What would you do in your market if you had the clout?

[Firebird]

Cleveland:

Bring back Channel 61 as an independent with the original WKBF calls. Except this time around, put on some decent programming. Kaiser gave up on WKBF when WUAB became the dominant independent in town, and actually bought an interest in WUAB after turning in WKBF's license back to the FCC. Balaban and the other owners from 1981 to 1987 allowed WCLQ to languish while WOIO and WBNX overtook that station with better programming. I can't believe that Univision has held onto WQHS in a market like Cleveland.

 

[Darth_vader]

"Bring back Channel 61 as an independent with the original WKBF calls."

Wouldn't happen due to the current bandplan/spectrum allocations, unless they transmit on some other physical channel and PSIP as 61 (which they'd likely do anyways.)

 

[1069_KIFR]

What would you do in your market if you had the clout?
Use it.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

"Bring back Channel 61 as an independent with the original WKBF calls."

Wouldn't happen due to the current bandplan/spectrum allocations, unless they transmit on some other physical channel and PSIP as 61 (which they'd likely do anyways.)

And WKBF is currently used on AM 1270 in Rock Island, IL (Quad Cities)--the former WHBF radio (and former sister station to WHBF-TV 4).

 

[Bob1370]

"Conservatives aren't on PBS because, by and large, conservatives choose not to utilize PBS as a media option, and that's [oddly] despite many outright conservatives being a part of foundations funding public television programming. But you and Freddy can go ahead pushing your imaginary persecution meme."

What PBS are y'all watching? They're everywhere, as PBS (like NPR) bends over backwards to get them on the air and give them time.

"I actually agree that more conservatives need to make use of PBS - we pay for it, too. Maybe that will happen once we succeed in getting the CPB defunded, then we can take over PBS just like we did talk radio."

You want a monotone broadcasting voice without any contrasting opinions to your own? Sounds like what I saw visiting pre-1991 Russia. I don't think it's a good idea--or good for the health of the country--to have a monochrome system with the uniformity of opinion of Iran or of the old Soviet Union. Too bad that it's the dream of so many who think themselves wrongly victimized at a time when their voice really (if they were honest about it) now has the upper hand and is only unhappy about not having a monopoly.

 

[nsa1]

Much as I'd like to see this, it will never happen, as the old movies, cartoons, sports, etc. that filled the schedules of these old indies are pretty much exclusively on cable now, and not available to local stations. The closest thing are the retro nets like MeTV and Antenna.

Cleveland:

Bring back Channel 61 as an independent with the original WKBF calls. Except this time around, put on some decent programming. Kaiser gave up on WKBF when WUAB became the dominant independent in town, and actually bought an interest in WUAB after turning in WKBF's license back to the FCC. Balaban and the other owners from 1981 to 1987 allowed WCLQ to languish while WOIO and WBNX overtook that station with better programming. I can't believe that Univision has held onto WQHS in a market like Cleveland.

 

[dhett]

First, drop the talking-down-to-others-act.

Really? I suggest you go back to the comment that began this little dialog. Pull the log out of your own eye before you try to remove the sliver from mine.

Second, WGBH and WNET are two stations in two of the largest media markets--and both have significant production interests. By far, they aren't the only pubcasters with production clout. PBS hasn't solely relied upon 'default liberal' Boston and New York City stations for its 'default liberal' programming; the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 Television, Warner Bros., TVOntario, Scholastic, The Jim Henson Company, and others have all chimed in with shows dealing with children's education, home improvement, musical performance both cultural and popular...you know, all that stuff only liberal people would care about?

I'm not even sure how to respond - it's like you're just pulling stuff out of thin air. I didn't say that WGBH and WNET provided all of the programming, but they do provide a significant portion. Nor did I say that all of the programming had any kind of ideological bent - although it's more common than you seem to realize. What I do say is that of the programming that does have ideological leanings, it's almost always to the left. That's not a persecution meme, it's fact.

