Sign of trouble for the CW

[Nate Wesley]

Maybe if ABC/Disney gets a secondary net, they could also use it to give Leno a home. They could even offer current ABC affils the first option to take the secondary net in non-Tribune markets, and this would give them a choice, they could run Leno or Nightline, with the one the ABC affil doesn't pick going to the secondary net.

I don't think Jay Leno would ever sign on for anything like that.

 

[Darrel M]

Today, DCRTV.com is officially reporting similar changes are underway with the Tribune-owned CW station in DC. http://www.dcrtv.com

Sure enough, the DC50TV.com web address directs you to the CW Washington website. What's more, an announcement about the August 30th premiere of a news analysis show refers to the station as "WDCW-TV" and "DC50."

 

[KTN Corp]

Tribune is distancing themselves from the CW network for sure. First the KIAH change, then the WDCW rebranding. I think the CW will fold this summer and not come back this fall. How much longer will MyNetworkTV will be around? I hear their ratings are much worse than The CW's. Anyone think that Ion TV might rise in prominence after at least one of those two (or both) networks are gone?

 

[nathannah]

I read about the rebranding earlier in the month and was just waiting for the logos to come by myself so I could add them to the article. As one of the heavier editors in the WP:TVS project I always hate it when an editor takes 'the website' as the gospel when it comes to a new logo, especially from locals or actual viewers of the station (not even considering the fact that most of these redesigned sites won't launch until the launch of the syndie season after Labor Day as was done with the CW launch). I will add your logo to the article with credit and on behalf of those who kept the info out, apologize. Let me know if you wouldn't mind it or not .

As for everything else within this thread, especially the KPLR rumors, it definitely gives me a good eye on the situation.

I did jump onto this logo change right away, editing the article on or soon after the day the re-branding happened. I certainly do not mind if you add the logo to the article. It will be interesting, too, to see how things go with KIAH, KDAF, and, most recently, WDCW.

Done and done. Thanks for the cap; I definitely contribute the most via screencap images myself, so I understand the frustration when something is reverted that is true. The whole website argument wasn't very powerful at all, and I have posted on the talk page my feelings about how the reversion should not have been done.

 

[arnoldevns]

Tribune is distancing themselves from the CW network for sure. First the KIAH change, then the WDCW rebranding. I think the CW will fold this summer and not come back this fall. How much longer will MyNetworkTV will be around? I hear their ratings are much worse than The CW's. Anyone think that Ion TV might rise in prominence after at least one of those two (or both) networks are gone?

My Network TV isn't going anywhere. Fox needs it to fill the time on their O&O stations. The ratings for My Network are growing. It has picked up CW's most watched show (WWE Smackdown) and will begin air it this fall.

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

I recently noticed that my local CW affiliate has quit calling themselves "CW33" in the audio portions of promos and on their newscast. In fact, they changed their website name to eliminate the CW from the address. What makes this particularly interesting is that the station in question is Tribune-owned KDAF Channel 33 in Dallas-Fort Worth. On screen you still see CW33 on a lot of things, but the anchors call it the "KDAF 33 News At Nine." The website is now KDAF33.com.

The Tribune-owned CW station in Houston has just changed it's call letters to eliminate the CW from them. KHCW became KIAH (the identifier for the Houston airport) Tribune is also switching it's station in San Diego from CW to Fox. (the current Fox affil is picking up the CW)

So it makes me wonder if Tribune wants to dump the CW? If that were to happen, the network would have some pretty big holes to fill in its lineup. In the DFW area, they'd probably go with Viacom-owned KTXA (a former UPN affiliate). In Houston, their options would be some very low rated UHF stations that don't serve the market well. Other markets would be much tougher. I think the CW would go to KCAL in Los Angeles, WCIU in Chicago, but I'm not sure they could find decent affiliates in markets like New York, Washington, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, Indianapolis, Hartford, and New Orleans. They'd probably have to go with Ion stations or put the network on a digital sub-channel.

Has anyone heard anything?

KWGN just recently dumped the CW part of it's logo when they launched their new 5:30 PM newscast and now just use the News 2 logo which they've been using for their newscasts for quite sometime.

As for the CW switching, the only place I can see it conceivably going would be to Gannett-owned KTVD 20 who I'm sure would LOVE to have the CW if for no other reason than to have decent ratings during primetime. The drawback to this for KWGN would be they would be stuck with MyNetwork TV in the deal UNLESS Gannett chose to have their cake AND eat it too by keeping MyNetwork TV on KTVD and simply time-shifting the lineup, which they have the luxury of doing if they so chose as this would give KTVD a formidable late night lineup.

