I’m told NBC6 staff have been sharing in conversations with people that they expect to know the outcome of the WTVJ sale by mid-July.
I’m thinking that one of three things will happen:
a) WTVJ is split – someone (Sunbeam?) buys the building; another company buys the station
b) The buyer is one of those investment companies. If they’re buying stations in Podunk, America why not get one of the big sharks in Florida?
c) WTVJ gets acquired by one of the bigger media companies like Media General, Belo etc., although I’d think a or b would be more likely considering how bad Media General, Gannett and the others are doing on Wall Street lately. Unless, one of them decides to pull one of those look at us and our confidence in the product type thing.
Well, considering Gannett has the highest stock price of the ones you mentioned (Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15837290?q=GCI ), I can assume that they would be one of the companies eyeing 6
my money is on option A (the split..)
I wouldn’t want to see Sunbeam own WTVJ. Their two stations (WHDH and WSVN) are a bit too sensationalized for my taste. I have always like Gannett and Media General, as well as Hearst-Argyle. I hope one of those stations gets WTVJ.
It needs to be Belo or Cox, for the sake of WTVJ, its employees and it legacy.
Companies that are out:
Sunbeam (bid was too low)
Gannett (WTVJ GM said the buyer will be a company she never worked for before, so they are out)
Media General (financial trouble)
Hearst-Argyle (Company has no CEO & no money)
FOX (Pulled out)
Disney-ABC (not buying anymore TV stations)
The split is still an option. While Sunbeam couldn’t afford to buy WTVJ, Post-Newsweek still could. Other possible contenders include COX and Tribune.
Don’t count out CBS. It owns 2 Miami stations, has a building far too small for current needs, and could benefit from WTVJs digital infrastructure. Interest would be limited to the building. Top CBS folks were just in town.
So we’re still stuck with Fox being on that awful WSVN? I’m sorry, but I’m glad I don’t live in Miami now.
I don’t know if any other buyer has expressed interest in acquiring WTVJ.
I don’t believe Tribune would be interested in acquiring ownership of WTVJ, given their recent financial troubles. Tribune shuttering news departments in Philly and San Diego in late 2005. In 2006, Tribune selling WLVI (Boston, MA) to Sunbeam, WATL (Atlanta, GA) to Gannett, and WCWN (Albany, NY) to Freedom.
I could picture Belo or Cox acquiring ownership… in an attempt to give WTVJ the turn-around it needs. I don’t know if LIN TV, Local TV, Meredith, or Raycom are still listed as interested buyers or not.
Believe me Adam, we are glad u don’t live here also!!!! Long live WSVN/FOX.
Buh BYE Adam!!! Go home!
Wow. This is really a blog about WSVN. God forbid anyone says anything bad about that station. I wonder why so many people cant seem to see through Channel 7’s bull. They are not a great news station, they are not full of great reporters. They have some good reproters but a lot of very bad, young, inexperienced reporters like that Roy Ramos, Q McRay – both who can’t get through a live shot and have, at the best, mediocre, story telling skills. I guess that’s what you get when you pay people 40 0r 50 thousand bucks to be reporters in what should be a major news market. 7 may win in the ratings, but it has little to do with what’s on the news, but what’s on the station before the news. I do give credit to 7 for being the first, usually on breaking news… but with inexperience like they have, it’s not very impressive once they arrive,
I’m just sayin, I’d rather watch WSVN’s news as opposed to a crappy Fox O&O newscast that mimics the national Fox News branding. I HATE Fox news. I like Fox programming. Don’t get me started on Fox News. O’Reilly, Ingraham, Hannity, and all the other idiots can go shove it up their pipe.
I’m sorry I brought WSVN up. I realize I should actually talk about who buys WTVJ. My guess would be either Local TV or LIN.
I thought by a longshot Belo was going to buy WTVJ.