Tribune/CW Split Scenario

[K.M. Richards]

With the report that CBS/WB are engaged in discussions with Fox, the possibility of CW moving to Fox's MyNet stations, especially in markets without a CBS duopoly alternative, is not the non-starter some people think it is.

If -- and it's a pretty big "if" -- that were to happen, it wouldn't be in any market where CBS had a second station of their own to use for it. And the markets where either CBS or Fox have duopolies are likely to have enough other non-network affiliated stations as possible affiliates without considering those duopolies.

 

[crackedscreen]

CW OTT plans lead to Tribune impasse

CBS's and Warner Bros.' interest in streaming the CW as a pay OTT service is being spurred by their inability to renew an affiliation agreement with Tribune Broadcasting, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

The primary sticking point is money, the sources say. Tribune has always paid reverse comp, but is balking at the network's demands for more.

In recent years, Tribune's CW stations have begun receiving retransmission consent payments from MVPDs, but the revenue is said to be a fraction of what Big 4 affiliates receive.

Money is not the only problem, the sources add. Tribune is insisting on digital rights to the CW programming within its market, the sources say. To do what is not clear. And it is demanding another long-term deal.

Both are non-starters for CBS and Warner Bros., the sources say.

Frustrating the CW partners is that other major groups with affiliates, including Sinclair, have reupped with little trouble, the sources say.

The CW would offer its programs as part of a linear channel as well as individually on demand for a modest monthly fee — perhaps $2 or $4. CBS All Access, an OTT service comprising the local CBS O&O or affiliate as well as on-demand CBS shows, goes for $5.99 a month.

If CBS and Warner Bros. go the OTT route, they would not pull the plug on the broadcast network, the Bloomberg story says. Rather, it would be simulcast on the OTT platform, somehow compensating broadcast affiliates for the loss of the linear exclusivity.

The sources say the CW has other options for moving forward without Tribune. Among other things, it could seek out other broadcast affiliates in the 13 Tribune markets. Or, in the half dozen Tribune markets where CBS has an O&O, including the top three markets, it could put the network on a subchannel of the O&O.

Finding other major-market affiliates could get tougher. The FCC incentive auction this spring, in which it will buy TV spectrum to sell to wireless carriers, is expected to winnow the ranks of stations, particularly in the major markets.

Tribune itself indicated that it is interested in selling at least some of its stations. It argued for auction rules that would maximize the value of stations in the auction.

Tribune has options, too. If it doesn't sell its CW affiliates in the auction, it could produce or acquire other programming to replace CW.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/91468/tribune-impasse-is-behind-cw-ott-option

 

[Markxxx]

Seems like the CW could be put on a subchannel in most markets so I don't think the leverage that Tribune has is all that great.

The Tribune has a lot to gain from stations in high demand markets for spectrum, like Chicago, LA and NYC.

On the flip side, losing the CW affiliation in some high demand markets could make smaller stations, thinking of selling change their mind, as they hope to pick up the CW affiliation.

 

[TVCOOL]

If WPIX 11 dumps the CW then WLNY 55 can pick up CW programming.

 

[anabate123]

In Los Angeles,

If KTLA 5 dumps the CW then KCAL 9 can pick up CW programming.

In Chicago,

If WGN 9 dumps the CW then WCIU 26 can pick up the CW programming.

 

[K.M. Richards]

In Los Angeles,

If KTLA 5 dumps the CW then KCAL 9 can pick up CW programming.

Go back and read the second paragraph of my post #18 in this thread please.

In Chicago,

If WGN 9 dumps the CW then WCIU 26 can pick up the CW programming.

Maybe. Depends on whether or not doing so fits with the rest of "The U" schedule.

 

[MarcB]

I suppose in Hartford WCCT will just shuffle their line-up and put the 2nd runs of Springer and Wilkos back on that they removed back in September, but there will still be an hour left to fill.

 

[crackedscreen]

An update from Les:

What’s the latest in your standoff with Tribune over renewing the CW affiliation?
It’s still a standoff. Put it this way, it’s not great. That’s all I can say.

