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Sinclair (KABB Fox San Antonio) announces its buying WOAI and selling KMYS

Remember, WOAI was saved from becoming Fox in 2002, when its then owner Chris-Craft Industries was sold to Fox, but WOAI and KTVX in Salt Lake were traded to Clear Channel for WFTC in Minneapolis. Otherwise we would already have a Fox 4 in SA. :)
 
wild949austin said:
Remember, WOAI was saved from becoming Fox in 2002, when its then owner Chris-Craft Industries was sold to Fox, but WOAI and KTVX in Salt Lake were traded to Clear Channel for WFTC in Minneapolis. Otherwise we would already have a Fox 4 in SA. :)
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I wished they would have become Fox 4. We are talking about before the DTV transition.
 
That makes sense. Fox was a latecomer to the TV network biz, so they had to take what they could get. That's even more true of Spanish-language networks like Telemundo, so I doubt there's a preponderance of Telmundo Tres's out there either.

I accept newsmark's analysis that there's no clear evidence of Fox seeking out 4 or 5 (let alone 14, 15, etc.). It might have worked out better for some of the other networks who've had more time to make deals for preferred channel numbers, but again newsmark's analysis offers no support. WFAA indeed doesn't brand themselves ABC 8. Maybe when your network name is just letters (rather than a word like Fox) there's just not enough market value in alliteration to make it worthwhile.

Oh well, nice idea, but no banana :-[
 
In these modern times it's best to create your own local identity than brand yourself with your network. Remember affiliation renewal happens ever few years and the net can sock it to you if they think you've built your identity around them.
 
fredcantu said:
In these modern times it's best to create your own local identity than brand yourself with your network. Remember affiliation renewal happens ever few years and the net can sock it to you if they think you've built your identity around them.
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Well said, Fred.

Networks are finding so many ways to get their shows to people without affiliates. Video on demand, online, almost immediate re-runs on alternate channels. It might be a good business plan for the nets, but it certainly cuts into the local stations' business. Syndicated shows aren't much better. Most are available on cable channels and on DVD. All that's left is your local news, 'til someone decides to start actually producing local programming for much of their day.
 
What were the ratings for KABB that positioned them to gain WOAI as a sister? I thought the FCC prevented two big four stations from having the same owner in the same top 50 market. Was KABB in the top 4 ratingswise or not at that time?
 
If I remember correctly, duopolies are allowed if there are more than 8 full power commercial TV stations and you don't own two of the top four rated stations. I'm counting 10 full power commercial stations in SA.
KABB Fox
KCWX MyNetwork
KENS CBS
KMYS CW
KNIC Telefutura
KPXL ion
KSAT ABC
KVDA Telemundo
KWEX Univision
WOAI NBC
 
fredcantu said:
If I remember correctly, duopolies are allowed if there are more than 8 full power commercial TV stations and you don't own two of the top four rated stations.
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And the FCC is pretty generous at allowing duopolies, if you can prove that the station you wish to buy is "failing" and will go out of business altogether if a waiver is not granted to allow you to buy the station. The burden of proof doesn't seem onerous.
 
bringbackradio said:
What were the ratings for KABB that positioned them to gain WOAI as a sister? I thought the FCC prevented two big four stations from having the same owner in the same top 50 market. Was KABB in the top 4 ratingswise or not at that time?
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I'm almost thinking KABB rated ahead of WOAI-TV when Sinclair announced this deal. However, Univision KWEX has almost always been ranked #2 or #3 for the last decade, and that has always kept either KABB or WOAI-TV out of the top-4.
 
Sinclair is so cheap that they will probably get to work right away. Inevitably, they are going to combine the two newsrooms/newscasts and half the people will be laid off. It will be interesting to see who they keep.
 
JHBrandt said:
Good (and surprising) news. I hope it lasts....
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It won't. It would be financially foolish to house the stations in separate locations, and continue to have duplicate staffs.

You will eventually see WOAI/KABB/KMYS in a common location, sharing most personnel and operations. The on-air product may very well have different people in front of the camera, but behind the scenes it will all be the same employees.

Just the reality of the TV business in 2012 and beyond.

And besides, it's SINCLAIR.
 
I'm sure sales and commercial production will be combined, but to produce an hour-long news at 9:00pm immediately followed by a completely different 10:00pm requires duplicate studio and control facilities. I'm guessing neither station has the production space to absorb the other. That huge capital outlay to bring them under one roof will probably keep them seperate for awhile.
 
I'm sure that Sinclair's press release will be true for awhile...we just need to define "awhile".

Sinclair is so cheap that they will find the space to do "News 4 WOAI on Fox 29" or "Fox 29 News on WOAI". They can use separate studios for awhile, but I bet they combine the reporting staff rather soon. Why send multiple reporters from the same group?
 
This is most certainly a logistical thing. Once they figure out how they can consolidate, you know they will. Neither building has room to easily expand. The whole point of duopolies and triopolies is to save money by having the same staff do work for multiple stations. Sinclair, in particular, is huge on these clusters. I'd say give them a year or two and there will be merging. The land WOAI sits on is super valuable. A hotelier would buy it in a second. Behind the scenes staffs will likely go before on-air folks. Too bad the News 9 San Antonio building isn't available. That would have been an ideal place to consolidate ... a modern building that would have required minimal modification.
 
Just looked. Bexar County values WOAI's property at 1031 Navarro at $3.4 million and 1035 Navarro at $2.4 million. Ka-ching!
 
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