• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Scripps thinking about selling ABCs?

T

Teddio

Staying on our recent thread, there have been quite a few postings around about the comments of the Scripps CEO at the stock analysts meeting in Phoenix last week. He was gushing over the success of their cable business -- HGTV, Food, etc. but said that "they were not wedded to owning television stations long-term." Most analysts think this was a signal that all or some of their stations, including KNXV, are on the block. Scripps only makes money on a couple of their stations and KNXV is definitely one of their worse dogs.
Who in the world would buy ABC 15? Maybe for parts?
 
> Staying on our recent thread, there have been quite a few
> postings around about the comments of the Scripps CEO at the
> stock analysts meeting in Phoenix last week. He was gushing
> over the success of their cable business -- HGTV, Food, etc.
> but said that "they were not wedded to owning television
> stations long-term." Most analysts think this was a signal
> that all or some of their stations, including KNXV, are on
> the block. Scripps only makes money on a couple of their
> stations and KNXV is definitely one of their worse dogs.
> Who in the world would buy ABC 15? Maybe for parts?
>
Disney? Or even Gannett..it is a UHF don't forget!
 
Someone hinted that Merideth might be interested in some of the Scripps stations. If that happened, Merideth would own the two bottom dwellers in the news ratings.
 
> Someone hinted that Merideth might be interested in some of
> the Scripps stations. If that happened, Merideth would own
> the two bottom dwellers in the news ratings.
>


KPHO is HARDLY a bottom dweller these days.
 
> > It is a UHF don't forget!

Does that even still matter these days?
 
> > > It is a UHF don't forget!
>
> Does that even still matter these days?
>


It's not going to matter at all in about three years when all over-the-air signals will go digital and the old channel designations won't mean much. They don't mean all that much now. Notice that Channel 61 is always refered to as WB6.

There's a fair amount of bashing of channel 15 on this board, but I still have to believe someone would love to have a network affiliate. Since Scripps can't seem to make it work, maybe somebody else could.
 
> > > > It is a UHF don't forget!
> >
> > Does that even still matter these days?
> >
>
>
> It's not going to matter at all in about three years when
> all over-the-air signals will go digital and the old channel
> designations won't mean much. They don't mean all that much
> now. Notice that Channel 61 is always refered to as WB6.
>
> There's a fair amount of bashing of channel 15 on this
> board, but I still have to believe someone would love to
> have a network affiliate. Since Scripps can't seem to make
> it work, maybe somebody else could.
>
This issue isn't specific to ABC 15 but certainly would affect them if true. There is no arguing that KNXV is one of the poorest, if not the poorest, performer of Scripp's stable of stations. So, if they unload stations it is likely 15 would be in that group. [It is interesting that the CEO made the comment here in Phoenix.] It's a business and Scripps has to answer to their shareholders and look to the future. Having said that, it's also true that 15 is a network affiliate, but I'm not sure that means as much now as it used to. Advertising revenues are continuing to shrink at the major networks and there is the significant challenge (and rapidly growing) from both the web and the Spanish language nets. Compared to some of Scripp's other stations, 15 would come over in a deal with a lot of negative baggage and a lot of work and expense ahead to turn it into a consistent winner and moneymaker. In this competitive environment, even that may not be enough. If the price is right though, someone will be a taker. Maybe Univision will buy it and move into the building. (kidding -- I think)
 
> This issue isn't specific to ABC 15 but certainly would
> affect them if true. There is no arguing that KNXV is one of
> the poorest, if not the poorest, performer of Scripp's
> stable of stations. So, if they unload stations it is
> likely 15 would be in that group. [It is interesting that
> the CEO made the comment here in Phoenix.] It's a business
> and Scripps has to answer to their shareholders and look to
> the future. Having said that, it's also true that 15 is a
> network affiliate, but I'm not sure that means as much now
> as it used to. Advertising revenues are continuing to
> shrink at the major networks and there is the significant
> challenge (and rapidly growing) from both the web and the
> Spanish language nets. Compared to some of Scripp's other
> stations, 15 would come over in a deal with a lot of
> negative baggage and a lot of work and expense ahead to turn
> it into a consistent winner and moneymaker. In this
> competitive environment, even that may not be enough. If
> the price is right though, someone will be a taker. Maybe
> Univision will buy it and move into the building. (kidding
> -- I think)

Actually, Univision built a rather new facility for KTVW and KFPH a few years back. Here's a crazy idea: Belo buys 15 and sells 61 to a group that would maintain its WB affiliation; ABC moves back to 3, and 15 becomes an independent like Belo's KONG-TV in Seattle. It would be a win for everyone: 3 can stop its bleeding and move into a larger facility, and 15 can air Dr. Phil and Oprah in prime time.

