I watch WWE Main Event on ION. Seeing the frequent commercial breaks that show has made me think about something: How does this network stay on the air? Outside of an hourly station ID, I have yet to see a single local commercial, let alone any local programming. In my case, I watch WHPX-TV channel 26 of New London, CT (Hartford/New Haven market).
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Question about ION
- Thread starter KML0224
- Start date
They must make up for it with infomercials.
Isn't the WWE program in some way "paid time" sponsored by the WWE?
Isn't that how they usually end up being able to be on a programming schedule, when they are on air (or cable, depending on which iteration we're talking about)?
Isn't the WWE program in some way "paid time" sponsored by the WWE?
Isn't that how they usually end up being able to be on a programming schedule, when they are on air (or cable, depending on which iteration we're talking about)?
This dates back to Pax, when there was no local programming on any of their stations (other than the agreement they made with numerous NBC O&O & affiliated stations to reair the local NBC news). My local ION station in Chicago has no local programming either. Ion simply insists on programming the network from a central location, & feeding it to all their stations nationwide, & not bother trying to program on a local level. It seems all their local stations have a skeleton crew to keep costs down. I wouldn't be surprised that the ISHOP channel will simply be a 24 hour infomercial channel to fund the network. In the long run, I don't see how they can afford to operate Ion TV, Ion Life, & Qubo, as well as own over 60 TV stations, & make money. You're lucky if someone affiliates with Ion TV or Qubo (if Ion Media will even allow it, which is rare), but so far refuses to allow anyone to affiliate with Ion Life.
Ion owns all the stations, therefore revenue all goes into one pot. And I assume they rake in money with all those infomercials. Still, owning all those stations has got to add up to some serious overhead, but Paxson is a pretty rich guy.
There are a few Ion affiliates not owned by the network. Some also have dual affiliations with other 'networks', such as MNTV.
There are a few Ion affiliates not owned by the network. Some also have dual affiliations with other 'networks', such as MNTV.
Paxson hasn't owned the network since 2005. He actually spent most of his wealth trying to form PAX, a national, family friendly network.
ION is majority owned by NBC. They stations clear national ad buys and clear Universal produced programming and movies that don't necessarily have other suitors.
I like the addition of WWE Main Event. It's the only WWE wrestling on broadcast TV now with the movement of Smackdown to SyFy.
There was an article from Phila. Inquirer not too long ago mostly about the Golf Channel:
http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-17/business/36376128_1_tennis-channel-eric-abner-golf-channel
In the article,
"The other top-five broadcast-TV or cable networks by daily viewership growth between 2010 and 2012 were: ION, 31 percent; MSNBC, 25 percent; History, 18 percent, and Telemundo, 18 percent."
So, ION is doing well or atleast might have more viewers now (unclear if that ties to profitability, but growth should be good), and MSNBC apparently is showing growth.
http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-17/business/36376128_1_tennis-channel-eric-abner-golf-channel
In the article,
"The other top-five broadcast-TV or cable networks by daily viewership growth between 2010 and 2012 were: ION, 31 percent; MSNBC, 25 percent; History, 18 percent, and Telemundo, 18 percent."
So, ION is doing well or atleast might have more viewers now (unclear if that ties to profitability, but growth should be good), and MSNBC apparently is showing growth.
D
Darth_vader
Guest
Not just infomercials, they do still run more than a fair amount of paid commercial programming as well. Although I do see they've added more "normal" television programming into their main stream than they had a few years ago.
I'm guessing all the countless hours-per-week of infomercial crap they run on the QUBO and (presumably) ION Life streams are helping.
I'm guessing all the countless hours-per-week of infomercial crap they run on the QUBO and (presumably) ION Life streams are helping.
I've noticed ION now starts regular programming at 12 Noon weekdays. Much better time than the old PAX days (started at 4 or 5pm after tons of paid programs).
Actually - wasn't PAX on earlier in the day at one point? I can swear seeing "Supermarket Sweep" one day at about 1 or 1:30 on my local PAX station.
