UPN, WB Merging (Was Open Thread)

Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 12:57am.

Shoulda edited this a while back. This open thread is now turned to discussion of the UPN/WB merger this fall, which looks right now as if Tribune (KWPB) and Meredith (KPDX) are going to split the difference. Each of them owns stations in Portland and Seattle; Meredith gets the network affiliation in Seattle, Tribune in Portland. So KPDX is left without an affiliation come fall, unless another crappy network starts up.

UPDATE: Apparently I'm wrong about Meredith owning a Seattle station. So I don't know what the heckity-heck the deal is.

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New CBS/Warner Network
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 11:10am.

WB and UPN are closing and forming a single network to launch in the fall.

[Edited to fix page-breaking url. people! it's not hard! :) -- L]

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Interesting!
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 11:24am.

What does that mean for KPDX 49 (UPN, Meredith) and KWBP 32 (WB, Tribune)? Will there be a steel cage match at Pioneer Courthouse Square between GMs? I'd bet on 49 but what do I know? I suck at sports. And what happens to the loser of that match? Are there are any other crappy networks left to affiliate with?

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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KWBP-TV will be Portland's CW Station!
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 11:32am.

It has been announced that KWBP-TV will be Portland's CW station, leaving KPDX as an independent!

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Mmmm.. gratuitous syndicated programming
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 12:00pm.

looks like KPDX will be forced into running Matlock and Perry Mason reruns for most of it's daily content.

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Maybe...
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 1:00pm.

you could also see more local sports events. 49 was carrying Pilot and Beaver games this fall and winter. They also had a Pilot womens soccer game on live. UPN only had about 10 hours of local programming on per week on 49. You could also see more movie packages... and they would control more of the available ad time.

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An Independent Station May Be A Good Thing
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:02pm.

It certainly worked for KPTV back in the day, although that day was quite sometime ago. Why couldn't a station make it by playing syndicated programming? Granted, many old shows are owned by other companies and may not be available, but why not see what's out there? Nick A Nite and TV Land are big successes. Could KPDX succeed by airing reuns of Love Boat, Barney Miller, Ironside, Mary Tyler Moore, Ozzie & Harriett, Cheers and Murphy Brown? They could also pick up Mariners baseball and other local sports. Hey, how about a return of Portland Wrestling every Saturday night?

I just hope to God they don't play infomercials all day!

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the phrase
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 11:10pm.

"back in the day" has been banned from further usage in this market. find something else.

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Liquid nostalgia? n/m
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 11:26pm.

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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Dialing for Dollars
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:05pm.

I want to see someone revive that old format from KTVU's glory days (now there was an independent station back in the day). OK, it's just because I'm a Pat McCormick fan, but put Andy Carson up there for a couple of hours carrying on and you could have something...

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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INDY STATIONS
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:48pm.

Forget Dialing for Dollars - How about Humphrey and Charlie? - or a new daily live and local kids show - or Creature Features?

49 could just do the usual corporate-syndicated thing or they could do something interesting, such as KRON 4 in San Francisco which is still doing okay years after losing their NBC affiliation, with local talk shows, more news and more sports.

but they probably won't.

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I was just thinking Charlie and Humphrey
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:52pm.

Or Ramblin' Rod for that matter. A live kids show with actual kids I think would outdraw canned cartoons--you'd tune in to see your friends. Charlie and Humphrey, we'll not see the likes of them again I'm afraid.

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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HOLY COW
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Thu, 01/26/2006 - 10:47am.

This is a brilliant idea! What a GREAT idea! Even more so, the local cartoon show. Classic cartoons!

Wow.Bonanza of fun for the whole family. They would seriously clean up!

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KPDX 49 could pickup the
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:22pm.

