Network Differences in Number of Affiliates

[Markxxx]

I was reading the Wikipedia article which give me the information of the number of full power affilates (inc O&O) for each major US network

PBS 349
ABC 229
NBC 226
CBS 215
FOX 203

I can see why PBS has the most as in many TV markets there are two or even three PBS affilates

Is there any reason CBS has less? I know FOX had the disavantage starting out late, and I was thinking since a lot of CBS stations originally were on Channel 2 and that channel goes father, they didn't need as many. Of course with the affiliate changes over the years this is no longer the case. I know in many places ABC and NBC (like the Duluth Market) each operate TWO full power stations to cover the market.

I was also thinking ABC affiliates a few more stations in single markets like St Joseph or Biloxi. But over all CBS has 9 less than NBC and 14 less full power stations than ABC.

 

[KML0224]

I'm counting 7 CBS affiliates in New England, 8 ABC outlets, 7 NBC stations (not counting WPTZ-TV since that's out of Plattsburgh, NY) and 5 FOX affiliates (Bangor, ME has a low-power FOX station, which I'm not counting).

 

[genius]

Some markets have a secondary network affiliate; for example, both Washington DC and Philadelphia have two NBC stations included in their markets. I presume satellite stations are included in the figure as well, which would further explain the discrepancies.

 

[ixnay]

Some markets have a secondary network affiliate; for example, both Washington DC and Philadelphia have two NBC stations included in their markets.

Those would be, respectively, WHAG-25 Hagerstown, MD and WMGM-40 Wildwood, NJ, right?

ixnay

 

[KML0224]

Yes. Here in greater Hartford, we once had two NBC affiliates. WTXX-TV (CW) channel 20 of Waterbury was WATR-TV (NBC) until some time in 1982. Once WVIT-TV (NBC) channel 30 of New Britain upped their power at Rattlesnake Mountain, the need of WATR filling in the holes vanished.

Also, I was told that the Harrisburg/Lancaster market in PA once had three CBS affiliates. One of them was channel 15.

 

[genius]

Yes that is correct. WHP channel 21 served Harrisburg, WSBA/WPMT channel 43, and as you mentioned WLYH channel 15. The reason is because those UHF signals traditionally weren't that strong and didn't range very far in the terrain(they're at the edge of the Appalachians) of the area. The proliferation of cable finally put an end to it, as WSBA became Fox in the late 80s and WLYH become UPN at some point in the late 90s.

 

[hammondo]

Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo has 2 abc affiliates. (the original) WZZM (13) that covers the northern market and WOTV (41), Battle Creek, that covers the southern part.

 

[therealjm12]

Way back when, CBS (the Tiffany Network) was very selective about the affiliates they chose and their markets. They pretty much ignored UHF's. They, also tried to make their stations stronger by not putting affiliates in smaller markets near larger markets. West Palm never had a local CBS until the big swap in the 90's. CBS felt Ch 4 covered the market from Miami. WPEC-TV 12 took CBS and dropped long time ABC when CBS went to low powered ch 6 in Miami. In upstate N. Y. For some reason Utica never had a CBS station. When the F. C. C. withdrew the VHF allocations and replaced them with UHF's CBS felt the market was well served by WTVH Ch 5 out of Syracuse. Even when Roy Park Put WUTR -TV 20 on the air he could not convince CBS to give him an affliliation in Utica, even though he owned five other CBS stations in some decent sized markets. He had to settle for distant 3rd place ABC. I know that Springield, MA., also, has never had a CBS station depending on Ch 3 in Hartford to cover the market. I'll bet there are several other examples across the country............

 

[jal41]

I was reading the Wikipedia article which give me the information of the number of full power affilates (inc O&O) for each major US network

PBS 349
ABC 229
NBC 226
CBS 215
FOX 203

I can see why PBS has the most as in many TV markets there are two or even three PBS affilates

Keep in mind there are only 210 DMAs.

