Oregon Media Insiders

Loaded Orygun comments on a Ridenbaugh Press piece on Bend becoming its own market. (phew! the blogosphere, so self-referential.) From Ridenbaugh:

KTVZ-TV, which has been an affiliate of NBC, long has been the only important TV player there. Bend residents get the other nets from their Portland affiliates via satellite or cable. The only other local Bend station is KFXO-FOX, a Fox affiliate without local news. KTVZ for years has been walloping it, taking about 84%-16% of local viewership in the ratings.

But on April 17 KFXO is planning to launch local news, which should increase their share somewhat.

Maybe more significantly, Chambers Communications Corporation of Eugene (which runs KEZI9 ABC - Eugene, KDKF31 ABC - Klamath Falls, and KDRV12 ABC - Medford) was reported as planning a new station - presumably, given its other assets, an ABC affiliate - for Bend. If that happens, can CBS be far behind?

All this may have some domino effects, with the reach of Portland broadcast media considerably abbreviated in eastern Oregon. This is worth watching closely.

Loaded Orygun's comment:

If you watch Portland stations, think about the last time you saw a story on Bend or Redmond or Sisters. Now think of one that didn't involve a homicide or disappearance or major fire (or ski conditions). While I certainly cannot hold up TV journalism as the sine qua non of a city's civic growth, anything that supports the idea of Bend as its own viable region instead of "Not Portland/Not Eugene" is probably a positive. The Oregon Central High Desert--your nation's 196th TV market...and climbing!

Thanks to the Anonymous Source who tipped me.