Do you have a Plan B in case you can’t reach an agreement with them?
Yes, we do.

What is the Plan B?
I am not going to talk about it.

Something else I know you don’t want to talk about is the incentive auction because of the FCC's quiet period.
It’s not that I don’t want to. I can’t. All I can say is, yes, our hat is in the ring and that’s all I can say.

But generally speaking, a lot of CW affiliates may be on the block. Any concern about what happens if half your CW affiliates disappear? You have to have some contingency for that.
I don’t expect half our affiliates to disappear.

Or even a lot of them?
That’s right, correct.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/93671/moonves-as-cbs-prospers-so-will-affiliates/page/4

 

[LKellerIII]

In Los Angeles,

If KTLA 5 dumps the CW then KCAL 9 can pick up CW programming.

In Chicago,

If WGN 9 dumps the CW then WCIU 26 can pick up the CW programming.

It seems to entertain many posters here to engage in speculation about TV stations switching affiliations. In the Bay Area, these folks still can't accept that KRON lost their NBC affiliation (about 14 years ago, now!) and like to bring up "what if" scenarios in which KRON is purchased by NBC (why?) or becomes "Fox 4" (not gonna happen now that Fox owns KTVU 2). In reality, this kind of thing rarely happens.

 

[K.M. Richards]

It seems to entertain many posters here to engage in speculation about TV stations switching affiliations.

It's not just here that people engage in their fantasies about such things, Llew.

One of my few real claims to fame is that I started my broadcasting career, at age 12, at the short-lived KKOG-TV/16 in Ventura, CA. I was there for the entire nine months of its existence, and have the definitive history of the station as a set of pages on my website. There is not likely to be anyone with a better knowledge of KKOG-TV.

Yet, a few years ago, I had to spend a couple of hours having to fix the Wikipedia entry for KKOG-TV, because one of these yahoos had cluttered it with their own fantasy speculation as to what the station would have done if it had survived. They even invented titles for the newscasts for the entire 30+ time period since they'd gone dark!

I brought this to Wikipedia management's attention and it is my understanding that said person has been IP blocked from ever editing anything there again. Would that Frank could do the same thing here.

 

[JeeperOne]

The CW has renewed their affiliation deals with virtually all of their station groups except for Tribune. Relations between the two haven't always been the best, and negotiations are expected to come to a head in January. Both parties are eyeing alternatives market-by-market in case things go south. What makes this more interesting is the news that CBS and WB are having discussions with Fox stations as well: https://deadline.com/2015/10/fox-tv-stations-mynetworktv-renewal-cw-tribune-1201597635/

In the event that Tribune and CW are unable to come to an agreement, these are the possible outcomes:

This is kinda a moot point now with Tribune putting up the "For Sale" on its ENTIRE broadcasting division

Cheers : 73

 

[mvcg66b3r]

The CW & Tribune Closing In On New Affiliate Agreement

The CW yesterday unveiled to advertisers its most ambitious schedule yet, featuring 15 original scripted series, including high-profile transplant Supergirl. But ad buyers who want to book ads on the network for next fall, can currently do so for 2/3 of the country because the CW currently has no affiliate agreement for next season with its stations in 28% of the country that are owned by Tribune, including the top three markets — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

While the network’s owners, CBS and Warner Bros, had been hoping to have an affiliate agreement secured by the upfronts, I hear negotiations with Tribune are going well and there may be an announcement soon. The network certainly needs to have all markets secured by the time it starts making upfront deals with advertisers in a few weeks. What’s more, the CW just announced at its presentation yesterday that starting this fall, the CW app will be available to more than 80 million devices without authentication.

https://deadline.com/2016/05/the-cw-tribune-new-affiliate-agreement-1201760127/

 

[mvcg66b3r]

Robert Feder is reporting that The CW in Chicago is moving from WGN to WPWR this fall.

