Who does Sinclair go after next?

[EricStein]

Besides Panama City, what Florida markets lack Sinclair stations? Wasn't Tampa the home of their original flagship?

Miami, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Gainesville (New Age Media looks like a good Sinclair target--a number of FOX stations).

The Tampa station (WTTA) has been owned by the Smith family (not Sinclair directly) since sign-on in 1991 until last year, when they bought the station outright.

 

[Poledo]

So Sinclair didn't wind up with the old Clear Channel station(s) in Jax? I'd think a group of Florida stations might be high on Sinclair's want list if the only markets they have are Tampa, Tally, and Pensacola.

 

[tripinva]

Don't forget that Sinclair wanted to buy WTVR in Richmond and the FCC said no. Not sure they would be able to get WRIC this time around.

poledo: Cox owns the Newport Jax stations now.

- Trip

 

[taylorjsdad]

WKTV in Utica, NY comes to mind.... They are Smith Media's lone station left after their stations in Burlington, VT just closed to Nexstar. Utica/Rome is right in between Albany (Sinclair owns WRGB) and Syracuse (they own WSYT and the JSA/SSA for WNYS and are buying WSTM and its JSA/SSO for WTVH). Nexstar already owns in the market so they are out unless they want to sell one of their existing stations (either WFXV or WUTR).

 

[Poledo]

How would Hoak Media fit in Sinclair's portfolio?

 

[jdb820]

WKTV in Utica, NY comes to mind.... They are Smith Media's lone station left after their stations in Burlington, VT just closed to Nexstar. Utica/Rome is right in between Albany (Sinclair owns WRGB) and Syracuse (they own WSYT and the JSA/SSA for WNYS and are buying WSTM and its JSA/SSO for WTVH). Nexstar already owns in the market so they are out unless they want to sell one of their existing stations (either WFXV or WUTR).

I was thinking of this today actually. On paper, it makes sense given geography even though WKTV isn't the kind of station Sinclair usually goes after as it is insanely market dominant which even the Barrington stations aren't. I'd have them in the hunt with Hubbard (WHEC and WNYT/soon WNYA) too.

Also, I have a feeling that the FCC is not going to let Sinclair own WSTM and WNYS plus JSA/SSA WSYT plus JSA/SSO WTVH. Having their hands in 2/3 of the full power stations in one market is dangerous.

 

[jdb820]

If any of you could've guessed Fisher, you might be clairvoyant because that came out of nowhere. Shows how unmotivated every owner not named Sinclair or Nexstar is given how nobody else wanted to buy into two Top 25 markets in 2013.

Aside from the rumored Titan buy, I would guess that their next buy will be another sizable group, I'm thinking Post-Newsweek because the Post barely cares about TV anymore. They couldn't take KSAT but the rest of the markets are kosher. They'd probably be at the 39% mark by then but knowing this hands-off FCC they'd allow them to spin off some stations into a wholly owned subsidiary which they could blatantly use to circumvent the cap. And here I thought Democrat administrations were for more regulation.

 

[Kent]

Supposedly, Sinclair is in the hunt for Local TV, LLC, too. However, I don't know how well that would work out. About the only markets they'd be entering would be Kansas City (which they sold out of several years ago when KSMO went to Meredith), Memphis, Fayetteville/Ft. Smith, Quad Cities, Huntsville, Cleveland and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Of course, Sinclair has found its way around that problem several times before.

Also, the rumor was that LIN was the other bidder for Fisher's stations. If the price is attractive enough, I have to think they'd be interested in Local, too, though that's just speculation on my part. They'd overlap in the Hampton Roads, but that would be about it.

 

[mgsports]

They have KRCG from Jefferson City,MO.
I see News Press buying FOX4KC and adding it as a Digital Sub channel to the ABC Station in St. Joesph,MO and then adding that ABC/CW/Spanish Stations to KC area as Digital Sub Channels to FOX4KC.

 

[Kent]

They have KRCG from Jefferson City,MO.

Sinclair is in the process of buying KRCG (and the rest of the Barrington stations), but it doesn't have them yet.