Point being, for much of what airs daily or weekly on PBS, you'd have to some imagination (in or out of tune) to detect any distinct ideological stream of thought--and if you do, congrats! Pat yourself on the back for not being indoctrinated. Start writing letters to your congress critter; its high time someone did something about The British Beat: Best of the 60s*, Buddy Holly: Listen To Me*, Chris Isaak Live! Beyond The Sun*, Nova: Doctor's Diaries*, America's Generations with Chuck Underwood*, Antiques Roadshow*, and A Hot Dog Program*. Clearly, none of these shows provide the balance one needs to decide for themselves about...well...something.

Imagination? More like observation. Considering how much politics drives social and even scientific thought, it's easy to miss, especially when it agrees with your thought. Science shows such as Nova treat topics such as global warming climate change as axiomatic, so if you agree with it, you don't notice it. It is not settled science, however, despite what its proponents say, but is rather driven by left-wing politics. How about an inocuous home improvement show? I cannot tell you how many times I've seen the hosts singing the praises of or implementing some "green" technique. If you're on the left, you miss it; it's just part of daily life. If you're on the right, it's more liberal indoctrination. How many biopics such as "American Experience" treat a liberal figure with glowing admiration, while the right winger is portrayed in a less-than-flattering light. Case in point was a recent episode portraying George Schultz as the genius behind the collapse of the Soviet Union, while painting Ronald Reagan as pretty much a bystander. "Independent Lens", which of course refers to independent production rather than independent politics, tends to favor left-wing causes and heroes, such as the recent airing of a documentary on the Ethnic Studies program in the Tucson Unified School District. The Republican Superintendents of Education, who were trying to shut down the program, were portrayed at best as lacking understanding, and at worst as outright villains, while the leaders and students in the studies programs were portrayed as heroes, even when one leader characterized Benjamin Franklin as a racist based on one of his writings (it was taken out of context.) Their civil disobedience techniques where given honorable treatment. I don't see anything like that for the right.

As for your other examples, again, you act as if I had said that all shows were of a political nature, or even had some political agenda, either overt or covert. You pull stuff out of thin air, as I never said that everything was political. Antiques Roadshow, Austin City Limits and other music shows, the various travelogs with Burt Wolf or Rick Steves, the Suze Orman series of shows - obviously none are political. But when politics or science, either social or natural, is involved, it's almost exclusively left-leaning. Even panelists that are supposed to be conservative are at best wishy-washy and at worst, in agreement with the more agressive liberal. (I'm looking at you, David Brooks.)

John McLaughlin and Charles Krauthammer. Not much else. Show me otherwise.

 

[dhett]

"Conservatives aren't on PBS because, by and large, conservatives choose not to utilize PBS as a media option, and that's [oddly] despite many outright conservatives being a part of foundations funding public television programming. But you and Freddy can go ahead pushing your imaginary persecution meme."

What PBS are y'all watching? They're everywhere, as PBS (like NPR) bends over backwards to get them on the air and give them time.

Are you talking about as hosts of regular shows, or as guests or interview subjects? Because if it's the former, I ain't seein' it - not for political shows. And David Brooks doesn't count.

"I actually agree that more conservatives need to make use of PBS - we pay for it, too. Maybe that will happen once we succeed in getting the CPB defunded, then we can take over PBS just like we did talk radio."

You want a monotone broadcasting voice without any contrasting opinions to your own? Sounds like what I saw visiting pre-1991 Russia. I don't think it's a good idea--or good for the health of the country--to have a monochrome system with the uniformity of opinion of Iran or of the old Soviet Union. Too bad that it's the dream of so many who think themselves wrongly victimized at a time when their voice really (if they were honest about it) now has the upper hand and is only unhappy about not having a monopoly.

I think most people understood that I was being intentionally provocative here. Perhaps you have a heightened sensitivity since you work for, or have worked for, a public broadcasting radio station and NPR member. I do favor the federal government defunding public broadcasting, including the CPB, as I believe that most PBS and NPR programming can stand on donations from corporations, foundations and "viewers like you". States, counties, universities and public school systems can do as they please for public broadcasting, as they are accountable to the public at a much lower level.

 

[nsa1]

The current channel 61 in Cleveland (Univision) transmits on RF34.

"Bring back Channel 61 as an independent with the original WKBF calls."

Wouldn't happen due to the current bandplan/spectrum allocations, unless they transmit on some other physical channel and PSIP as 61 (which they'd likely do anyways.)