Also, I was told that the Harrisburg/Lancaster market in PA once had three CBS affiliates.

Birmingham has one ABC station with three transmitters serving the market. (WCFT 33 from the West, WJSU 40 from the East, and WBMA-LP 58 in town. They operate under the WBMA callsign).

Some states have statewide ETV/PBS networks, which partially accounts for the high number for PBS (Georgia's ETV network, GPB, has 9 stations serving the states 7 DMA's, plus WPBA overlapping GPB in Atlanta).

As for other differences between the big four, there is no particular reason for the different numbers (except for Fox). It is just how the networks ended up affiliating.

 

[clichemoth]

I was reading the Wikipedia article which give me the information of the number of full power affilates (inc O&O) for each major US network

PBS 349
ABC 229
NBC 226
CBS 215
FOX 203

I can see why PBS has the most as in many TV markets there are two or even three PBS affilates

Keep in mind there are only 210 DMAs.

The US territories other than Puerto Rico are not counted in any DMA, but they all have network affiliates. So does Bermuda even though it has never been part of this country.

Also, I was told that the Harrisburg/Lancaster market in PA once had three CBS affiliates.

Birmingham has one ABC station with three transmitters serving the market. (WCFT 33 from the West, WJSU 40 from the East, and WBMA-LP 58 in town. They operate under the WBMA callsign).

Not really. They operate as "Alabama's ABC 33/40" and never say any calls on-air, and all their test slides I've seen only mention WCFT (and I saw these on WJSU, so it wouldn't be a case of them having separate slides for each station).

And prior to 1996, both 33 and 40 were CBS stations independent of each other and WBMG(now WIAT) 42 in Birmingham.

 

[MarcB]

I always wonderered if simulcast partners counted. Like ABC affiliated WTEN out of Albany, NY which is simulcast on WCDC Channel 19 in North Adams, Mass. And I believe there's a Channel 9/Channel 10 simulcast in Michigan. I forget which network.

 

[hammondo]

Station History of 9 and 10 in Michigan;

Channel 9
Television station WWTV, Channel 13, Cadillac - Traverse City
WWTV's building burned to the ground on 24 January 1961.
On 15 May 1962 we switched from Channel 13 to Channel 9. In 1979 we were purchased by Wilson Communications and in July 1989 we were purchased by our current owners, Heritage Broadcasting Co of MI. WWTV's primary affiliation is with the CBS Television Network.

WWTV's tower is located at the highest point in Michigan's Lower Peninsula at 1704 feet above sea level. They transmit at full power of 316,000 watts visual and 31,600 watts aural.

Channel 10
WWUP-TV Channel 10, Sault Ste. Marie MI went on the air on 15 June 1962. It is a full time satellite of WWTV. The transmitter is located at Goetzville MI, about 30 miles southeast of Sault Ste. Marie MI. WWUP-TV transmits 316,000 watts The combined height of the antenna and tower above ground is 1126 feet which is 1881 feet above sea level.

 

[captex]

kxan nbc austin,tx 36 has a satellite station in llano kxam 14 nbc. also other lin stations have satellite stations in albuquerque, new mexico and other cities.

 

[bhayes1016]

Way back when, CBS (the Tiffany Network) was very selective about the affiliates they chose and their markets. They pretty much ignored UHF's. They, also tried to make their stations stronger by not putting affiliates in smaller markets near larger markets. West Palm never had a local CBS until the big swap in the 90's. CBS felt Ch 4 covered the market from Miami. WPEC-TV 12 took CBS and dropped long time ABC when CBS went to low powered ch 6 in Miami. In upstate N. Y. For some reason Utica never had a CBS station. When the F. C. C. withdrew the VHF allocations and replaced them with UHF's CBS felt the market was well served by WTVH Ch 5 out of Syracuse. Even when Roy Park Put WUTR -TV 20 on the air he could not convince CBS to give him an affliliation in Utica, even though he owned five other CBS stations in some decent sized markets. He had to settle for distant 3rd place ABC. I know that Springield, MA., also, has never had a CBS station depending on Ch 3 in Hartford to cover the market. I'll bet there are several other examples across the country............