I see News Press buying FOX4KC and adding it as a Digital Sub channel to the ABC Station in St. Joesph,MO and then adding that ABC/CW/Spanish Stations to KC area as Digital Sub Channels to FOX4KC.

The ABC station in St. Joseph, KQTV, is owned by Nexstar. The News Press owns a few LPTV's in St. Joe. One, KNPN, is running Fox and already bumped WDAF-TV off cable there. There's another that just requested calls of KNPG, but, as far as I know, there's no word yet on what it will be running.

 

[jdb820]

Supposedly, Sinclair is in the hunt for Local TV, LLC, too. However, I don't know how well that would work out. About the only markets they'd be entering would be Kansas City (which they sold out of several years ago when KSMO went to Meredith), Memphis, Fayetteville/Ft. Smith, Quad Cities, Huntsville, Cleveland and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Of course, Sinclair has found its way around that problem several times before.

On another board, a Local employee said that nobody's toured the stations yet and that if Sinclair was to buy the Local stations it may cause more headaches than it's worth. Assuming they leave none of the Fisher (or Barrington) markets, the new markets Local would bring would have them probably slightly over the 39.5% cap. Though they'll probably find a way to spin a bunch of stations to a subsidiary which they'd operate but not own, it could give them pause.

Also, the rumor was that LIN was the other bidder for Fisher's stations. If the price is attractive enough, I have to think they'd be interested in Local, too, though that's just speculation on my part. They'd overlap in the Hampton Roads, but that would be about it.

If the entire group had to go as one unit, there isn't much worse they could do than LIN. It'd grow their presence in the south and midwest and would add some choice markets to their roster. Even if they went piecemeal, at the very minimum WITI would be perfect for them because of the Packers-related synergies they'd have with WLUK.

 

[TheRob]

Yeah, that's me. I haven't seen anyone touring the station. I'm annoyed the trades are practically giving us to Sinclair already, even though Local TV is just starting the sale process.

If LIN came in second on the Fisher bid, perhaps they would be interested in us instead, and they could reevaluate their bid based on Sinclair's deal with Fisher.

 

[mgsports]

Already owns a Fox in St. Joesph,MO.
I see Scripps buying FOX4KC so it can share Anchors when needed with KSHB.

 

[jdb820]

Yeah, that's me. I haven't seen anyone touring the station. I'm annoyed the trades are practically giving us to Sinclair already, even though Local TV is just starting the sale process.

So many of the sales over the last 18 months have been to Sinclair or Nexstar that at this point that they're assuming that one or both is a candidate for every potential station sale. Outside of New Vision/LIN, the Jacksonville/Tulsa/Albany Newport stations, Fox's entry into Charlotte, and Sinclair's own sales of Lansing and Providence, have there been any purchases of note which haven't involved either?

If LIN came in second on the Fisher bid, perhaps they would be interested in us instead, and they could reevaluate their bid based on Sinclair's deal with Fisher.

LIN has the money and the room and has already integrated the New Vision stations. In contrast, Sinclair has barely started on integrating the Freedom and Newport stations - their West Palm Beach stations are still run separate from each other a year after closing on both - and still has a ton more on their plate. Given how Local and Sinclair overlap in eight markets, the headaches may be more than Sinclair may be willing to take on.

 

[tmanokc]

Yeah, that's me. I haven't seen anyone touring the station. I'm annoyed the trades are practically giving us to Sinclair already, even though Local TV is just starting the sale process.

So many of the sales over the last 18 months have been to Sinclair or Nexstar that at this point that they're assuming that one or both is a candidate for every potential station sale. Outside of New Vision/LIN, the Jacksonville/Tulsa/Albany Newport stations, Fox's entry into Charlotte, and Sinclair's own sales of Lansing and Providence, have there been any purchases of note which haven't involved either?

If LIN came in second on the Fisher bid, perhaps they would be interested in us instead, and they could reevaluate their bid based on Sinclair's deal with Fisher.

LIN has the money and the room and has already integrated the New Vision stations. In contrast, Sinclair has barely started on integrating the Freedom and Newport stations - their West Palm Beach stations are still run separate from each other a year after closing on both - and still has a ton more on their plate. Given how Local and Sinclair overlap in eight markets, the headaches may be more than Sinclair may be willing to take on.

