WLNY-55 Riverhead Has Been Sold

[Rollo-Smokes]

They did that. It was called "UPN," and it didn't work so well.

The issue isn't really bypassing Time Warner...it's Tribune. Time Warner didn't own TV stations (except for WTBS/WPCH in Atlanta, which was a special case), and so when it started up The WB, it needed Tribune's big-market stations to provide clearance in New York, Chicago, LA and elsewhere. Tribune took a minority interest in The WB at the time, and when The WB was merged with UPN to form The CW, it apparently gave up that minority interest in exchange for a 10-year affiliation agreement to keep WPIX, WGN, KTLA and the rest of the Tribune group in the CW fold.

That deal is up in 2016, and it will be interesting to see if at that point CBS looks to move CW programming over to KCAL in LA, WLNY in NYC, WSBK in Boston, WPSG in Philadelphia and WBFS in Miami.

As you note, Chicago is probably the biggest bargaining chip that Tribune will likely have in that negotiation. CBS and Time Warner won't want to lose their big clearance in market #3, and there aren't a lot of good options other than WGN.

Scott, I think you meant KTXA in Dallas-Fort Worth. WPSG in Philadelphia is already down with the CW.

 

[TVCOOL]

The following from stationless listener

And we have the new URL for the station.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/station/wlny/

Well, since CBS is in the process of bringing this station into the XXI Century, I thought I'd give a few suggestions as to what they could air:

- Movie of the Week but something from after 2000
- Make a deal with either YES or MSG to bring overflow sports. That way, folks who can't get cable can watch some games. Since the Nets are moving to Brooklyn, they could start re-connecting with the people in Long Island that they lost when they moved back to New Jersey. The Islanders could get a couple of games on "free" TV as well
- CBS should buy another station in Chicago (if possible) then use that station, along with their other duopolies, to bypass Time Warner and replace the CW with their own mini-network. They have a lot of their stations airing either The CW or MyNetworkTV. Would they not be better off striking on their own?

Here is my ideas for WLNY :

- Air The Closer and Law and Order CI reruns to fill airtime on the weekends (I.e. saturday & sunday nights)

- Carry Ring of Honor Wrestling (ROH) saturdays at 11am before the other OTA channels air sports so not to have competiton and bring back an old saturday morning staple for nyc wrestling fans.

 

[fybush]

Scott, I think you meant KTXA in Dallas-Fort Worth. WPSG in Philadelphia is already down with the CW.

Right you are, sir.

 

[ding12]

- CBS should buy another station in Chicago (if possible) then use that station, along with their other duopolies, to bypass Time Warner and replace the CW with their own mini-network. They have a lot of their stations airing either The CW or MyNetworkTV. Would they not be better off striking on their own?

They did that. It was called "UPN," and it didn't work so well.

The UPN affiliates in the top 3 markets were bought out by Fox though. So, while CBS was putting in the investment, Fox was receiving the benefit and taking in the profits in the largest markets. Seemed unfair, and probably why CBS negotiated with Time Warner to fold UPN with WB, which eliminated a network and cut Fox out.

If by 2016 CW's ratings are promising, then CBS might do as suggested and continue its relation with Time Warner extending it to WLNY, KCAL (although cutting out Tribune this time around), but TW wouldn't benefit in the network losing the Tribune stations. I see it more likely CBS and Time Warner leaving the venture, and CBS starting a MyNetwork like operation while Time Warner focuses on its more of its core business: it's owned cable channels and producing shows for broadcast networks to buy. From observation, there are very few 50/50 side business ventures that renew. For example, Comedy Central didn't last long as a 50/50 venture, and all other broadcast networks and most cable networks are majority, small minority ownership, or complete ownership.

 

[stationless listener]

FYI, a press release from CBS:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...e-initial-plans-for-operating-wlny-tv/127090/

 

[teevee]

- CBS should buy another station in Chicago (if possible) then use that station, along with their other duopolies, to bypass Time Warner and replace the CW with their own mini-network. They have a lot of their stations airing either The CW or MyNetworkTV. Would they not be better off striking on their own?

They did that. It was called "UPN," and it didn't work so well.

The UPN affiliates in the top 3 markets were bought out by Fox though. So, while CBS was putting in the investment, Fox was receiving the benefit and taking in the profits in the largest markets. Seemed unfair, and probably why CBS negotiated with Time Warner to fold UPN with WB, which eliminated a network and cut Fox out.

If by 2016 CW's ratings are promising, then CBS might do as suggested and continue its relation with Time Warner extending it to WLNY, KCAL (although cutting out Tribune this time around), but TW wouldn't benefit in the network losing the Tribune stations. I see it more likely CBS and Time Warner leaving the venture, and CBS starting a MyNetwork like operation while Time Warner focuses on its more of its core business: it's owned cable channels and producing shows for broadcast networks to buy. From observation, there are very few 50/50 side business ventures that renew. For example, Comedy Central didn't last long as a 50/50 venture, and all other broadcast networks and most cable networks are majority, small minority ownership, or complete ownership.

The top three cw stations are owned by tribune same as the upn(fox) deal I don't see your point on this one except cbs is only fifty percent involved now and is taking a lesser loss on the deal.