 

[ding12]

Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is an international airport, while Fayetteville (FAY) is a regional one. It's not unique to Fayetteville for air travelers to opt out of their local airports' limited offerings in favor of RDU. Cities such as Danville, Burlington, or Greenville--all three of which are in adjacent TV markets--could be included as well.

Despite the difference in airports (and being joined in a hyphenated TV market, the two areas are separate and distinct:

• Two separate radio markets
  
• Different economic engines (education/medicine/research-Research Triangle Park) vs. military/industrial/agriculture-Fort Bragg/Pope Army Air Field)
  
• Over an hour away from each other via interstate (and that's not a direct connection--you have to take I-40 East to I-95 South)
  
• Fairly self-contained as far as retail and entertainment
  
• Different weather patterns and conditions

Fayetteville is culturally and economically more tied to Lumberton (in the Myrtle Beach-Florence market) than RDU. Really the only time you see Raleigh, Durham, and Fayetteville together is on top of the hour IDs and on the local newscasts when they stretch to cover the two different areas, be it the two useless token Fayetteville Traffic Cams in the morning, an extra long list of election returns/school closings, or interrupting a Spring Lake (near Fayetteville) viewer's favorite show about a thunderstorn in Oxford (near Raleigh). Often, even TV promotions where, say, Wheel of Fortune is "coming to your town" will require two separate events for Raleigh and Fayetteville. One of Fayetteville's two TV stations, WFPX, channel 62, literally doesn't even register in the Raleigh-Durham part of the market (not even a faint picture in analog days and with digital it actually shares UHF channel 36 with Roanoke Rapids public TV station WUNP-TV in the far northeastern corner of the market).

Again, market rank (now #24) and lots of money are at stake, and both take precedence over viewer convenience or the separate areas argument, so Fayetteville always has and always will be joined to Raleigh-Durham as far as local TV is concerned.

Fair points. I also noticed that the markets weren't grouped in same area code.

As far as benefit to viewers-I suppose in the days of analog, receiving Raleigh Durham TV stations from Fayetteville wasn't difficult. And viewers from both Raleigh and Fayetteville benefited in early adoption of networks available on satellite: when DirecTV and Dish launched Raleigh locals the network TV channels were available to both areas. I've also heard from people that live in Wheeling that used to like to watch the bigger market Pittsburgh stations and didn't like that they couldn't receive Pitt on satellite, and from Hagerstown, that didn't like the very small station WHAG and preferred getting WRC and being included or near the bigger market.

Now, the satellite companies have spotbeam satellites and I think technically have the ability to carry every full power station in the country, although it's burdensome, wasteful and increases operating costs, but necessary to carry and offer the major broadcast networks to compete against cable.

And, digital TV is a hit or miss, all or nothing in terms of reliable picture, and residents in Fayetteville might not easily be able to receive the Raleigh stations, with just an indoor antenna.

This situation wouldn't be unique though.

What about Tampa and Sarasota? They are not even a Combined Statistical Area , however Sarasota does have it's own ABC affiliate, which Scripps tried to pressure ABC to remove the affiliation.

The networks can be hypocritical in this regard as ABC wanted to keep the Sarasota affiliate, and didn't want to be pressured by Scripps. ABC want to keep Sarasota so that it helps ABC with better exposure. But when ABC owns the affiliate, like in KGO in SF, they didn't like KNTV as ABC, and didn't want to affiliate with a low power station in Monterey. Rather have a cable ABC feed where ABC collects the retransmission money even if people without cable will be out of luck receiving the major broadcast network. It only changed with Hearst picking up secondary digital affiliation for KSBW, only because Hearst is one of ABC's top affiliate groups and co-owner of some cable interests like ESPN and Lifetime.

 

[Bob1370]

"I do favor the federal government defunding public broadcasting, including the CPB, as I believe that most PBS and NPR programming can stand on donations from corporations, foundations and "viewers like you".

That's only true in metropolitan areas of over a million people, where somewhat less than half the country lives. Everywhere else, local support isn't enough, and state and FEDERAL help is needed to keep the whole thing going.