KPDX 49 could pickup the 'AmericanONE' TV Network. KWVT-52 in Salem is affiliated with them. They have some decent programming, and carry around 150 affiliates nationwide. OR, they could go the 'LOCAL programming route' and copy what CNW14 is doing, but maybe succeed? Take some of the great programs already on CNW; PDXPosed, Teen Edition, Portland Wrestling, Oregon Coast Show, High Five etc...BUT instead do some branding, something CNW 14 on Comcast apparently has no idea how to do. And, even without much promotion, CNW on cable is growing everyday and becoming pretty popular. KPDX 49 could take this idea from them, and run with it. 'Portland's ONLY local station' over the air. I am sure they could make some big dollars. ALSO: bring back news please! Let's have some more competition in this town, since KOIN is dying, KATU is eh...which only leads the straight competition to KPTV and KGW. Even though, KPTV will still be partnered with KPDX, they could run maybe a 9p.m. newscast, or 7p.m.???

KPDX; don't worry, take this as a lesson, and let's see if you can compete!

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CNW growing??!?!?!
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:48pm.

What have you been smoking? As you said, they don't know how to brand. Maybe because running Lar's live isn't worth branding. I have spoken with someone who is involved with a CNW program. On a good day they think they have 25-30 viewers, not enough to attract any quality advertiser. It would be better if a business owner stood on a corner and gave out dollar bills! Al least they could get some real viewers on a broadcast station (covered by the news).

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What is he smoking?
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 3:59pm.

Lars! Pay attention, son! The fast ones go right ovah your head!

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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I'm a little slow today...
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 4:24pm.

good catch!

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CNW 14 GET'S over 30,400 people viewers a day
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Sat, 03/11/2006 - 4:30pm.

This channel is doing awesome for themselves, its all due to the produciton of the channel, they do need to brand a little but they have improved over the last few weeks. I think that they are doing a much better job then all the other tv station's in portland.

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i'm sorry
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Sat, 03/11/2006 - 7:06pm.

if you are getting 20-30 a half hour (at best) how does that add up to 30,400? switching your remote past the channel on your way to the home shopping network does not count as an audience!

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Portland Wrestling & Pdxposed need to bo on WB
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Sat, 03/11/2006 - 4:36pm.

I agree these are the best show's in portland, the hosting, film work and editing are that of on a National scale, they should try to push them nationally. CNW 14 rocks

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oh yeah, they're great
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Sat, 03/11/2006 - 4:44pm.

if you like bad programming. give me a fat break here. they are both cable access ready. "film work"....i like that. a pro would say that, right? jesus!

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To Lynns
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 5:41pm.

[Edited to fix page-breaking url. people! it's not hard! :) -- L]

Sorry about that, Lynn. The instructtion says "Web and e-mail addresses are automatically converted into links." I believed it.

Jim

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they are
Submitted by LynnS on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 6:05pm.

I should add something to that (note to self: hack program...) to say "if the URL is really long, link instead." :)

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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Perhaps the two combined
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 9:02pm.

Perhaps the two combined will actually be something. Neither really made any effort beyond a couple shows

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9pm FOX12 newscast on
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Tue, 01/24/2006 - 9:50pm.

9pm FOX12 newscast on KPDX-49 (13). Seems like a winner since no one else in town does that and it works back east.

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CW affiliation in Seattle
Submitted by Anonymous Source on Wed, 01/25/2006 - 12:17pm.

How does anyone figure that Meredith will benefit from CW in Seattle?
They don't own any television stations in that market.
Tribune owns the Fox/WB duopoly KCPQ/KTWB, and CBS owns UPN affiliate KSTW. The Seattle Times states today that the CW network will be on KSTW, and KTWB will be the indie. In markets where they are both players, these decisions were made prior to Tuesday's announcement.
Meredith is left in the position of trying to find programming to fill primetime hours in Portland.

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Follow-up story
Submitted by LynnS on Wed, 01/25/2006 - 5:41pm.

Suddenly independent, stations rush to find programming:

With the WB and UPN networks merging, some stations will be left without a network. For example, Tribune's WB stations in Philadelphia, Seattle and Atlanta will now become independents. Fox owns 9 UPN stations. Sinclair, too, will end up with independent stations. With stations suddenly losing their networks, the activity at NATPE has intensified as execs rush to find programming to fill the gaps.

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

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