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Regional television markets

Started by Desert Man, November 18, 2017, 10:37:53 PM

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vdeane

Quote from: bing101 on July 17, 2018, 02:06:28 PM
https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/07/16/sinclair-merger-trump-tribune-689026?__twitter_impression=true


Update Sinclair has been denied approval to get the Tribune stations.


Note I can see Gray facing a similar issue some time in the future over the Raycom deal.
Let's not jump the gun.  While this review it's going into has typically led to such deals dying, it isn't over until it's over.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.


bing101

#176
https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/station-trading-roundup-2-deals-16-8m/

Here is an update Gray has bought 2 stations to Raycom interstingly

Quote
Multistate Deal – PRICE: $4,411,145.78 BUYER: Gray Television Inc (Hilton Howell, Jr, chairman/president/CEO) SELLER: Raycom Media Inc  (Patrick LaPlatney, president/CEO[/font]
  • Iowa: KYOU-TV Ottumwa FACILITIES: DTV Ch. 15, 360.000 kW, ant. 1,181ft. AFFILIATION: FOX
  • Missouri: K30MG-D Kirksville FACILITIES: DTV Ch. 30, 8.200 kW, ant. 413 ft. AFFILIATION: FOX
  • [/font]
    WUPV-TV Ashland, VA – PRICE: $12,359,665.75 BUYER: Gray Television Inc (Hilton Howell, Jr, chairman/president/CEO) SELLER: Raycom Media Inc (Patrick LaPlatney, president/CEO FACILITIES: DTV Ch 8, 30.000 kW, ant. 827 ft. AFFILIATION: CW COMMENT: American Spirit Media's WUPV-TV/Ashland, VA, KYOU-TV/Ottumwa, IA, K30MG-D/Kirksville, MO to Raycom Media Inc.  The Cash Purchase Price for WUPV-TV is $12,359,665.75.  The Cash Purchase Price for KYOU-TV and K30MG-D is $4,411,145.78. Upon consummation of Raycom's acquisitions of WUPV, KYOU and K30MG-D, Raycom intends to file subsequent applications seeking the Commission's consent to assign WUPV's, KYOU's and K30MG-D licenses to Gray Television per the merger agreement between Raycom and Gray.

bing101


SP Cook

In other words, Sinclair now triples down on the stupid.  Continuing to propose to "sell" its stations to its own dummy shill companies.   

The FCC should enforce the law, not only as it relates to this Tribune matter, but force the outlaw Sinclair company to sell to legitimate third parties the "duopolies" it already has. 

hbelkins

^^^

Or the federal government could just get out of the way of the free market.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Rothman

Quote from: hbelkins on July 18, 2018, 04:59:13 PM
^^^

Or the federal government could just get out of the way of the free market.
Yes.  Let a monopoly rule.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

SP Cook

I am a 100% Free Market conservative.  This has nothing to do with broadcasting. 

The airwaves belong not to Sinclair, but to society.  Broadcasters apply to operate in the public interest as a public trustee.  Because, for both scientific and political reasons, the number of stations in a particular place is limited, the government has applied rules to the industry that are certainly not only crazy, but Unconstitutional, if we were talking about almost any other industry.  Becasue, at the end of the day, while I can go right out and start myself a competitive fast food place, paving company, printer, butcher, baker or candle stick maker, i CANNOT start broadcasting unless I buy one of the LIMITED channels that exist.

A totally different situation, and one Sinclair knew about and signed up for when it chose to be in that business.  Among the rules are that one company cannot own more than one of the "big 4" station in a market.  Then Sinclair went out and ignored that rule and, under FCCs controlled by five different presidents of all wings of both legitimate political parties, has been let by with it. 

This hurts consumers because consumers, if they have dish or cable, PAY the station owners for their signals.  Sinclair can threaten to pull TWO of the big 4 signals and extort more from you. 

This hurts ad buyers, and their customers, because Sinclair controls half of the major TV stations (and, if we support "free markets" why make Sinclair stop at 2, let them start more shill companies owned by more dead relatives and own them all) and can extort unreasonable costs for ads from local businesses.

The rule is simple.  Sinclair knew the rules when it got into that industry.  Simply enforce the rule.  Sinclair can either abide by it, or sell its stations and start a mousetrap factory.

vdeane

Quote from: SP Cook on July 19, 2018, 09:10:31 AM
Among the rules are that one company cannot own more than one of the "big 4" station in a market.  Then Sinclair went out and ignored that rule and, under FCCs controlled by five different presidents of all wings of both legitimate political parties, has been let by with it. 
Might not just be Sinclair.  Nextar owns both ABC and FOX affiliates here.  In Rochester, both of those are owned by Sinclair.  Here, Sinclair owns CBS and CW.  In Utica, CBS and NBC are the same station!
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

RobbieL2415

I think I've said this here before, but:

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is to blame for the current state of media conglomerates.

bandit957

Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 21, 2018, 09:28:05 PM
I think I've said this here before, but:

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is to blame for the current state of media conglomerates.

