The Federal Trade Commission has given the all clear for Post Newsweek to complete the purchase of WTVJ and merge it with WPLG.
According to Broadcasting and Cable as per antitrust requirements the merger had to be submitted to the Department of Justice and FTC for review with a set waiting period. Parties in the deal can request an early termination.
Today the FTC issued an early termination notice which signals they nor DOJ will seek to block Post-Newsweek from buying WTVJ.
That leaves the FCC as the last hurdle to overcome before the merger becomes reality.
As noted by B&C, the reason DOJ and FTC chose not to not block the deal are Spanish stations.
When Spanish stations are included WTVJ ranks 6th overall allowing for the merger to be approved since they are not in the top 4 stations.
When Spanish stations are taken out, WTVJ ranks either 3rd or 4th overall which FCC rules do not permit for one owner to own and operate two stations in a market that are in the top 4.
Overall it’s what I kind of predicted. They picked the ratings that most suited them and included Spanish stations to push down WTVJ’s ranking.
Someone clue me in. If, supposedly/maybe/perhaps/indeed, in America (we are in America right?) the airwaves are public and are for serving my/our interests how exactly does a Spanish station serve those of us who don’t speak Spanish!?
Just wondering.
Not surprised… the rest of the nation is going to hell in a handbasket, why shouldn’t broadcast journalism follow suit?
It’s a sad sad day for South Florida. Now I will just have to get my news from NBC directly through their podcast’s. Everyone at WTVJ now like Kelly, Roxanne, Bob, Pam and those in the morning crew I wish you well. Think of this if you ever decide to create your own podcast show i’ll subscribe to it.
I’ll ignore your veiled racism and instead say that they serve your interest by supplying a steady supply of hot chicks at all hours of the day…
sorry Ari
um… that was not a racist statement. That is a simple matter alot of people in america do not speak spanish.
It’s not veiled racism! It’s the truth… If You
CAN’T speak Spanish just HOW can a Spanish speaking station serve you???!! Inthebiz, I’ll ignore your misogyny. Spanish stations should not be included. They cannot serve the non Spanish speaking public. It is a very sad day indeed.
Yes, it IS poorly veiled racism. The American public is also comprised of tax-paying, hard-working people who are more comfortable receiving news in their native language. And in Miami, serving the large Spanish-speaking population IS serving the community. If you could only conceive – for a moment – of your own parents being forced to leave their country and native language to provide YOU with a life of freedom and opportunity, perhaps you might consider keeping them informed with news in their own language in their adopted hometown a valuable endeavor. Or maybe you’d look down your nose at them as you look down at the Spanish speaking Miamians?
I am never moving back to Miami again. I’ll never watch Ch. 6 OR 10, now.
I knew it also…claims of racism aside, it is indeed another turning point in South Florida TV history.
Oh Eileen honey where do I start. I’ll try to make it short and succinct.
Fisrt. I can most definitely conceive of leaving my own country when I was 15 barely able to string a sentence in English. Then carrying around two dictionaries in my pockets and looking up every word when trying to speak to someone. And learning English in 3 months. As opposed to my parents spent almost $6k for private teachers.
I’m foreign born, not a citizen (yet), I speak (almost) 3 languages and I enjoy watching news and programs in all 3 and other languages I somewhat understand.
I don’t claim that people don’t deserve to watch news in whatever language. I couldn’t give a shit if they watch it in Patagonian. Actually I think we could use some more foreign-language broadcast stations. There’s big Russian, Greek, Polish and German communities in South Florida imported newscasts from those countries would be interesting and people would definitely watch since Dish Network is charging as high as $20 for 1 channel
My point is – using, Spanish stations to push down WTVJ and kill its news does not serve the public interest. Because you are in America, where English is spoken. Plenty of people in SoFla do not speak Spanish. I know American-born Spanish people who don’t speak one word of Spanish but their parents do.
So that doesn’t mean Spanish stations should go away, banned closed down or wahtever, I just don’t think it’s fair to use them as a reason kill off WTVJ and claim all is cool.
Granted with the way TV is going it might become more and more difficult to support news operations and the local TV distribution model. But we’re talking mergers here
Using your logic then …
English-speaking, and American-born viewers won’t be served or served less since there will, more than likely, be one less major English-language newscast?
And by the way my boyfriend is half-Spanish
Eileen,
Poorly veiled racism? What????? Expecting immigrants who we welcome to OUR country to speak our language is racist? Are you kidding or is your mind the food equivalent of a Twinkie? I would never move to another country and arrogantly demand they speak English no matter what the reasons were that brought me there.
How many over the air American/English TV networks are there anywhere in Latin America?
Answer. None
Why? No Spanish speaking country grants English speaking television networks to broadcast over their airwaves. I would assume by your argument that they are bigoted against English speakers, namely Americans. Right? Right? Don’t be a hypocrite.
The reality is and history teaches (hopefully you didn’t go to a Dade Co. school) that lack of a common language is extremely divisive.