The only other groups that I could see as interested in KNXV would be Hearst-Argyle and Cox (yes, they can now own a TV station and a cable system in the same market).
 
Disney & Gannett

> > Staying on our recent thread, there have been quite a few
> > postings around about the comments of the Scripps CEO at the
> > stock analysts meeting in Phoenix last week. He was gushing
> > over the success of their cable business -- HGTV, Food, etc.
> > but said that "they were not wedded to owning television
> > stations long-term." Most analysts think this was a signal
> > that all or some of their stations, including KNXV, are on
> > the block. Scripps only makes money on a couple of their
> > stations and KNXV is definitely one of their worse dogs.
>
> > Who in the world would buy ABC 15? Maybe for parts?
> > Disney? Or even Gannett..it is a UHF don't forget!

I doubt Disney would since it is a UHF, unless they got an agreement with the cable and satellite providers to put it on Channel 7 on their systems. Then they could call it "ABC-7" on-air as well.

Gannet can't since they already own KPNX and the Repulsive.
 
> > > > It is a UHF don't forget!
> >
> > Does that even still matter these days?

All the Phoenix stations except KAET, KSAZ, and KPNX (which will be digital on 8, 10, and 12, respectively) will be UHF. But KTVK and KPHO will still ID as 3 and 5, even though they'll actually be on 24 and 17, respectively.

> It's not going to matter at all in about three years when
> all over-the-air signals will go digital and the old channel
> designations won't mean much. They don't mean all that much
> now. Notice that Channel 61 is always refered to as WB6.

The old channel designations will still be there. IIRC, the FCC will still require stations to use their old analog channel number even though it'll be meaningless from a technical standpoint.

> There's a fair amount of bashing of channel 15 on this
> board, but I still have to believe someone would love to
> have a network affiliate. Since Scripps can't seem to make
> it work, maybe somebody else could.

I think Eric Stein has the right idea. I've never been totally convinced that Belo doesn't want ABC back on KTVK in the future. They could sell KASW to Univision so they could have a full-powered TeleFutura station in Phoenix. Then they could buy KNXV and move the WB, Diamondbacks, and Coyotes to Channel 15. ABC would then return to KTVK where it belongs.
 
Are we forgetting that NBC-Universal is in the market for stations where they already own Telemundo stations?

Since Gannett is not likely to part voluntarily with KPNX, NBC should have the right to terminate their affiliation and flip it over to 15, ala KRON-KNTV in San Francisco/San Jose.
 
> Are we forgetting that NBC-Universal is in the market for
> stations where they already own Telemundo stations?
>
> Since Gannett is not likely to part voluntarily with KPNX,
> NBC should have the right to terminate their affiliation and
> flip it over to 15, ala KRON-KNTV in San Francisco/San Jose.

Why would NBC leave the #1 station in town for the #5 (at best)?

The only way NBC will have an O&O in Phoenix is if they buy KPNX from Gannett. They won't buy KTVK, KPHO, or KNXV and go through the affiliation-swap mess that the other networks went through in '94.
 
> > Are we forgetting that NBC-Universal is in the market for
> > stations where they already own Telemundo stations?
> >
> > Since Gannett is not likely to part voluntarily with KPNX,
>
> > NBC should have the right to terminate their affiliation
> and
> > flip it over to 15, ala KRON-KNTV in San Francisco/San
> Jose.
>
> Why would NBC leave the #1 station in town for the #5 (at
> best)?
>
> The only way NBC will have an O&O in Phoenix is if they buy
> KPNX from Gannett. They won't buy KTVK, KPHO, or KNXV and
> go through the affiliation-swap mess that the other networks
> went through in '94.
>

NBC has very good relations with Gannett. They are not about to upset those in order to buy another station in Phoenix.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom