Damn....
http://abc19.tv/abc-moves-its-affiliation-in-tri-cities-tnva-tv-market/
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WKPT) – George DeVault, President of Holston Valley Broadcasting, announced today that the ABC Television Network affiliation for the Tri-Cities market is being moved from WKPT-TV.1 in Kingsport to WJHL.2 in Johnson City. The change becomes effective February 1.
According to DeVault, “ABC presented to us a proposal that would have had us paying the network at least 15 million dollars over the next 5 years. Although we ultimately agreed to meet the network’s terms, ABC told us a few days ago that it had decided to explore other options in the market. WKPT-TV had been negotiating in good faith with ABC since October of last year,” DeVault said.
“Media General, which owns WJHL, operates in almost 50 markets and owns or effectively controls more than 70 stations. If it threatens to pull its network affiliate signals in every market where both it and the cable or satellite carrier operate, it has immensely more bargaining power than one independently-owned, family-owned station like WKPT-TV operating only in market number 97. That is why small operators like us are disappearing or being bought up by big group owners, and that is why networks like ABC prefer to be affiliated with the powerful group owners,” DeVault said.
WKPT-TV will become an independent TV station, not affiliated with a major network, effective February 1. “To stay in the TV business will be a “tough financial challenge,” DeVault said. “ Many among our present staff will lose their jobs. Most notably we will be going out of the local TV News business.”
http://abc19.tv/abc-moves-its-affiliation-in-tri-cities-tnva-tv-market/
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WKPT) – George DeVault, President of Holston Valley Broadcasting, announced today that the ABC Television Network affiliation for the Tri-Cities market is being moved from WKPT-TV.1 in Kingsport to WJHL.2 in Johnson City. The change becomes effective February 1.
According to DeVault, “ABC presented to us a proposal that would have had us paying the network at least 15 million dollars over the next 5 years. Although we ultimately agreed to meet the network’s terms, ABC told us a few days ago that it had decided to explore other options in the market. WKPT-TV had been negotiating in good faith with ABC since October of last year,” DeVault said.
“Media General, which owns WJHL, operates in almost 50 markets and owns or effectively controls more than 70 stations. If it threatens to pull its network affiliate signals in every market where both it and the cable or satellite carrier operate, it has immensely more bargaining power than one independently-owned, family-owned station like WKPT-TV operating only in market number 97. That is why small operators like us are disappearing or being bought up by big group owners, and that is why networks like ABC prefer to be affiliated with the powerful group owners,” DeVault said.
WKPT-TV will become an independent TV station, not affiliated with a major network, effective February 1. “To stay in the TV business will be a “tough financial challenge,” DeVault said. “ Many among our present staff will lose their jobs. Most notably we will be going out of the local TV News business.”