Ever wonder why Miami-Dade, with one of the the largest percentage of Spanish speakers in the country is one of THE POOREST COUNTIES IN AMERICA? POOR!
Ever wonder why Miami-Dade has one of the least educated populations in the country? Why are Miami-Dade schools the worst in the country? Ever think it is because they live in an alternative universe from the rest of the country? Sorry, but Miami is not like CSI Miami or Miami Vice. Miami is dirt poor city full of impoverished Spanish speakers who are completely isolated from the opportunities that this country can provide them if they assimilated.
English is the key to success in America. Smart people know this and act on it. History has showed us this. But today we aren’t allowed to expect anything of immigrants because of fools like you who have fallen for the lie of so called “diversity”.
I respect immigrants and the sacrifices they make for a better life. But immigrants used to consider it a privilege, now the world thinks it is their right to come here and that they owe us nothing in return. We don’t ask much. Learn the language AND LEARN OUR history and contribute. Immigrants need to know they have something to prove because they are asking Americans to live in our country.IT’S A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT. Mexico won’t even allow me to own property, much less embrace me and my language. Cuba? Please.
Sorry, but America is special place. That is why you here. I see people waving the flags of the countries they fled from and I shake my head. If you are here as an immigrant chances are your Spanish speaking country FAILED you and your family.
Whether you like it or not, America was built on English. The country was founded by English speakers. White guys no less! Anglos! The horror! Our cherished documents that provide us with the rights that few in the world receive were written in English, not Spanish. Spanish speakers haven’t done much to advance freedom historically.
The net of all this? Shut up, learn English and be thankful there was a place for you and your family to escape to.
Our airwaves should be reserved for the language of our country, just like the Spanish speaking countries reserve their airwaves for their language.
Eillen said:
” If you could only conceive – for a moment – of your own parents being forced to leave their country and native language to provide YOU with a life of freedom and opportunity, perhaps you might consider keeping them informed with news in their own language in their adopted hometown a valuable endeavor.”
Just because you were forced to leave your country doesn’t mean you deserve to sit around here and watch Spanish TV and novellas.
Stand up with me against this bilingual nonsense. Come together! Learn English!
Spanishisdivisive, that is the best post I’ve ever read on this site.
May I add a couple of thoughts: Though we are a community of many diverse cultures, we are not, nor have we ever been a melting pot. By definition, a melting pot produces an entirely new flavor once all of the ingredients have been blended together. That’s never happened here, and now when the almighty dollar has gotten involved, it is not likely to change. Every retailer in this country now caters to the immigrants in their native Spanish language. What motivation is there for them to learn English? Miami was the precursor, and now has become a microcosm of what is happening all around the country.
The very idea that people who come to this country to enjoy our liberties and freedoms expect to be catered to once they get here is disgusting. Which reminds me… hey Helio Castroneves, enjoy all those millions you made here in the United States? Like that home you have in Cocoplum? How about paying your taxes and leaving some here, bro?
I don’t speak a word of Spanish, but then again, what I hear on the alleged English-speaking stations is usually a poor example of my native tongue. Frequently misspelled graphics add to my annoyance. I always had one question: if the anglo stations can use SAP technology to broadcast programming in Spanish, why can’t the Spanish stations use the same technology for English? No racism implied; I just think cheapness is the culprit.
Was that statement from Joaquin the editor?
Chuck,
Spanish is not a race. Many races speak Spanish. Don’t apologize. Asking that Spanish stations serve the English speaking citizens does not make you a racist or a bigot.
The Spanish stations have no interest in anything English. If an anglo in Broward is murdered you will rarely hear a Spanish station covering that. But if a Spanish speaker is murdered in Hialeah, well we all know how that goes. If you speak English, Ch23 and 51 don’t know you exist. The people that work at Spanish stations often can’t even speak English. It’s really pathetic.
The Spanish stations cover completely different stories than the English speaking ones.
If you watch Ch10 at Ch23 at 6PM you will see that we are a community that is absolutely divided. Spanish stations don’t do Broward news (or most stories for that matter) unless a Spanish speaker is involved (I know there are exceptions).
When you compare the two it can often look like we live in different cities.
Well, we do.
So much for “diversity” huh?
Well, Spanish is more widely spoken in the world by native speakers than English. So, in a way we that speak both Spanish and English are in advantage of those that defend English as being the only laguage that should be spoken in the U.S. Truth is that in te futures Spnish will be even more spoken by people, and whites are affraid that we’ll change the official language to Spanish, well it may or may not happen, but something will surely happen is that Bilingualism is somehting we should be proud of, wether it serves you a purpose it is your own problem. Learning another culture and language enrichs your life and does not make you a worst person. People like you that makes such ignorant remarks in public should think twice, whether you want a world where we can’t understand each other, and thus fighting every single day of our lives, or a world that foments the learning of other languages and culture thus enriching our understanding of our fellow human beings.