If you want to disfranchise the majority who don't live in larger cities and their burbs from having at least one nonpartisan news and documentary voice--often the only voice they'll get to hear without an agenda to sell--you'd better have a better reason for it than any I've heard.

 

[dhett]

If you want to disfranchise the majority who don't live in larger cities and their burbs from having at least one nonpartisan news and documentary voice--often the only voice they'll get to hear without an agenda to sell--you'd better have a better reason for it than any I've heard.

Nonpartisan? I thought we were talking about PBS and NPR. You may think they're nonpartisan, but I've seen too much biased programming to agree with you.

 

[RadioDaze]

And, digital TV is a hit or miss, all or nothing in terms of reliable picture, and residents in Fayetteville might not easily be able to receive the Raleigh stations, with just an indoor antenna.

This situation wouldn't be unique though.

What about Tampa and Sarasota? They are not even a Combined Statistical Area , however Sarasota does have it's own ABC affiliate, which Scripps tried to pressure ABC to remove the affiliation.

The networks can be hypocritical in this regard as ABC wanted to keep the Sarasota affiliate, and didn't want to be pressured by Scripps. ABC want to keep Sarasota so that it helps ABC with better exposure. But when ABC owns the affiliate, like in KGO in SF, they didn't like KNTV as ABC, and didn't want to affiliate with a low power station in Monterey. Rather have a cable ABC feed where ABC collects the retransmission money even if people without cable will be out of luck receiving the major broadcast network. It only changed with Hearst picking up secondary digital affiliation for KSBW, only because Hearst is one of ABC's top affiliate groups and co-owner of some cable interests like ESPN and Lifetime.

The Fayetteville end of the market has actually had some reception issues with the market's ABC affiliate, O&O WTVD, channel 11 in Durham. After the digital transition, WTVD left their temporary out-of-core UHF 52 to return to their longtime VHF 11 spot, as ABC/Disney mandated all of their stations return to their old analog channels post-transition. Sister station WPVI in Philadelphia has also had some even more serious reception issues with its low-band VHF 6.

In the early-to-mid 1990s, we actually had two separate (not co--owned or simulcasts) Fox affiliates in the market, WLFL-TV 22 in Raleigh and the former WFAY-TV 62 in Fayetteville, now WFPX, also due to reception issues. In the 1970s, then-NBC affiliate WRDU-TV 28, licensed to Durham, tried to get the channel 40 allotment in Fayetteville to built a satellite for NBC programming to that part of the market.

In 1969, the NBC affiliate in the Wilmington, NC TV market, WECT-TV 6, strategically sited their 2,000-foot tower where it would cover both that coastal market and Fayetteville. They lost a great deal of their analog coverage area--including Fayetteville--with that market's early switch to digital on 8/8/2008, but I think they're still on cable there.

 

[DJboutit3]

Houston

Dump all the Spanish stations except the original 4 before dtv

Dump all the religious stations except the orginal 2 before dtv

Make all the stations go full screen full hd and full power

No stations would be allowed to air any court tv shows

Only allowed edgy talk show would be Jerry

Infomercials could only be shown between 2am to 5am

Get a station that only plays good movies with limited commercials

Get a station were people vote on what they watch with limited commercials

Block out 30 Rock Office Big Bang Theory Family Guy American Dad

Dump Dr Oz is he a fruit and his show is only to promote healty products

Fox 26 cut the ammount of news back by half 5hrs of news every morning is way to long

ABC 13 news get new faces 2 people have been there like 25 yrs

Cancel all the local rap shows where everyone on these shows is drunk or high

Get better shows & movies to many stations show the crappiest programing these stations off the top of my head need to be reprogrammed

20.1 I am talking about late night and weekends for this station

26.1

39.1

57.1

 

[TVWorldwide]

I do favor the federal government defunding public broadcasting, including the CPB, as I believe that most PBS and NPR programming can stand on donations from corporations, foundations and "viewers like you". States, counties, universities and public school systems can do as they please for public broadcasting, as they are accountable to the public at a much lower level.

American broadcasting is facing serious challenges at the moment, but I would argue the federal funding of public broadcasting is not one of them. In fact, public broadcasting in the U.S. is financially weaker than in just about any other industrialized nation, and that's a shame, considering the immense pool of talent that exists in America. Should the market (i.e., the scramble for the largest audience) really be the sole criterion for what gets shown on television?

