Which will be which?

[LC]

Today (1/24/2006), I heard that The WB Television Network and United Paramount Network (UPN) plan to merge into one combined network called "The CW", to be effective come September 2006. The current WB and UPN stations in the Iowa DMAs are as follows:

---Des Moines-Ames---
13 WHO-TV NBC/UPN ("Smackdown" only)
23 KPWB-TV WB

---Omaha-Council Bluffs---
15 KXVO WB/"I"
Cox Cable 6 KOXO UPN

---Cedar Rapids-Waterloo---
20 KWKB WB
22 KWWF UPN

---Quad Cities---
26 KGWB-TV WB Burlington
26 WBQD-LP UPN Davenport

---Sioux Falls---
26 KCPO-LP UPN
36 KWSD WB

---Rockester-Mason City-Austin---
3 KIMT CBS/UPN
Charter Cable 18 KWBR WB+

---LaCrosse, WI---
23 KQEG-CA UPN
The WB 100+ Stations Group

---Sioux City---
4 KTIV NBC/UPN ("Smackdown" only)
14 KMEG CBS/UPN ("Chris" only)
The WB 100+ Stations Group

---Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk---
7 KHQA-TV CBS/UPN
Insight Cable 6 WEWB WB+

---Kirksville-Ottumwa---
15 KYOU-TV FOX/UPN
The WB 100+ Stations Group

I'm pretty sure that KPWB will carry The CW, but in such markets as the Quad Cities, the question remains: Which station will carry The CW, and which will become an independent station? Anything will be most appreciated....

 

[The_Outsider]

> Today (1/24/2006), I heard that The WB Television Network
> and United Paramount Network (UPN) plan to merge into one
> combined network called "The CW", to be effective come
> September 2006. The current WB and UPN stations in the Iowa
> DMAs are as follows:
>
> ---Des Moines-Ames---
> 13 WHO-TV NBC/UPN ("Smackdown" only)
> 23 KPWB-TV WB

Obviously it will be KPWB

> ---Omaha-Council Bluffs---
> 15 KXVO WB/"I"
> Cox Cable 6 KOXO UPN

KXVO as it and KPWB are owned by Pappas and due to being the only viable option

> ---Cedar Rapids-Waterloo---
> 20 KWKB WB
> 22 KWWF UPN

KWKB as it is the much stronger station. KWWF may not be able to survive as an independent as UPN is the only reason they are on area cable systems. They could go Spanish or religious.

> ---Quad Cities---
> 26 KGWB-TV WB Burlington
> 26 WBQD-LP UPN Davenport

That one is a toss up.

> ---Sioux Falls---
> 26 KCPO-LP UPN
> 36 KWSD WB
>
> ---Rockester-Mason City-Austin---
> 3 KIMT CBS/UPN
> Charter Cable 18 KWBR WB+
>
> ---LaCrosse, WI---
> 23 KQEG-CA UPN
> The WB 100+ Stations Group
>
> ---Sioux City---
> 4 KTIV NBC/UPN ("Smackdown" only)
> 14 KMEG CBS/UPN ("Chris" only)
> The WB 100+ Stations Group
>
> ---Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk---
> 7 KHQA-TV CBS/UPN
> Insight Cable 6 WEWB WB+
>
> ---Kirksville-Ottumwa---
> 15 KYOU-TV FOX/UPN
> The WB 100+ Stations Group
>
> I'm pretty sure that KPWB will carry The CW, but in such
> markets as the Quad Cities, the question remains: Which
> station will carry The CW, and which will become an
> independent station? Anything will be most appreciated....
>

With the smaller markets, it appears that there will still be a need for the WB 100+ group.

 

[jh]

---Cedar Rapids-Waterloo---
> > 20 KWKB WB
> > 22 KWWF UPN
>
> KWKB as it is the much stronger station. KWWF may not be
> able to survive as an independent as UPN is the only reason
> they are on area cable systems. They could go Spanish or
> religious.
>

KWWF is owned by Equity Broadcasting of Little Rock, which sort of specializes in off beat and somewhat low rent channels. But they recently started their own "network" on some of their stations: RTN-Retro TV Network. A collection of older shows, such as Hogan's Heroes, Rockford Files, Beverly Hillbillies, Happy Days, etc. Kind of like what Tv Land used to be, it's pretty good.

Equity also has quite a few Spanish stations.



> With the smaller markets, it appears that there will still
> be a need for the WB 100+ group.
>

 

[The_Outsider]

> ---Cedar Rapids-Waterloo---
> > > 20 KWKB WB
> > > 22 KWWF UPN
> >
> > KWKB as it is the much stronger station. KWWF may not be
> > able to survive as an independent as UPN is the only
> reason
> > they are on area cable systems. They could go Spanish or
> > religious.
> >
>
> KWWF is owned by Equity Broadcasting of Little Rock, which
> sort of specializes in off beat and somewhat low rent
> channels. But they recently started their own "network" on
> some of their stations: RTN-Retro TV Network. A collection
> of older shows, such as Hogan's Heroes, Rockford Files,
> Beverly Hillbillies, Happy Days, etc. Kind of like what Tv
> Land used to be, it's pretty good.
>
> Equity also has quite a few Spanish stations.
>
RTN could be a possibility then. Sounds interesting enough. As long as they keep "Confessions Live" as I know I am not the only one that has watched it. Quite a few Iowans call in. Low budget TV at it's best.

>
>
> > With the smaller markets, it appears that there will still
>
> > be a need for the WB 100+ group.
> >
>

 

[JonEllis]

> KWWF may not be
> able to survive as an independent as UPN is the only reason
> they are on area cable systems. They could go Spanish or
> religious.

Don't overreact...UPN (and WB) are only on the air 12-13 hours a week. The loss of the affiliation will only mean having to find new programming for 7-9 p.m. They also need to come up with a new name.

The cable systems have no choice on carrying KWWF. They can use "must carry" status to get on any system in the DMA, whether or not the over-the-air signal can be received there. (That's the same reason why the cable systems in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City recently added KFXB Dubuque, which carries religious programming.) The cable systems get the KWWF from the same satellite feed that feeds KWWF's transmitter. (Equity uses a centralized master control in Little Rock that feeds all of its stations.)

Of course, it's not a done deal. Neither KWWF nor KWKB has full coverage of the market over the air. Both are on cable marketwide, but only KWKB is on satellite right now.