Yet CBS has KBTX-3 in Bryan-College Station, which can be seen OTA with a good antenna in the Northern suburbs of Houston. This could be because KHOU was originally in Galveston, and had a weak signal in parts of Houston.

 

[LKidd]

Another thing that might have come into play was CBS radio affiliations. Example of this would be WIBW-13 from Topeka, 65 miles west of Kansas City. WIBW's radio station, a CBS affiliate, (now seperately owned from TV but still with same call letters) enjoyed the monster coverage of a low dial-hot ground conductivity situation. I'm curious as to how other radio affiliations may have played a role in the early day TV affiliations.

 

[tothedj]

I think there may be one television market, Glendive, Montana, that only has one
television station affiliated with three networks, but i'm sure with the advent of
digital TV, they will split them into three different signals, which brings up a
question, will the day come when only one or two stations will serve their entire
market?, only time will tell.

 

[KML0224]

Except in remote areas like Glendive, MT (smallest market in the country) and Presque Isle, ME, it's not too likely. Speaking of Presque Isle, ME, their lone commercial station, WAGM-TV (CBS) chanel 8, carries FOX on one of their subchanels. The closest full-power FOX affiliate to them is licensed to Waterville, which is in the Portland/Poland Spring market.

 

[hammondo]

KXGN in Glendive was once affiliated with all 3 networks. Today according to it's website, the station now carries a portion of the CBS network feed, along with some NBC programming; it is currently the only station to do so.

20 years ago, there were a few tv stations affiliated with all 3 networks, many in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. The station in Grand Junction, Colorado was also affiliated that way.

 

[Markxxx]

I think there may be one television market, Glendive, Montana, that only has one
television station affiliated with three networks, but i'm sure with the advent of
digital TV, they will split them into three different signals, which brings up a
question, will the day come when only one or two stations will serve their entire
market?, only time will tell.

That will depend on the availablity of High Def programing and the ability to compress it. Right now, my understanding is you can get High Def and ONE other channel or six standard defintion channels on the old analog frequency. Although a lot of people say with today's technology putting a standard and a High Def channel reduces the qaulity so that is open to debate.

But if they can get two or three GENUINE high def signals on what used to be an old analog signal that may be an option in some smaller markets.

Getting back to my original post, I was thinking that I know CBS had the lower number channels which travel farther, and ABC was stuck with the higer VHF channels and UHF so they needed two stations to cover the same market.

Like I know first hand in Duluth CBS was on channel 3 and that easily made it into Hibbing but ABC on channel 10 couldn't do that, so another station on Channel 13 was put in to serve Hibbing, (the third largest city in the Duluth market).

And I know in some cases like in Grand Rapids, ABC is on Channel 13 and the transmitter had to be farther north to protect other channel 13's (in this case WTHR in Indianapolis) so in Grand Rapids they needed another Channel.

 

[azumanga]

Like I know first hand in Duluth CBS was on channel 3 and that easily made it into Hibbing but ABC on channel 10 couldn't do that, so another station on Channel 13 was put in to serve Hibbing, (the third largest city in the Duluth market).

You're half-right -- channel 13 (WIRT) was established mainly to bring in channel 10's (WDIO) programming on a reliable signal. Same thing for KBJR channel 6, which established KRII channel 11 in the same area for the same reason.

And I know in some cases like in Grand Rapids, ABC is on Channel 13 and the transmitter had to be farther north to protect other channel 13's (in this case WTHR in Indianapolis) so in Grand Rapids they needed another Channel.

Actually, there's another channel 13 that's closer to Grand Rapids than WTHR -- WTVG in Toledo.