You have a valid point on why stations going up are simply given to Sinclair in the press before a purchase is even made. BTW, Sinclair seems to claim that it doesn't want to integrate its Big Four operations in the form of merging their station operations, which is why WOAI is still separate from their existing duopoly of KABB-KMYS in San Antonio (which is even referenced in a San Antonio News-Express story from last year on the WOAI purchase: http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/WOAI-KABB-won-t-join-forces-4091407.php) and why WPMI-WJTC is separate from WEAR-WFGX in Mobile-Pensacola.

It would be problematic if Local TV was acquired by Sinclair, I live in a market where both companies have stations, KFOR and KAUT are owned by Local TV and KOKH and KOCB are Sinclair stations. If Sinclair acquired Local TV, Deerfield or Cunningham would have to acquire KOKH-KOCB since both KFOR and KOKH would be among the four highest rated stations in Oklahoma City. From what I've heard about the company, LIN would probably better for KFOR-KAUT.

 

[TVCOOL]

IMO Sinclair is bringing must-see TV in ROH Wrestling all they need is one TV station in the NYC area and from there add LA ,DC ,Chicago later on.

WWOR TV 9 and/or WPIX-TV 11 would be a great addition to the Sinclair family of TV stations.

 

[tmanokc]

IMO Sinclair is bringing must-see TV in ROH Wrestling all they need is one TV station in the NYC area and from there add LA ,DC ,Chicago later on.

WWOR TV 9 and/or WPIX-TV 11 would be a great addition to the Sinclair family of TV stations.

Surely, you're being facetious [cue Leslie Nielsen Airplane joke]. That being said if they were buying more stations to get more outlets for Ring of Honor, which I highly doubt is the reason why they're doing this buying spree, wouldn't it have been more effective for the company to distribute Ring of Honor to other station groups as is the norm?

 

[jdb820]

Surely, you're being facetious [cue Leslie Nielsen Airplane joke]. That being said if they were buying more stations to get more outlets for Ring of Honor, which I highly doubt is the reason why they're doing this buying spree, wouldn't it have been more effective for the company to distribute Ring of Honor to other station groups as is the norm?

As with all the Scripps shows, maybe there's the very shortsighted decision that not taking other peoples money is better than taking it.

I bet you if the Sinclair buy of Titan's network affiliates becomes reality, Titan's remaining stations in LA and Houston minimum would be forced to take Ring of Honor as a condition.

 

[Mediafrog+]

BTW, Sinclair seems to claim that it doesn't want to integrate its Big Four operations in the form of merging their station operations, which is why WOAI is still separate from their existing duopoly of KABB-KMYS in San Antonio

Keeping duopoly stations as separate operations is a situation that won't last. Sinclair is piling up huge amounts of debt with all the recent acquisitions. As we've seen with other groups in the past, the debt service burden results in major budget/staffing cuts to divert more money to paying down that debt.

I suspect Sinclair is holding off on consolidation as gutting stations might not look good during the sale approval process. Once the new acquisitions are safely in the portfolio the axe will fall, and you'll probably see many bloodbaths as station operations are merged.

I would be seriously considering my options were I working at any of the present/future Sinclair stations.

 

[jdb820]

Keeping duopoly stations as separate operations is a situation that won't last. Sinclair is piling up huge amounts of debt with all the recent acquisitions. As we've seen with other groups in the past, the debt service burden results in major budget/staffing cuts to divert more money to paying down that debt.

I suspect Sinclair is holding off on consolidation as gutting stations might not look good during the sale approval process. Once the new acquisitions are safely in the portfolio the axe will fall

Sinclair has such a backlog of purchases that it may be years until everything gets sorted out. Their West Palm Beach stations (WPEC from Freedom, WTVX from Four Points) are still being run as separate operations a year after closing on both stations which is highly unusual. As for the Newport duopolies, I think inevitably San Antonio consolidates but not Mobile/Pensacola given how WEAR/WFGX are heavily Florida-centric and WPMI/WJTC can be focused to be Alabama-centric.