I'm baffled as to why none of the states instituted their own ownership caps when this law passed.

Fifty states, and zero with any sense.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

hbelkins

Quote from: bandit957 on July 22, 2018, 12:20:52 AM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 21, 2018, 09:28:05 PM
I think I've said this here before, but:

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is to blame for the current state of media conglomerates.

I'm baffled as to why none of the states instituted their own ownership caps when this law passed.

Don't give New York, California, Illinois, etc., any bad ideas.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

westerninterloper

Quote from: ce929wax on July 17, 2018, 05:19:32 PM
The OTA signals suck around here.  I can only get WXMI, WOTV, and WGVK sometimes.  I don't even get channel 3 even though it is licensed to Kalamazoo.  These antennas that they say are supposed to pull in channels don't.  I've heard that an old time antenna will pull in channels better than the new ones, but I have no idea where to get one anymore.  I do get WWMT through my CBS All Access streaming service, but it would be nice if I could get all the others in my market too.

I live in very close to downtown Toledo, and have also had problems getting OTA signals. I think found the sweet spot for my antenna, but when I've asked about the best antenna at local electronics stores, the salesfolks tell me none of them work well. Additional note, our local secondary and tertiary channels are either great or awful, no in between.
Nostalgia: Indiana's State Religion

KEVIN_224

Then there's channel sharing. WCTX-TV (MY) channel 59 of New Haven, CT is now a subchannel of sister station WTNH-TV (ABC) channel 8. Tune channel 8-3 and the TV will show "59-1" instead.

KeithE4Phx

Quote from: westerninterloper on July 22, 2018, 01:24:46 PM
Quote from: ce929wax on July 17, 2018, 05:19:32 PM
The OTA signals suck around here.  I can only get WXMI, WOTV, and WGVK sometimes.  I don't even get channel 3 even though it is licensed to Kalamazoo.  These antennas that they say are supposed to pull in channels don't.  I've heard that an old time antenna will pull in channels better than the new ones, but I have no idea where to get one anymore.  I do get WWMT through my CBS All Access streaming service, but it would be nice if I could get all the others in my market too.

I live in very close to downtown Toledo, and have also had problems getting OTA signals. I think found the sweet spot for my antenna, but when I've asked about the best antenna at local electronics stores, the salesfolks tell me none of them work well. Additional note, our local secondary and tertiary channels are either great or awful, no in between.

The problem isn't signal strength.  The problem is multipath, which showed up as ghosts on the old analog system, but absolutely kills the current digital system.  Planes overhead, nearby buildings, low rain clouds, anything else between you and the transmitter that can reflect a signal can kill it.  The folks who designed ATSC 1.0 didn't take multipath into account, and at least for the time being, we're stuck with it.

Fortunately, ATSC 3.0 (I have no idea what happened to 2.0) is in the testing phase right now, in some markets.  This is supposed to fix this problem, as well as being able to stuff more channels onto one transmitter, saving spectrum.  That's important, now that the UHF band is Channels 14-36 instead of 14-51 like it's been, or 14-69 like it was in the analog days.
"Oh, so you hate your job? Well, why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called "EVERYBODY!" They meet at the bar." -- Drew Carey

vdeane

Quote from: KeithE4Phx on July 22, 2018, 03:10:35 PM
Fortunately, ATSC 3.0 (I have no idea what happened to 2.0) is in the testing phase right now, in some markets.  This is supposed to fix this problem, as well as being able to stuff more channels onto one transmitter, saving spectrum.  That's important, now that the UHF band is Channels 14-36 instead of 14-51 like it's been, or 14-69 like it was in the analog days.
The only issue is that I'll possibly need to get a whole new TV when it switches (I refuse to deal with converter boxes for the same reason I refuse to deal with cable boxes: I don't want to have to switch inputs and deal with a third remote just to watch the news).  I hope that it may just be a software update, but who knows.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

bandit957

Quote from: KeithE4Phx on July 22, 2018, 03:10:35 PM
The problem isn't signal strength.  The problem is multipath, which showed up as ghosts on the old analog system, but absolutely kills the current digital system.  Planes overhead, nearby buildings, low rain clouds, anything else between you and the transmitter that can reflect a signal can kill it.  The folks who designed ATSC 1.0 didn't take multipath into account, and at least for the time being, we're stuck with it.

