The reasons for the WSB/WXIA switch begin
with the fact that WSB, trying to hold on to
the number-one slot in Atlanta with a third-place
network (NBC), had pre-empted some 450 hours
of network programming in the 1979-80 season,
replacing them with movies and syndicated shows.
The result was a drain on the station's bottom line.
Secondly, NBC had a number of shows such as
"Little House On The Prairie," "Sheriff Lobo," and
"BJ And The Bear," which skewed older and rural,
but Atlanta was becoming younger and more urban.
Channel 2's management felt it was time to face
reality and go after this audience (which belonged
to ABC in other markets). Thirdly, ABC was growing
impatient with Channel 11. True, 11 Alive had cut
into WSB's (and WAGA's) numbers, but ABC was number
one in similar-size markets, such as Dallas/Ft. Worth,
and (the network felt) should have been number one
in Atlanta. Fred Barber, Channel 2's g.m. at the time,
said he would not have made the switch if the difference
in the two networks' numbers had been much closer.
Channel 11 g.m. Jeff Davidson considered it an insult;
he had worked overtime trying to pull 11's numbers up,
and he'd just spent two years on the ABC affiliates' board
(the second one as its president). But do not weep too
much. NBC and WXIA have a very solid relationship, and
ABC (as someone else noted) has one of its strongest
affiliates in WSB.
Another reason for switches is when a company wants
all of its stations with one network. In the '90s Burnham
Broadcasting switched its four stations to Fox: one from ABC
(WVUE New Orleans) and three from NBC (KHON Honolulu,
WALA Mobile, and WLUK Green Bay). WCIV Charleston, SC
moved from NBC to ABC, giving Allbritton all ABC affiliates.
Then there are cases like Scripps-Howard's moving WCPO
Cincinnati from CBS, WMAR Baltimore from NBC, and KNXV
Phoenix and WFTS Tampa/St. Petersburg from Fox, all to
ABC as part of a deal to keep WEWS and WXYZ in the
ABC fold. Meredith switched KPHO Phoenix from independent
to CBS to replace KSAZ, and WNEM Flint, MI from NBC to CBS.
