May have complications for Marquee In what could be a troubling sign for broadcasters and regional sports networks alike, Sinclair Broadcasting apparently threw in the towel with a week to go in negotiations with Dish as 108 local stations faces deletion from the satellite service on August 16. The company acknowledged such in a press release Monday, noting the chances […]
DFW-area company to buy Chicago-based broadcaster for record price (Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with new information.) Nexstar Broadcasting is purchasing Chicago-based Tribune Media for $4.1 billion or $46.50 a share, making them the country’s largest broadcaster. The bid is larger than the one Sinclair made for Tribune in May 2017 before the FCC derailed the deal due […]
Ploy to keep anti-police demonstrators out? When it was announced in September, Chi-Town Rising hoped it draw more than 100,000 people and help the city ring in the New Year outdoors for the first time since the early 1980’s. But the event – originally free admission – is now ticketed and yes, you would have to pay to get in. […]
Sinclair realigns newscasts downstate; talent shows to hit syndication; No one is “asking America” – Remember back in October when yours truly asked if new weekly hour-long game show Monopoly Millionaires’ Club would air in Chicago because Illinois was not participating in the related lottery game? Well, here’s your answer: WGN-TV picked up the new Monopoly game hosted by Mike & Molly’s […]
Deal with WGN sends selected Cubs and White Sox games to former CBS affiliate; nine other Midwestern markets also cleared In order to fill a programming void left by CBS, a local Indianapolis TV station is turning to two Chicago institutions. Media General-owned WISH-TV announced Friday it was planning to air a package of Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games produced […]
With the second cycle sale of Two and a Half Men to the Tribune and Sinclair station groups for seven – count ‘em – seven years, and mega deals by Fox O&Os for The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family, you think syndicators would celebrate the return of the big pay day they reaped back in the day. Right? Think […]
Here are the Arbitron rating books for other markets in Illinois, plus South Bend-Elkhart. Quad Cities – Clear Channel’s country outlet (WLLR-FM) dominated the market, with a share that doubles its’ nearest competitor. Peoria – Will AC plays in Peoria? You bet, as Triad’s WSWT-FM finished a dominant first. Rockford – A CHR outlet finished first here, with Cumulus’ WZOK-FM […]
Note: The link provided may require registration. ACME Television has sold CW affiliate WBUI-TV to GOCOM Media for a cool $4 million dollars (and that’s a steal!) The deal closed today. WBUI serves the Champaign-Springfield-Decatur market.
The FCC has waived a duopoly rule in the Springfield-Decatur-Champaign market, allowing Gocom Media, owner of Fox affiliate WRSP-TV in Springfield, to buy CW affiliate WBUI-TV from Acme Communications in nearby Decatur. One of the reasons for the waiver is because WBUI is a failing station in danger of going dark and a money loser, and the FCC generally makes […]