels 44, 60 and 66.

According to the Census the consolidated metro area has about 9.0 Million people and about 1 million are fluent in Spanish. That is about 11%

There are 2,5,7,9,26,32,38,44,50,60,66 (11 Commerical Stations). So that means 3/11 or 27% of the commerical stations are Spanish. (27%/3=9% or 9% per station)

I don't count Channel 62 WJYS as it's transmitter is in South Suburban Tinley park and is barely viewable north of downtown Chicago. It's digital signal is from Sears.

So it seems you'd need at least 9% of the area to speak Spanish to support a full time full power station. At least from Chicago's viewpoint.

(We also have a low power station on Ch 13, which ironically misses a huge part of the latino population with a directional signal.<P ID="signature">______________
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[KMRichards]

> President Dean Goodman announced today that on July 1st,
> 2005, PAX will begin to be known as "i", in which it will
> air "independent television by offering a mix of original
> series, movies, specials, sports, and news that appears to a
> variety of interests."

Please read the board thoroughly before posting. This was the subject of a previous thread not two days ago:

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=473805&Board=tv-usa>http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=473805&Board=tv-usa</a>
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[shadowman]

Re: NBC - PAX relationship

> > I would guess that a large number of the PAX stations will
> eventually become full-time Telemundo stations. It would
> make sound economic sense...>
>
> As had been mentioned on these boards before, don't expect
> NBC to buy up Pax stations with the intention of converting
> them to Telemundo O&Os. In many of these markets, the
> Hispanic population is way too small to support any
> Spanish-language station (and this includes
> Univision/Telefutura, and Azteca America), or doesn't exist.
> The example used by many has been Cleveland, where
> Univision owns WQHS-TV 61 in a market where the Latino
> population was measured at only 7.26 percent in the 2000
> U.S. Census (according to Wikipedia.com).

That precentage is high enough to track TV viewing habits. Viewership of the major four Spanish networks (Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura, and Azteca America) is measured by a different rate, compared to the Big Four Networks. It may not bill well from local advertisers, but it will sure bill from regional companies that want the ever-growing "Hispanic Dollar".

I wouldn't be surprised if NBC Universal buys the PAX/"i" station if the "i" network becomes a total failure, and give the Cleveland DMA a second TV station broadcasting in Spanish. Highlight the word "IF"

 

[Newshawk]

Re: NBC - PAX relationship

> As a former PAX staffer - my take:
> NBC bought into PAX so they would gain additional outlets
> for NBC programming, as PAX greatly benefited from the
> must-carry rules back in 1998. But NBC then built up their
> CNBC and MSNBC cable outlets, and the PAX stations were
> superfluous and no longer needed.

Don't forget, NBC also bought Vivendi/Universal and gained USA, Sci-Fi and Bravo Networks and re-imaged Bravo HD+ as Universal HD. Suddenly, NBC has gobs of outlets for its programming, and more programming sources for its networks.<P ID="signature">______________
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[XL]

Re: NBC - PAX relationship

> I would guess that a large
> number of the PAX stations will eventually become full-time
> Telemundo stations. It would make sound economic sense...

No it wouldn't make economic sense. In fact, it would be a pretty dumb move. Telemundo would only be economically viable in a handful of markets.

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

a clarification...

> > I would guess that a large
> > number of the PAX stations will eventually become
> full-time
> > Telemundo stations. It would make sound economic sense...
>
> No it wouldn't make economic sense. In fact, it would be a
> pretty dumb move. Telemundo would only be economically
> viable in a handful of markets.

Obviously, it would only be in markets where Telemundo would be
viable. What I mean is that Telemundo would be the first choice -
they would cherry-pick the markets underserved by Telemundo's format.
It would be strictly an internal move, as both Pax-i and Telemundo are under the banner of NBC...