But Tribune has even bigger problems in Los Angeles, Chicago & New York. I say this because unless they can strike a deal with News Corp. to carry MyNetwork on KTLA, WGN locally and WPIX respectfully (Yeah right like that's gonna happen since News Corp./FOX owns KCOP, WPWR & WWOR respectively, all of which are MyNetwork O&O's on VHF!!), Tribune will be stuck with the CW on KTLA, WGN & WPIX whether they like it or not.

Then again, Tribune could just simply hand the CW over to CBS/KCAL in L.A. too.

Am I missing anything?

Cheers

Pat

 

[Markxxx]

So the Tribune says "the CW isn't doing well, we can make it better by not promoting them?"

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

Also KWGN-TV here in Denver has rebranded from CW2 to 2 and has been promoting their web site as KWGN.com although if you go to it it will still direct you to CW2.com but from what I hear they're planning on relaunching their site early next month.

They also, as I indicated above, launched a 5:30 PM weekday newscast to rival the network offering on 4, 7 & 9, the sitcoms on 20 & 31, anything offered on Indie KWHD 53 & anything ION is featuring on 59.

Plus KWGN is relying more on its News 2 name and in fact doesn't even mention the CW in their voiceovers anymore.

Cheers

Pat

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

Yes, WGNO 26 in New Orleans is owned by Tribune.

But it's not affected by this change. As such, it isn't part of this thread.

That said, they may decide to change some of their graphics and other imaging though just to "Tow the corporate line" as it were. There's always that possibility.

Cheers

Pat

 

[TexasTom]

Tribune is distancing themselves from the CW network for sure. First the KIAH change, then the WDCW rebranding. I think the CW will fold this summer and not come back this fall.

Since pre-production is certainly already started for new shows that will be airing this fall on the CW, your prediction seems at least a year premature. How the network does this fall and winter, however, may well determine whether the CW still exists after September 2009.

 

[TexasTom]

The drawback to this for KWGN would be they would be stuck with MyNetwork TV in the deal

Why would they be "stuck" with MyNetwork TV? If Tribune were to make the decision to ditch the CW at KWGN (or any of their other CW affiliates) it will be for one of two reasons. The first is that they have the chance to land a stronger network (as they did with Fox at KSWB in San Diego). Absent that, the second reason would be because they've determined that they are better off on their own than they are as a CW affiliate -- and in that instance, they're hardly likely to turn around and sign up with MNTV when that network is even weaker than the CW.

And really...while its debatable whether a strong independent is preferable to being affiliated with the CW, I doubt that there is much question about the comparison for the folks at Tribune headquarters in Chicago when it comes to weighing out being an independent versus being an MNTV affiliate. Consider this simple question -- which Chicago station is stronger in that market -- WCIU (Weigel's indepedent) or WPWR (Fox's MNTV outlet)? Certainly looks like WCIU to me...

And KWGN, a station with strong market heritage, could conceivably become a very strong independent TV station if it ends up parting ways with the CW (or if the CW folds). Why weaken that heritage with the crap that fills most of MNTV?

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

Maybe if ABC/Disney gets a secondary net, they could also use it to give Leno a home. They could even offer current ABC affils the first option to take the secondary net in non-Tribune markets, and this would give them a choice, they could run Leno or Nightline, with the one the ABC affil doesn't pick going to the secondary net.

I don't think Jay Leno would ever sign on for anything like that.

Agreed. He'd rather go on after Jimmy Kimmel before he does ANYTHING CLOSE to that.

Besides, why would ABC want a secondary network? What would (Or COULD) they do with it? They've already seen what FOX has tried with MyNetwork TV. Look at the results.

What would be Disney's incentive to commit what would (Albeit essentially) be TV SUICIDE??? They already have a plethora of cable nets plus ABC News Now (However you label that "channel") for people to choose from. They don't need to be crawling into bed with Tribune. It's not in their best interests.

Anyway....Back on topic....

Just my opinion...

Cheers

Pat

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

Tribune is distancing themselves from the CW network for sure. First the KIAH change, then the WDCW rebranding. I think the CW will fold this summer and not come back this fall.

Since pre-production is certainly already started for new shows that will be airing this fall on the CW, your prediction seems at least a year premature. How the network does this fall and winter, however, may well determine whether the CW still exists after September 2009.

That said though, there's nothing here to indicate that this will stop Tribune from jumping ship anyway.