I would argue that Europe has gotten broadcasting right in recent years with its dual broadcasting system. You've got commercial television -- with its way of reaching the mass audience and fulfilling market demand -- on one side, and well-funded public television -- capable of serving minority interests -- on the other. Serious historical documentaries, programs about the arts, thoughtful news analyses, etc., don't get huge ratings, but then again, public TV is not about serving all of the people all of the time, but rather all of the people some of the time. (After all, everyone has "minority interests" of some sort.)

To some, "government funding" is a dirty word (or two dirty words), but that doesn't have to be the case when talking about broadcasting. The European experience proves that.

 

[jc]

In my market of Miss. Gulf Coast I would:

Drop Bounce TV from WLOX 13.3 and replace it with Antenna TV instead
Add MeTV to WXXV 25.3
Drop Retro TV from WKFK 7.2 and move This TV from 7.1 to 7.2 instead
Move Ion TV from WKFK 7.3 to 7.1 and add The Cool TV to 7.3 instead

 

[Mario500]

In my market of Miss. Gulf Coast I would:

Drop Bounce TV from WLOX 13.3 and replace it with Antenna TV instead
Add MeTV to WXXV 25.3
Drop Retro TV from WKFK 7.2 and move This TV from 7.1 to 7.2 instead
Move Ion TV from WKFK 7.3 to 7.1 and add The Cool TV to 7.3 instead

Having ThisTV programming on a sub-channel and ION Television programming on the main channel would ensure WKFK-TV broadcasts all programs from ThisTV every day and still be able to broadcast local programs in the main channel, except only during time periods for paid programming from ION Television.

WXXV-TV could have Retro Television Network programming for digital sub-channel 25-3 instead of Me-TV Network programming since WKRG-TV in Mobile, Alabama broadcasts Me-TV Network programming on one of their digital sub-channels and cable TV systems along the Mississippi coast should be able to carry the Me-TV Network programming broadcast by WKRG-TV in addition to the programming from their main channel.

 

[MCarney]

Boston (including southern New Hampshire):

WBIN - dump the INN rental news and develop a real in-house news team to challenge WMUR, perhaps rehiring Al Kaprilien.

WHDH - either NBC buys them from Sunbeam (unlikely at this point) or they go independent. They're the biggest non-O&O in the network, the biggest pain to NBC, and something needs to be done. I would prefer they drop NBC and NBC flips WNEU from Telemundo (news can come from co-owned NECN for now). The CW can move from WLVI (and LVI can run as an independent).

WFXT - dump the 11p news and bring back The Simpsons at that time! Cut the morning news back, ending at 9a.

WMFP - Move RTV back to 62.1 when Me-TV moves to 5.2 this fall.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Get another cable TV franchise in my city so that Time Warner stops raping their customers.
Competition built this country. When one company had a monopoly then, in my opinion, that's tantamount to nothing but communism. In this case one (cable TV) company owns everything.
Some people would say where there are alternatives: Dish TV and satellite.
I'm not about to sign a three year contract with a company where the signal goes out every time it rains or snow covers the dish. Plus read the fine print of those contracts and you will also discover these companies impose a fee for canceling your contract early.

 

[KeyTimes950]

Interesting topic.

Pittsburgh market.

First of all, I'd go to Comcast and insist that it carry WBGN-59 and its subchannels including RTV (59.3) and Live Well Network (59.4).

I also would insist that they carry WPCB-40 subchannel Bible Discovery Network (40.2).

Also, all the ION channels (Qubo on 16.2, ION Life on 16.3) should be available to basic viewers, not just WINP-16.1.

Additionally, all basic customers should have access to Pittsburgh Cable News Channel and Root Sports, and get some sort of 24-hour weather channel.

Then I'd go to WQED-13 and work to arrange it so "The McLaughlin Group" runs EVERY Saturday at 9 a.m., and not be pre-empted as frequently as it is by pledge drives.

I'd also take all the exclamation points out of the captions WTAE-4 runs on its newscasts. I find them both an irritation and absolutely unnecessary.

Oddly enough, I really can't think of much else I'd do.