Nexstar Suing Granite Re: Fox Affiliation In Fort Wayne, IN

[DToTheJ]

As their WFFT in Fort Wayne, IN prepares to go independent on August 1, with current NBC affiliate WISE (the former WKJG) assuming the Fox affiliation in the market, Nexstar Broadcasting is suing Granite Broadcasting, owner of WISE, for, of all things, "anticompetitiveness".
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/471496-Nexstar_Files_Suit_Against_Granite.php

 

[JayR]

Quote from the article:

"...Granite will control local television advertising sales for stations affiliated with the FOX, NBC and ABC networks, as well as the CW and MyNetwork TV networks."

MyNetwork TV is NOT a network; it's a syndication service.

 

[dave73]

Quote from the article:

"...Granite will control local television advertising sales for stations affiliated with the FOX, NBC and ABC networks, as well as the CW and MyNetwork TV networks."

MyNetwork TV is NOT a network; it's a syndication service.

Even though MNT is a syndication service, Granite created Malara in order to get around the duopoly rules, since there's only 6 stations licensed to market, & that alone prohibits a duopoly. Creating a shell company got around the loophole. Unfortunately with that, they will now have 3 of the 4 major networks (CBS being the only network they don't have) is a serious problem. In a market like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago, or even Milwaukee, duopolies are allowed if there are enough stations in the market. Also, as part of the condition, one station can not be one of the 4 major networks if one station is one of the 4. For Chicago, Fox Networks owns FOX owned WFLD & MNT's WPWR-TV. In Indianapolis, LIN Broadcasting has CBS affiliate WISH-TV & MNT's WNDY. In Grand Rapids, LIN Broadcasting is able to have both WOOD-TV (NBC) & WOTV (ABC), because WOTV doesn't cover the entire market. For Fort Wayne, Granite is being anti-competitive by having a shell company own WPTA, just so they can have a duopoly. Also, with both stations having a major 4 network on the main channel (NBC on WISE-TV & ABC on WPTA) , then adding another major 4 on a subchannel (Fox on WISE-TV), & that really creates anti-competitiveness. I can guarantee you that the FCC will eventually see around this, & force Granite to divest Malara & WPTA. I don't know how they'll handle the Fox affiliation with it being dropped from WFFT, & Fox being forced to settle with having their network on a subchannel.

 

[Sammi Brie]

Ironically both parties are very guilty of the same thing, especially the plaintiff. (With every Nexstar-Mission duopoly in one plant, though, anybody wanting to buy the Mission stations in a potential sale of Nexstar would have to make a very large investment in facilities in some 100+ markets.)

A win for Nexstar might also impact the Duluth market, in which Nexstar is not involved (Granite-Malara owns KDLH+KBJR: four networks of six, with the ABC and Fox each separate).

 

[Madmansam]

Who is getting the NBC affiliation?

 

[Stitch]

Who is getting the NBC affiliation?

It's not going anywhere. NBC will remain on WISE-DT 33.1, while the Fox affiliation will move to WISE-DT 33.2 (sharing time with My Network TV, which gets bumped to late night).