Cheers

Pat

 

[mjlarochelle]

But Tribune has even bigger problems in Los Angeles, Chicago & New York. I say this because unless they can strike a deal with News Corp. to carry MyNetwork on KTLA, WGN locally and WPIX respectfully (Yeah right like that's gonna happen since News Corp./FOX owns KCOP, WPWR & WWOR respectively, all of which are MyNetwork O&O's on VHF!!), Tribune will be stuck with the CW on KTLA, WGN & WPIX whether they like it or not.

Then again, Tribune could just simply hand the CW over to CBS/KCAL in L.A. too.

In New York, if WPIX dumped CW, and CW still existed, it could end up on WLNY, WRNN, or WMBC, all of which are on local cable - and the fact that two of them are digital-only will be a moot point in seven months. I just can't see CW being relegated to digital subchannel status in the #1 market.

 

[jal41]

But Tribune has even bigger problems in Los Angeles, Chicago & New York. I say this because unless they can strike a deal with News Corp. to carry MyNetwork on KTLA, WGN locally and WPIX respectfully (Yeah right like that's gonna happen since News Corp./FOX owns KCOP, WPWR & WWOR respectively, all of which are MyNetwork O&O's on VHF!!), Tribune will be stuck with the CW on KTLA, WGN & WPIX whether they like it or not.

Then again, Tribune could just simply hand the CW over to CBS/KCAL in L.A. too.

Am I missing anything?

The reason My Network TV was created by Fox/News Corp. was because their stations were left out of the WB/UPN to CW merger. You'll have better luck getting Fox News Channel to adopt a liberal bias than My Network going to the Tribune stations.

If Tribune pulls the plug, the CW will have no choice than to pull the plug. If Tribune bails, others will quickly bail too. And that is if a lawsuit is not filed (which one will most certainly be filed if Tribune bails out).

As for ABC or another network starting a new network...I think you have a better chance of Dan Rather returning to CBS than another new network. They are seeing what is going on with the CW and My Network. With cable and the internet...there will be no new broadcast networks - ever.

 

[Markxxx]

Consider this simple question -- which Chicago station is stronger in that market -- WCIU (Weigel's indepedent) or WPWR (Fox's MNTV outlet)? Certainly looks like WCIU to me...

You're correct but it's really because FOX bought WPWR and used it for a dumping ground for crap they don't want on WFLD-TV.

WPWR in it's day was number 3 behind WGN, and WFLD.

 

[arnoldevns]

And really...while its debatable whether a strong independent is preferable to being affiliated with the CW,

Let me shed some light on this.

1. The CW is requiring many of its stations to pay compensation to the network to be affilated with them. This is a reversal of the way it used to be (that's why it's called "reverse compensation" in the business) but it's become a more common practice in recent years.

2. The CW keeps all but 2.5 minutes an hour of advertising during prime time. That means affiliates have to recoup their costs to the CW based on the sales of
only 5 minutes of ads each night. Without strong ratings, that becomes real tough.

My Network TV is more attractive because it does not require "reverse compensation" and splits ad time equally with stations. (which comes to about 7 minutes of ads per hour or 14 minutes a night)

I don't think Tribune will switch a bunch of their stations over to My Network TV though. I think they may just go back to being independent stations. I think the numbers I just mentioned show that they can probably make that work pretty well for themselves.

 

[nathannah]

The drawback to this for KWGN would be they would be stuck with MyNetwork TV in the deal

And KWGN, a station with strong market heritage, could conceivably become a very strong independent TV station if it ends up parting ways with the CW (or if the CW folds). Why weaken that heritage with the crap that fills most of MNTV?

With KDVR sold to LocalTV from Fox, Fox might look to target KWGN and get out from KDVR. I know that the deal was incumbent on every station sold by Fox to LocalTV staying with Fox for double-digit years, but Denver's a unique situation where a switch might be possible for the right price.

 

[Markxxx]

I don't think Tribune will switch a bunch of their stations over to My Network TV though. I think they may just go back to being independent stations. I think the numbers I just mentioned show that they can probably make that work pretty well for themselves.

Were all the Tribune stations that are now CW previously Independent (I mean before being WB) or were any affililates of ABC, NBC, FOX or NBC?

 

[KML0224]

Here in Hartford/New Haven, WTIC-TV (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford signed on as an independent in 1984. They have been a FOX affiliate since the network started in 1986. Their sister station is WTXX-TV (CW) channel 20 of Waterbury. They were independent from 1982 to 1996, UPN from 1996 to 2000, WB from 2001 to 2006 and CW from 2006 to present. (The station was WATR-TV before 1982, a secondary NBC affiliate to cover areas that WVIT-TV channel 30 of New Britain couldn't reach at the time.)