-crainbebo
Actually - wasn't PAX on earlier in the day at one point? I can swear seeing "Supermarket Sweep" one day at about 1 or 1:30 on my local PAX station.
-crainbebo
On its beginning, PAX started at noon. So now they have as much programming as on their beginnings! 
I think the folks at Ion are fairly smart. They realize they have a decent set of channels with decent programming and enough viewers to make a profit. Adding local programming would be expensive and kill the profit. They're also selling bandwidth to others to add revenue streams. Hence the "airbox" service on many Ion stations and the "Shop" infomercial channel on their .4 subchannel in many areas.
And that was after a long battle that originally had WPCB move from channel 40 to channel 16 and Pax buying channel 40; the plan was later nixed by the FCC. It wasn't until channel 16's allocation was changed to commercial that it gave Ion a chance to purchase the station.KML-224 said:
KML-224 said:
I believe none of them do, as far as I know.
Actually I thought that full power stations was required to have at least a half hour public affairs show or some sort of local programming for local content in addition to 3 hours of E/I.
At least in the Cleveland market, Akron licensed station WVPX-23 had up until recently a public affairs show every Sat AM at 6:30 am.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jbA_ptYDM4
Also at one point Pax along side the city of Akron and WKYC produced a Akron newscast as opposed to a NBC rebroadcast like most stations did in the early 2000's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aDFZEFhoFo
At least in the Cleveland market, Akron licensed station WVPX-23 had up until recently a public affairs show every Sat AM at 6:30 am.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jbA_ptYDM4
Also at one point Pax along side the city of Akron and WKYC produced a Akron newscast as opposed to a NBC rebroadcast like most stations did in the early 2000's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aDFZEFhoFo
Re: Local programming on ION
Our local ION station (WFPX) is mostly fed off another low-power station (WRPX) that's in our 'market' but doesn't reach here.
On WFPX, I've seen church broadcasts from the WRPX Raleigh market. One of them is a church we used to attend, and they used to say we could watch their programs on WRPX, but they never mentioned WFPX, probably because it's 90 miles away from the church. So I know that show is on WRPX as well as WFPX.
I don't know if it can work the other way though: from WFPX to WRPX.
I've also seen high school football games and a weekly radio show from WIDU (both sponsored by a local chiropractor practice) from our local area.
The promos I've seen only mention WFPX.
And there's a Friday morning public affairs program called "Tarheel Talk" or something like that that looks like they recorded them back when they recorded "New Zoo Revue." I think it might have used to be shown on another Raleigh station back in the day, Or maybe they're new programs and it's just low-budget, maybe? I think it mentions both stations on their promos.
Our local ION station (WFPX) is mostly fed off another low-power station (WRPX) that's in our 'market' but doesn't reach here.
On WFPX, I've seen church broadcasts from the WRPX Raleigh market. One of them is a church we used to attend, and they used to say we could watch their programs on WRPX, but they never mentioned WFPX, probably because it's 90 miles away from the church. So I know that show is on WRPX as well as WFPX.
I don't know if it can work the other way though: from WFPX to WRPX.
I've also seen high school football games and a weekly radio show from WIDU (both sponsored by a local chiropractor practice) from our local area.
The promos I've seen only mention WFPX.
And there's a Friday morning public affairs program called "Tarheel Talk" or something like that that looks like they recorded them back when they recorded "New Zoo Revue." I think it might have used to be shown on another Raleigh station back in the day, Or maybe they're new programs and it's just low-budget, maybe? I think it mentions both stations on their promos.
mavtv said:
In Tampa Bay, WFLA produced live 7PM and 10PM newscasts for WXPX, the local Pax station. However, no one was watching the newscasts, which led WFLA to switch to rebroadcasts at 7PM (rebroadcasting 6PM) and 11:30PM (rebroadcasting 11PM), before Pax rid of the newscasts in 2002.
tested said:
I don't think it would be that expensive without a return on value, in the major markets. There are small independent stations across the country with local programming. However, it seems PAX/ION chose early on to be cookie-cutter market to market with such a massive amount of stations under ownership.
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