Shop At Home TV stations sold to Multicultral Broadcasting

[e-dawg]

EW Scripps sold their 5 Shop @ Home TV station to Multicultral Broadcasting. What do you think about this sale? Do you think it is going to become an asian language broadcaster?

Here is a link from their website about their sale.

http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/877

Scripps sells Shop At Home TV stations
(NYSE: SSP)For immediate release
Tue, September 26, 2006

CINCINNATI – The E. W. Scripps Company has reached an agreement to sell the five Shop At Home-affiliated broadcast television stations it owns to Multicultural Television Broadcasting LLC for $170 million.

Multicultural Television, based in New York City, is acquiring WMFP-TV in Boston; WOAC-TV in Cleveland; WRAY-TV in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; WSAH-TV in Bridgeport, Conn.; and KCNS-TV in San Francisco. The transaction is expected to be completed over the next nine months pending license transfers and other approvals by the Federal Communications Commission.

The sale of the television stations follows the decision by Scripps earlier this year to divest Shop At Home. In June, Scripps sold the Shop At Home television network, including its Nashville studios and other assets, to Jewelry Television for $17 million.

Multicultural Television Broadcasting is a newly formed limited liability company created by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Inc, a leading multi-ethnic media company with radio stations, cable and satellite television operations, and printed publications serving consumers in more than 22 languages.


The E. W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) is a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, electronic commerce, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.

The company’s portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks, with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country; daily and community newspapers in 18 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; leading online search and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; and United Media, a leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics.

 

[MarcB]

Asian language or not it's still gonna be interesting to see secular programming on WSAH Bridgport, Connecticut. They've spent the past 10+ years running the ValueVision Shopping Network, Bud Paxsons Infomercial Network INTV, and the Shop@Home Network. 2 previous sales (both to Spanish language broadcasters) of WSAH fell through. WSAH has always been a hard luck station.

1953 - Signed on in 1953 as WICC-TV. Problems - UHF station. Back then you had to have a special concertor for UHF stations. Those things weren't very reliable. They were also a network affiilate in Southern CT where you could pick up the NYC VHF Network stations. Once offered audience $100 if they'd call in and say they're watching the station. No one called. Later they sent a robot to NYC to promote the station and it got arrested.

1957 - Station went dark.

1961 - Station Burned down.

Early-Mid 80s - Revived as WBCT and was run mostly by women. (Unsure of programming)

1988 - Became WHAI-TV. (Unsure of Programming)

1995 WHAI was running the Valuevision Shopping Network most of the day.

1997ish Sold to Bud Paxson switched to his Infomercaial Network. Was supposed to be NYC's PAX Network affiliate.

1998 Calls switched to WIPX for the PAX Network.

8/98 One week before PAX Launches Calls changed to WBPT. 43 won't be the PAX station for NYC because they purchased Channel 31 in the city itself.

There was a failed sale to the Spanish Shopping Network.

6/1999 calls changed to WSAH after being purchased by Summit America Television. Became affiliated with Shop-At-Home.

2001 or 2002 Failed Sale to Papas Television for the TV Azteca Spanish Network.

12/2003 - Summit Ammerica Television acquired by E.W. Scripps, new owner of Shop@Home Network.

4/2006 - EW Scripps announces it is looking for a buyer for the Shop-At-Home Netowork and that Shop@Home would cease to exist 6/26/06.

6/20/06 Shop-At-Home acquired by Jewelry Television. The 5 Shop-At-Home O&O stations were not included in the sale.

6/25/06 Shop-At-Home goes dark. JTV runs their main network on the Shop-At-Home Feed with a message saying the new Shop-At-Home Network would launched on 6/27/06.

6/27/06 The New Shop-At-Home Network launched and was on only 10PM-8AM. JTV was run the rest of the time.

9/1/06 Shop-At-Home Resumes 24/7 operations.

And finally 9/26/06 EW Scripps announces the sale of the 5 S@Home stations to MultiCultural Broadcasting.

 

[dhett]

Asian language or not it's still gonna be interesting to see secular programming on WSAH Bridgport, Connecticut. They've spent the past 10+ years running the ValueVision Shopping Network, Bud Paxsons Infomercial Network INTV, and the Shop@Home Network. 2 previous sales (both to Spanish language broadcasters) of WSAH fell through. WSAH has always been a hard luck station.

From what you describe, all they've had is secular programming (i.e., non-religious).

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

Yeah, it'l ldefinately be interesting to see what happens here.

is there a market for asian tv in ever city where they bought a TV station?

I'm willing to bet WMFP will be co-located with 1360/1470...

 

[MarcB]

is there a market for asian tv in ever city where they bought a TV station?

I don't know about the other cities but definately with WMFP in Boston and WSAH in Bridgeport. Boston like most major cities has a Chinatown area. Despite being a Bridgeport licensed station WSAH has a better signal on Long Island than most of Connecticut and I'm sure they can target the same people who are listening to the Chinese Radio Network 6AM-6PM on WGBB 1240 AM in Babylon, Long island.

I'm willing to bet WMFP will be co-located with 1360/1470.

Yeah and I'm willing to bet they'll changes the call letters of WMFP to WAZN-TV to match the calls on AM 1470. Not sure what calls they'd get for WSAH. Unless they get permission from he respective radio stations they can't go back to WBPT or WBCT.