Post-Newsweek To Unload TV Stations?

[upstate29651]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

They've improved somewhat from the 90s-00s era of tabloid news and questionable programming decisions (airing Conan at 2:45am, pre-empting a NASCAR race for the Miss Texas pageant, etc).

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am (its still on at 2, but since that show went downhill, i stopped watching)
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

Houston is a conservative market, and this is a reflection of the market. I see no issues here.

G

 

[cowboybud]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

They've improved somewhat from the 90s-00s era of tabloid news and questionable programming decisions (airing Conan at 2:45am, pre-empting a NASCAR race for the Miss Texas pageant, etc).

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am (its still on at 2, but since that show went downhill, i stopped watching)
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

Houston is a conservative market, and this is a reflection of the market. I see no issues here.

G

Not as conservative as people think. Obama won Harris County (first time a D has won the county since LBJ) and Houston has an openly gay mayor.

 

[nbc9houston]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

They've improved somewhat from the 90s-00s era of tabloid news and questionable programming decisions (airing Conan at 2:45am, pre-empting a NASCAR race for the Miss Texas pageant, etc).

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am (its still on at 2, but since that show went downhill, i stopped watching)
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

Some more NOTs to add:
-NOT airing the NBC daytime talk show Lezza (although, it did briefly air on KNWS for a few months in 1998)
-NOT airing Conan from 1994 to 1996 (Jenny Jones would air in the time slot Conan was supposed to be on)

 

[mescutia]

Also, becoming an O&O doesn't necessarily mean a station's quality improves. I'm sure we can all think of stations that are doing better than they would be if they were owned by their respective networks.

And, really, I thought we were past the "This station is bad! [ABC/CBS/NBC] should buy it!" attitude that frequently popped up here in the past.

You must not live here in Houston, do you?

Nope. But I am aware that KTRK and KHOU are both better than KPRC. My point, however, was that KPRC doesn't necessarilly have to become an NBC O&O to see improvement. It could be sold to Hearst, Scripps, Cox, Meredith, Gannett, Local TV, or any other company and still improve if the new owners were to make the necessary changes.

 

[nathannah]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

They've improved somewhat from the 90s-00s era of tabloid news and questionable programming decisions (airing Conan at 2:45am, pre-empting a NASCAR race for the Miss Texas pageant, etc).

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am (its still on at 2, but since that show went downhill, i stopped watching)
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

Houston is a conservative market, and this is a reflection of the market. I see no issues here.

G

I have to say additionally that it's more the station and Post-Newsweek wanting to play it safe and not be stuck with a schedule that drags them down, which is why they aired "Conan" so late in the first few seasons. Both KPRC and WDIV also saw Face the Ace, which aired in August last year of 2009 for what it was; a one-hour infomercial for a poker site that was a totally LCD program. They pre-empted it and received no damage at all from NBC's scheduling. And they don't want to be stuck airing reruns overnight when they could be making actual money programming locally, there's no issue here.

Also, the Miss Texas thing was a problem they got stuck with because they made the deal before NASCAR came into the picture, and it was Miss Texas who wasn't going to budge. I think KPRC would have broken it, and decided to take NASCAR fan anger rather than the more radical 'pageant mom' contingent which would have been mad if they broke the agreement.

 

[only1moore]

Nope. But I am aware that KTRK and KHOU are both better than KPRC. My point, however, was that KPRC doesn't necessarilly have to become an NBC O&O to see improvement. It could be sold to Hearst, Scripps, Cox, Meredith, Gannett, Local TV, or any other company and still improve if the new owners were to make the necessary changes.

You may want to take Hearst out of the equation. They own the "Houston Chronicle" and the only way they'll get KPRC is by selling the paper, and I doubt that will happen. I wouldn't count on Local eyeing it either because of its relationship with Tribune and that would mean a waiver.

 

[azumanga]

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm

Some more NOTs to add:
-NOT airing Conan from 1994 to 1996 (Jenny Jones would air in the time slot Conan was supposed to be on)

I recall an episode of "Late Night" around 1997 or so, when Conan would go around Houston during the late-night hours, trying to find a place that has his show on on KPRC. The skit ended with Conan watching his show on KPRC -- at the Astrodome on the big screen. (Though I think it was at 2:05 AM or something.)

 

[compubit]

I recall an episode of "Late Night" around 1997 or so, when Conan would go around Houston during the late-night hours, trying to find a place that has his show on on KPRC. The skit ended with Conan watching his show on KPRC -- at the Astrodome on the big screen. (Though I think it was at 2:05 AM or something.)

Ironically, it was one of the few times I was watching Coco... He went to a dorm at Rice and woke up some students to watch the show - visited the bus station and I think put quarters in all of the pay tv's and tuned them to his show. Totally hilarious (IMHO!)...

IIRC, KPRC delayed Letterman by 30 minutes to air that all-important Late Night show Love Connection...

And we'll be back in 2 and 2...