Dammit, I warned the TV industry and the FCC about this exact problem years ago, but did they listen? No!
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

KeithE4Phx

Quote from: vdeane on July 22, 2018, 09:18:16 PM
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on July 22, 2018, 03:10:35 PM
Fortunately, ATSC 3.0 (I have no idea what happened to 2.0) is in the testing phase right now, in some markets.  This is supposed to fix this problem, as well as being able to stuff more channels onto one transmitter, saving spectrum.  That's important, now that the UHF band is Channels 14-36 instead of 14-51 like it's been, or 14-69 like it was in the analog days.

The only issue is that I'll possibly need to get a whole new TV when it switches (I refuse to deal with converter boxes for the same reason I refuse to deal with cable boxes: I don't want to have to switch inputs and deal with a third remote just to watch the news).  I hope that it may just be a software update, but who knows.

Newer TVs that have a Wifi connection might be able to upgrade, but older TVs will either need a converter box or be scrapped.  I own a few of each.  :)
"Oh, so you hate your job? Well, why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called "EVERYBODY!" They meet at the bar." -- Drew Carey

vdeane

#192
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on July 22, 2018, 11:00:54 PM
Newer TVs that have a Wifi connection might be able to upgrade, but older TVs will either need a converter box or be scrapped.  I own a few of each.  :)
That's my hope; my TV is internet-connected, albeit via ethernet since I feel it's faster/more reliable.  It's new enough to be smart but old enough to not be watching/listening to me.

The end of multipath problems would be wonderful.  It's something I currently deal with on practically a daily basis.  I'd love to get a better antenna, though I'm not sure how to find one that will work better than what I've got, and don't want to waste money on something that won't (I was going to ask the folks at TVFool, but that site appears to have been abandoned, as the admin never approved my account and hasn't been online since May).
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

bing101


SP Cook

Cox has an illegal CBS-Fox duopoly in Jacksonville, is ABC in Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte; Fox in Boston, Tulsa, and Memphis; NBC in Pittsburgh; and CBS in Dayton and Seattle.  It also owns some newspapers, including Atlanta, and owns a ton of radio stations.   It is also a big cable company and does back room work for car lots.

Because newspapers are dying, combined newspaper - broadcast companies have been trying to split (NY Times, Wa Post, Gannett, Tribune, etc.) so the newspaper side can go under and cheat the employees out of their pensions, leaving the profitable broadcaster's assets alone.  Probably what is going on here.


hbelkins

Quote from: SP Cook on July 24, 2018, 03:53:07 PM
Cox has an illegal CBS-Fox duopoly in Jacksonville, is ABC in Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte; Fox in Boston, Tulsa, and Memphis; NBC in Pittsburgh; and CBS in Dayton and Seattle.  It also owns some newspapers, including Atlanta, and owns a ton of radio stations.   It is also a big cable company and does back room work for car lots.

When I was in college, I dated a fellow student/Morehead native who had a distant relative who worked for Cox in Atlanta. Met him once and talked shop as a young journalism student. Don't really remember much of the conversation now, or what he did there.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

vdeane

Quote from: vdeane on July 23, 2018, 01:42:34 PM
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on July 22, 2018, 11:00:54 PM
Newer TVs that have a Wifi connection might be able to upgrade, but older TVs will either need a converter box or be scrapped.  I own a few of each.  :)
That's my hope; my TV is internet-connected, albeit via ethernet since I feel it's faster/more reliable.  It's new enough to be smart but old enough to not be watching/listening to me.
Looks like it won't likely be possible.
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/will-2016-tvs-be-upgradeable-atsc-30
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

ftballfan

Quote from: SP Cook on July 24, 2018, 03:53:07 PM
Cox has an illegal CBS-Fox duopoly in Jacksonville, is ABC in Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte; Fox in Boston, Tulsa, and Memphis; NBC in Pittsburgh; and CBS in Dayton and Seattle.  It also owns some newspapers, including Atlanta, and owns a ton of radio stations.   It is also a big cable company and does back room work for car lots.

Because newspapers are dying, combined newspaper - broadcast companies have been trying to split (NY Times, Wa Post, Gannett, Tribune, etc.) so the newspaper side can go under and cheat the employees out of their pensions, leaving the profitable broadcaster's assets alone.  Probably what is going on here.



The CBS-FOX duopoly is legal in Jacksonville because when Cox got the CBS affiliation, the new CBS station was outside the top four (and may still be outside the top four to this day; independent WJXT (former CBS) is still quite popular there)


ftballfan

Canada is an example of what happens when media mergers go almost unchecked. Bell owns the largest commercial TV network, almost all of its affiliates, a second TV network (and most of its affiliates as well), many radio stations, and Canada's largest satellite TV company. Bell also is the primary phone company for eastern Canada and the secondary company for western Canada.

CBC is also in bed with the cable and satellite industry, to the point that they let several large cities (over 100k population) lose OTA CBC service during Canada's digital transition.



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