Network O&O affiliated with another network

[Markxxx]

I was just wondering if there is any regulation against one of the big 4 (ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX) from owning a TV station but affiliating it with another network.

I realize in the past there have been a few instances of one network buying a TV station and that network had to wait for the affiliation agreement to run out before it could switch over to the buying network, but I was wondering if there was any regulation against it.

I also realize there would really be no rational reason for it happening in real life, I was just wondering if there was a rule preventing it.

Let me give you a for instance, let's say NBC which owns KNTV Channel 11 (NBC) bought KRON Channel 4 which is now MyNetworkTV and then signed an agreement to affiliate it with FOX.

I know that's a dumb example but is there anything to prevent that from happening?

I left out MyNetworkTV and the CW as they are smaller networks.

 

[fybush]

Let me give you a for instance, let's say NBC which owns KNTV Channel 11 (NBC) bought KRON Channel 4 which is now MyNetworkTV and then signed an agreement to affiliate it with FOX.

I know that's a dumb example but is there anything to prevent that from happening?

Nope. Closest we've come so far have been the instances when a network has bought a station affiliated with another network. Usually the affiliation agreements are reworked pretty quickly to keep the overlap minimal. Recent examples have included CBS' purchase of KCNC Denver and KUTV Salt Lake (which had been NBC O&Os), ABC's purchase of WTVG Toledo (which had been an NBC affiliate, and which was operated by ABC as an NBC affiliate for two months), CBS' purchase of WPRI Providence (which had been an ABC affiliate), all in the mid-90s.

 

[compubit]

Probably the longest "overlap" was NBC's purchase of WTVJ - which lasted over a year, IIRC... NBC bought WTVJ near the end of 1987, but had to wait until Jan 1, 1989 for the affiliation agreement to expire (WSVN didn't want to give up NBC until it had to - of course, as of now, WSVN ended up with higher rated programming...)

WTVJ quickly picked up the NBC programs that WSVN didn't clear (and IIRC, WCIX picked up some of the CBS programs WTVJ dropped for the NBC programs...) - including Santa Barbara and Sunday Today...

 

[Morgan Wick]

Not sure to what extent you're leaving out MyNet and the CW. Would WBFS count? It's owned by CBS, which owns the CW, but it's a MyNet affiliate.

 

[nbc9houston]

When WBRC in Birmingham became a Fox O&O in January 1996, it had to be maintained as an ABC affiliate until that September (which was when its ABC affiliation ended). This allowed ABC some time to find a new affiliate for Birmingham, or for that matter, central Alabama (ABC 33/40).

 

[TexasTom]

Doesn't Fox own an MNTV affiliate in Baltimore? The Baltimore Fox affiliate is owned by Sinclair.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

When WBRC in Birmingham became a Fox O&O in January 1996, it had to be maintained as an ABC affiliate until that September (which was when its ABC affiliation ended). This allowed ABC some time to find a new affiliate for Birmingham, or for that matter, central Alabama (ABC 33/40).

Same thing happened in St. Louis, with KTVI-2 maintaining it's ABC affiliation through most of 1996, which also gave KNDL-30 a bit of extra time in establishing their news department (which was killed a short 4-years later).

 

[Markxxx]

The reason I left out the CW and MyNetworkTV was I Know the FCC has a rule that prohibits a company from owning any two of the largest four networks.

Which is why CBS can own the CW but CBS couldn't own FOX or NBC or ABC.

That's why I was wondering if there was a rule against affiliation.

I know the FCC will often grant temporary waivers for sales which result in violations of their rules. In other words they'll let the sale go through if eventually the rule will be adhered to.