Robservations: CW Network losing WGN affiliation, moving to WPWR

In a rare change of network affiliations in Chicago, the CW Network will move this fall from Tribune Media WGN-Channel 9 to Fox-owned WPWR-Channel 50, sources said Sunday. The switch, expected to be announced Monday, will return “Chicago’s Very Own” to a strictly local programming lineup, starting in September. Tribune Media still owns CW affiliates in 12 other markets, including New York and Los Angeles.

Sources said the move to WPWR, low-rated sister station of WFLD-Channel 32, is expected to mean a shift of less than $4 million in local advertising revenue.

http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/05/22/robservations-wgn-to-drop-cw-network/

More over on the Chicago TV forum:
http://www.radiodiscussions.com/sho...moving-from-WGN-to-WPWR&p=6099717#post6099717

 

[nomadcowatbk]

what about KTLA and WPIX? could they go indie?

 

[only1moore]

what about KTLA and WPIX? could they go indie?

If nothing else happens, they might remain with The CW. For now.

 

[CaliRadioFan]

Interesting Fox would go this route, even with just one of it's stations. A sign perhaps that My Network TV may just close up shop soon, leaving the CW as the surviving "Fifth Network"

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Interesting Fox would go this route, even with just one of it's stations. A sign perhaps that My Network TV may just close up shop soon, leaving the CW as the surviving "Fifth Network"

what would the MNTV affiliates fill weeknight primetime with if Fox shuts down down and CW isn't available? If Tribune drops CW from the rest of it's stations and MNTV isn't available, what do they fill weeknight primetime with? can WGN continue to compete with cable and streaming for the expensive sports rights? can other Tribune stations?

 

[Ccook55]

MNTV stopped calling themselves a network several years ago, now referring themselves as a "television syndication service." As such, Fox would still keep it going for such a purpose.

 

[mvcg66b3r]

The CW & Tribune Reach New Long-Term Affiliate Agreement

Days after the CW unveiled to advertisers its 2016-17 lineup last Thursday, the network has closed a new deal with its biggest affiliate group, Tribune. The down-to-the wire new agreement assures that the CW will continue to be carried by the Tribune stations in 25% of the country, including the top three markets — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

https://deadline.com/2016/05/the-cw-tribune-new-affiliate-agreement-2-1201761192/

How can this be, when it was reported that The CW was leaving WGN?

 

[mvcg66b3r]

The Deadline report was wrong about Chicago. Here are two press releases from CBS:

THE CW NETWORK AND TRIBUNE BROADCASTING REACH LONG-TERM AFFILIATION AGREEMENT

The CW Network and Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO) have reached new long-term affiliation agreements for 12 of Tribune’s currently affiliated CW stations across the country. The markets renewed cover 25 percent of the U.S. and serve more than 28 million households.

The stations extending their affiliation agreements with The CW include WPIX-TV in New York, KTLA in Los Angeles, KDAF in Dallas, WDCW in Washington, DC, KIAH in Houston, WSFL-TV in Miami, KWGN-TV in Denver, KPLR-TV in St. Louis, KRCW-TV in Portland, WCCT-TV in Hartford, WGNT in Norfolk and WNOL-TV in New Orleans. Separately, The CW and Tribune Broadcasting announced that the local Chicago CW affiliation will move from Tribune Broadcasting to Fox Television Stations and WGN-TV/Chicago will become an independent station, featuring local news, live sports and syndicated programming during primetime, beginning September 2016.

https://www.cbscorporation.com/2016...asting-reach-long-term-affiliation-agreement/

THE CW NETWORK AND FOX TELEVISION STATIONS ANNOUNCE NEW AFFILIATION AGREEMENT FOR WPWR-TV IN CHICAGO

The CW Network has signed an affiliation agreement with the Fox Television Station’s Chicago station WPWR-TV, to take effect Sept. 1, 2016.

Running the Network in pattern, with almost no preemptions, WPWR-TV will become The CW affiliate in Chicago, serving as the local home to the Network’s diverse array of critically acclaimed primetime programming and distinct brand identity. WGN-TV will become an independent station in Chicago.

https://www.cbscorporation.com/2016...affiliation-agreement-for-wpwr-tv-in-chicago/