UPN and WB are slated to become one channel called CW. The new venture will be a 50-50 partnership between CBS Corp, owners of UPN and Warner Bros owner of WB. The channel will be carried on former WB affiliates owned by Tribune begining sometimes this fall.
Wb39 here in South Florida is owned by Tribune. I suppose that means that WBFX-UPN33 will be no more? UPN33’s newscast is produced by WFOR while WB39 is produced by WTVJ and both air at 10pm promoting each station’s 11pm newscast.
Official Press Release – CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment Form New 5th Broadcast Network
Yahoo News — UPN, WB to Combine to Form New Network
Broadcasting & Cable – CBS, Warner Bros. Form New Network
LostRemote has the internal memo sent to employees this morning
CBS4 reports on the changes, video included.
This is quite interesting… And I do wonder what will happen in Miami. It says The CW will air on Tribune-owned stations and also CBS/Viacom-owned UPN stations. In Miami, WBZL-WB39 is owned by Tribune and WBFS-UPN33 is owned by CBS/Viacom. So yeah… anyone know who will get the affiliation???
That the same answer I want to know.
Uh, can that get any more confusing?
Wow two crappy networks becoming one super-crappy network.I’ll miss UPN 33, though. I have fond memories of watching cartoons after school in the mid 90’s.
I am hearing that WBZL will be airing the prime and WBFS will go independent and run movies and possibly sports
A press release showed that WBZL will be the CW affillate. Check with the forum at http://www.flnewscenter.com for details.
I’m a little confused also, but i don’t think there will be an independent WBFS it’ll take away money from WFOR and Viacom as well, in fact who would’ve buy an independent sation here in miami? my answer to Jason’s reply will be simple as this: Since both stations are owned by these 2 Corporations i think the decision on who will carry the CW feed, will be the station w/ the highest rating in SFLA (i’m just guessing but it could happen) it could be 33 since UPN offers good choice of programming in primetime, I wonder how WPIX WB11 and UPN 9 in NYC or KTLA will handle this.
Well, seems i’m wrong, WB affiliate will carry the CW.
So will this mean that the newscast on upn33 will no longer air?
from the south florida business journal…
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2006/01/23/daily27.html?from_rss=1
At 6pm, Channel 4 reported that WBFS would be independent, but that its news would not be affected.
Frank, KTLA is a Tribune station. It will get CW. Same with WPIX. NY’s WWOR will have to become independent as will LA’s KCOP.
Keep in mind, folks, CBS is no stranger to operating a major market independent station. It already has KCAL, which may serve as a model for WBFS and other similar stations.
We will have the same thing here in Chicago, our WB station is WGN and our UPN station is WPWR-UPN50, which is owned by WFLD- the fox affilliate, so this will be interesting here
Maybe WBFS will carry Marlins games since they are independent and no longer have to worry about postponing network shows to show the games (I am hoping for this, since my lousy cable company carries the PAX, oops I mean, Independent network feed instead of WPXM, and therefore never shows the games (and since they also don’t carry FSN Florida, the only time I see the Marlins on TV is when they are on ESPN or FOX). I wonder when the Marlins contract w/ WPXM expires.
I thought WGN was indepedent
WGN is a WB station. In fact, WGN is how many people in rural areas without local WB stations get WB programs.
Once again WBFS will have a lot of time on it’s hands. I wonder where will this leave them? Will they get back in the south florida sports game by trying to snatch up some marlins and heat games?
WWOR and KCOP already made the change, they renamed their newscast as 9 NEWS and 13 NEWS.