Jim

 

[upstate29651]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

They've improved somewhat from the 90s-00s era of tabloid news and questionable programming decisions (airing Conan at 2:45am, pre-empting a NASCAR race for the Miss Texas pageant, etc).

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am (its still on at 2, but since that show went downhill, i stopped watching)
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

Houston is a conservative market, and this is a reflection of the market. I see no issues here.

G

Not as conservative as people think. Obama won Harris County (first time a D has won the county since LBJ) and Houston has an openly gay mayor.

Due to high turnout in the center city/ethnic/kitchy areas. That still, overall, is not what I would quantify as an accurate reflection of the market.

G

 

[mescutia]

Nope. But I am aware that KTRK and KHOU are both better than KPRC. My point, however, was that KPRC doesn't necessarilly have to become an NBC O&O to see improvement. It could be sold to Hearst, Scripps, Cox, Meredith, Gannett, Local TV, or any other company and still improve if the new owners were to make the necessary changes.

You may want to take Hearst out of the equation. They own the "Houston Chronicle" and the only way they'll get KPRC is by selling the paper, and I doubt that will happen. I wouldn't count on Local eyeing it either because of its relationship with Tribune and that would mean a waiver.

Eh, I was rattling names off the top of my head.

 

[KTN Corp]

Looks like everyone forgot NBC's other soap: Passions. It was only on KPRC for 3 years until it moved to DirecTV to its eventual death. It seems KPRC was too lazy given that NBC had the fewest soaps to run.

KPRC has been improving since 2005-2006 since Wasserman left. Grabbing Jerome Gray gave *some* credibility back to the news department. NBC programming is another matter.

(Tabloid) Shows like Maury, Jerry Springer, and recent Dr. Phil episodes traditionally belong on the UHF dial (the 3 "independents") in Houston, while "classy"/mainstream shows are on the VHF nets. In fact 20, 26, and 39 are independents by day, nets at night.

 

[DToTheJ]

You've clearly got a grudge against KPRC. What's so awful about them?

KPRC's questionable programming throughout the years:

-airing Conan at 1:05am, then moving it to 12:35am, then finally moving it to its correct time, 11:35pm
-NOT airing Carson Daly until '05 or '06 when they finally started airing it, but at 2:05am, instead of 12:35am...
-NOT airing Poker After Dark
-NOT airing the classic Saturday Night Live episodes that used to air around 1 or 2am on NBC.
-NOT airing those "Strikeforce" fights that air at 2am Saturday Nights.

NOT mentioned: the fact that KPRC is under contract to air "Dr. Phil" but does not - and, apparently, it's good for KPRC's bottom line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KPRC-TV#End_of_Dr._Phil_in_Houston

 

[cowboybud]

Looks like everyone forgot NBC's other soap: Passions. It was only on KPRC for 3 years until it moved to DirecTV to its eventual death. It seems KPRC was too lazy given that NBC had the fewest soaps to run.

KNWS picked up Passions for a little while before KPRC finally gave in and ran it.

 

[stationi]

Speaking of Conan in Houston airing late in the night, check out this video with Conan and Hilton the chainsaw guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcvVWnpi0xk

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

Speaking of Conan in Houston airing late in the night, check out this video with Conan and Hilton the chainsaw guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcvVWnpi0xk

Haha...yes, that was Conan's second attempt at shaming KPRC into carrying his show in-pattern. He highlighted the local advertisers/pitchmen that aired during his show. Hilton and Houston favorite Jim "Mattress Mac" MacIngvale. The viewers voted on who they wanted Conan to invite on as a guest.

IIRC, MacIngvale either rented an RV or had his Gallery Furniture RV driven to NYC and then run around the block front of Rockefeller Center in an effort to drum up support.

Obviously, Hilton won. Jim may "save you money today!" but by the late-90s his commercials were far more subdued than Hilton with his chainsaw!

 

[bpatrick]

I'd be happy to see someone reaffiliate WJXT with CBS,
and someone who can make WKMG competitive in Orlando
(given CBS's demographics, you'd think that station would
be doing a whole lot better than it does).

 

[DToTheJ]

I mentioned KPRC's "Dr. Phil" situation above...

Isn't WKMG the station that tried putting "Dr. Phil" on at 7 PM before network primetime? Or maybe I'm thinking of WJXT?

 

[azumanga]

Isn't WKMG the station that tried putting "Dr. Phil" on at 7 PM before network primetime? Or maybe I'm thinking of WJXT?

Nearby WTSP in Tampa Bay currently shows Dr. Phil at 7PM (with a repeat the next day at 9AM) -- it didn't do well at 5PM, and, because of contractual restrictions regarding putting it on against Oprah, they have no other place to put the show.

 

[bpatrick]

WKMG did air "Dr. Phil" at 7 for awhile but, like everything else
WKMG has tried in the 7-8 block since losing "Wheel Of Fortune"
in 1984, it didn't work. Currently the station is running Katie at 7,
followed by "Inside Edition."