In some cases, the station that will carry the newly-merged CW network is obvious; in others, not so. The situations in Milwaukee and Green Bay should be interesting, so I'll start with those.
Milwaukee - Both WVTV-18 and WCGV-24 are owned by Sinclair. I guess this will be a case of "which is the favored child." I always thought it was 24, which got UPN and Brewers/Bucks games; but then Sinclair put its news on 18. It's an internal decision. (Then again, might Weigel decide to make a run for the CW with WMKE-41? It would unite the two CBS properties under one roof...)
Green Bay - The only market with separately-owned full-power affils for the two networks, WACY-32 (UPN, controlled and to be owned by Journal, which owns WGBA-26) and WIWB-14 (WB, owned by Jamie Kellner's Acme Communications). Advantages and disadvantages:
WACY - Stronger signal, especially in the southern half of the market. Journal provides solid ownership, possible news links if network affiliation calls for that. Lower overhead could mean Journal wins a bidding war if it comes to that. WACY has had Fox, UPN affiliations.
WIWB - Big advantage here is the Acme connection; Kellner, I believe, still has a stake in the WB and won't want to let the new network get off his chain. That may be enough, depending on who at the CW makes the decisions. Station could enter into LMA with CBS-owned WFRV-5, saving overhead and uniting the CBS properties. Big disadvantage is that the channel's transmitter is located well north of Green Bay (the station is licensed to Suring, a hangover from when it was a religious station that went dark) and is mostly seen on cable in the key - and rich - Fox Cities market. Oh, and it would probably have to change its call letters (WCWG? WGCW?).
Elsewhere, the situation is simpler.
Madison - WBUW-57 takes over; UPN wasn't a factor in its cable-only arrangement.
La Crosse/Eau Claire - as King Daevid has reported, the low-power UPN affil is dropping its affiliation at week's end. No word on if it might pick up the CW.
Wausau - UPN had been carried in off hours on WFXS-55, the Fox affiliate; that might remain the same, or WSAU-7, the CBS station, might pick up the shows. There is a WBWA low-power station but the new network might not stay there.
Corrections and comments welcome...
Milwaukee - Both WVTV-18 and WCGV-24 are owned by Sinclair. I guess this will be a case of "which is the favored child." I always thought it was 24, which got UPN and Brewers/Bucks games; but then Sinclair put its news on 18. It's an internal decision. (Then again, might Weigel decide to make a run for the CW with WMKE-41? It would unite the two CBS properties under one roof...)
Green Bay - The only market with separately-owned full-power affils for the two networks, WACY-32 (UPN, controlled and to be owned by Journal, which owns WGBA-26) and WIWB-14 (WB, owned by Jamie Kellner's Acme Communications). Advantages and disadvantages:
WACY - Stronger signal, especially in the southern half of the market. Journal provides solid ownership, possible news links if network affiliation calls for that. Lower overhead could mean Journal wins a bidding war if it comes to that. WACY has had Fox, UPN affiliations.
WIWB - Big advantage here is the Acme connection; Kellner, I believe, still has a stake in the WB and won't want to let the new network get off his chain. That may be enough, depending on who at the CW makes the decisions. Station could enter into LMA with CBS-owned WFRV-5, saving overhead and uniting the CBS properties. Big disadvantage is that the channel's transmitter is located well north of Green Bay (the station is licensed to Suring, a hangover from when it was a religious station that went dark) and is mostly seen on cable in the key - and rich - Fox Cities market. Oh, and it would probably have to change its call letters (WCWG? WGCW?).
Elsewhere, the situation is simpler.
Madison - WBUW-57 takes over; UPN wasn't a factor in its cable-only arrangement.
La Crosse/Eau Claire - as King Daevid has reported, the low-power UPN affil is dropping its affiliation at week's end. No word on if it might pick up the CW.
Wausau - UPN had been carried in off hours on WFXS-55, the Fox affiliate; that might remain the same, or WSAU-7, the CBS station, might pick up the shows. There is a WBWA low-power station but the new network might not stay there.
Corrections and comments welcome...