Must also sell station in twelve months In a decision that could have ripple effects for local television, the FCC has fined both Nexstar and Mission Broadcasting over their relationship with one another regarding WPIX in New York City, the market’s CW affiliate. The FCC has also ordered Mission to sell the station in the nation’s largest media market. The […]
But only for traditional satellite customers In a controversial move, DirecTV announced Sunday it was offering a new package without local stations. As first reported by Broadcasting & Cable (NextTV), DirecTV would offer consumers a package that would let subscribers save $12 a month (roughly $144 per year) if they dropped them. It's now officially official (thanks) https://t.co/JlHu8kTsF0 — T […]
Justice Department to analyze deal as the NFL pushes back The planned sports streaming venture proposed by Disney’s ESPN, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery could be finished before it even gets off the ground. Two significant developments took place this week as the Department of Justice (DOJ) is now looking at the proposed joint venture for anti-trust concerns. The […]
Also: Bally Sports facing eventual end; SiriusXM goes through an extensive overhaul; Detroit CW battle heats up After a years-long wait, Chicago TV stations will finally launch the next generation of over-the-air signals. Named ATSC 3.0, the new technology enables viewers to watch shows in 4k (2160p) definition, superb Dolby Atmos sound, and in HDR (high dynamic range.) The signals […]
Also: The latest Chicago radio ratings; Arizona Coyotes to move all games to broadcast TV Cumulus Media’s conservative talker WLS-AM recently announced they were adding two new afternoon shows to replace the departed Big John Howell Show. First from 3-4 p.m. weekdays is Closing Bell. Not related to the similarly-titled CNBC business news show airing at the same time, Bell […]
Impact might not be felt immediately The nation’s biggest regional sports network chain just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but of all the talk and bluster about its implosion, they actually might come out fine. Well, maybe. Bally Sports parent Diamond Sports Group entered those waters last Tuesday with the Southern District of Texas bankruptcy court as the company – […]
Rebrand comes only a year after re-launching news channel Continuing a trend of station groups expanding their news footprint, Scripps announced Thursday the rebranding of their 24/7 news channel Newsy to Scripps News effective January 1. The name change comes as the company is merging its national news resources into a single national news division and approximately one year after […]
Also: NBC 5/Telemundo to award nonprofits; Sherri Shepard to succeed Wendy Williams; Introducing Ion Mystery Is WGN-AM staging a return to the top? The first PPM numbers released for 2022 shows the Nexstar-owned station placing fourth overall, up 49 percent from the last survey – marking their highest ranking since October 2008 at the dawn of the PPM era. Leading […]
Scripps’ digital news service relaunched October 1 as an all-news channel, targeting cord cutters Another all-news channel has launched. But this one – called Newsy, isn’t entirely new. But Scripps is revamping the network to add to their growing stable of digital subchannels, with one joining a space now dominated by CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and others – but targeted […]
Also: A Shark becomes a judge; Pictionary returns; MyNetworkTV adds Chicago Fire and a new Detroit affiliate Once again, Chicago-based NewsNation is making changes to its lineup. Announced last week, the network formerly known as WGN America is adding another personality show in primetime, featuring a show hosted by former Fox News personality Leland Vittert, who’ll helm On Balance. Beginning […]
Replaces Bounce as digital network heads to Ion’s WCPX It’s not just an expansion – it’s now a boom. Yet another new multicast network was announced with the launch of MeTVPlus from Weigel Broadcasting, scheduled to debut May 15. As first reported by Robert Feder Monday, MeTV Plus features off-network dramas and sitcoms that hasn’t aired on MeTV in years, […]
Nexstar spin-offs a network from Antenna TV Usually in TV land, we have spin-offs of shows, some of the most successful being Gomer Pyle, USMC; Facts Of Life; Maude; Good Times; and Laverne & Shirley. Now for the first time, we have a spin-off of an entire channel. On September 1, Nexstar is launching Rewind TV, featuring 1980s and 1990s […]
Replaces Laff on O&Os; New “Twist” launches on WGBO 66.5 The long journey of the This TV digital subchannel has added another chapter thanks to a deal with the ABC-owned stations, including WLS-TV in Chicago. The move took place April 1. “Allen Media Group’s over-the-air broadcast television network This TV is now well-positioned for greater success with the addition of […]
More multicast networks announced from Scripps, Tegna Days after Scripps shut down several digital subchannels (now called “multicast networks”) related to their acquisition of Ion, the Cincinnati-based company announced Tuesday two new channels: Defy and the amply named Doozy (yes, Doozy.) Both are cleared in 75 percent of the country for a July 1 launch. Defy is targeted to male […]
Former Katz networks to take their place Get ready for a major shift in the digital channel world. Months after Scripps acquired Ion Networks, the company announced it was eliminating three digital subchannel networks: Ion Plus, ShopIon, and Qubo effective at the end of February. Those channels will be replaced by existing Katz channels, including Bounce, Grit, Laff, and Court […]