KATZ and Bounce agree with Nexstar on multi deal launch

[localclassictvfan]

I know I probably shouldn't be asking this question right now but you all know me....Does anyone think that any station Nexstar owns now that they are force to sell will have any of the KATZ stations on it before these stations are ventured off to other owners......example KADN/KLAF/MNTV Acadiana will Nexstar launch say Laff on Fox 15DT4 before the official close of the sale to Bayou City Broadcasting and when Nexstar takes over the Media General Stations (KLFY/WANE, etc.) will they strike a deal with Katz to launch the subnets on those newly acquired MG stations......

I know its probably too soon to ask and my apologize but just asking ahead of time thanks....

 

[Justin Hill]

WFRV-TV of Green Bay, Wisconsin's sister station WJMN-TV of Marquette, Michigan got three subchannels from Katz/Bounce deal:
3.1 - WJMN-TV (CBS)
3.2 - Escape
3.3 - Laff
3.4 - Bounce TV

That's two more whole subchannels received by WFRV's sister station than WFRV themselves:
5.1 - WFRV-TV (CBS)
5.2 - Bounce TV

Katz Broadcadcasting already has a deal in place with the E.W. Scripps Green Bay stations, WGBA-TV and WACY-TV:
26.1 - WGBA-TV (NBC)
26.2 - MeTV
26.3 - Laff

32.1 - WACY-TV (MyNetworkTV)
32.2 - Grit
32.3 - Escape

 

[RedPenguin]

I noticed lots of folks here are in areas that have Nexstar stations.

Is anybody with a Nexstar station carrying the new Katz channels getting any cable carriage at all?

I wanted to ask here because my company Atlantic Broadband's Corporate have not given a single response of either a yes or a no.

I am covered by WTAJ and so far not a single cable company in the entire area seems to be interested in carrying their subchannels, from Comcast to Atlantic Broadband to other small ones in the Johnstown/Altoona/State College market.

Is Nexstar as a whole just not carrying to do cable carriage? Are these channels "leased" meaning possibly Nexstar could care less to seek carriage?

Nexstar Corporate gave me this response:

"Our carriage agreement with Atlantic Broadband gives them discretion to decide whether they wish to add the Katz subchannels to their systems or not. I have forwarded your note along to them to let them know of your interest in them adding the channels. "

And from WTAJ itself:

"At this time there are no discussions for cable carriage. It is only available over the air."

Is Corporate trying to claim it's up to the actual cable companies to simply add the channels with their already in progress contract?

Also I am very surprised Comcast who seems to carry virtually every possible subchannel in my area even duplicating WPSU PBS World and WQED PBS World that even they aren't carrying WTAJ's channels.

 

[localclassictvfan]

I noticed lots of folks here are in areas that have Nexstar stations.

Is anybody with a Nexstar station carrying the new Katz channels getting any cable carriage at all?

I wanted to ask here because my company Atlantic Broadband's Corporate have not given a single response of either a yes or a no.

I am covered by WTAJ and so far not a single cable company in the entire area seems to be interested in carrying their subchannels, from Comcast to Atlantic Broadband to other small ones in the Johnstown/Altoona/State College market.

Is Nexstar as a whole just not carrying to do cable carriage? Are these channels "leased" meaning possibly Nexstar could care less to seek carriage?

Nexstar Corporate gave me this response:

"Our carriage agreement with Atlantic Broadband gives them discretion to decide whether they wish to add the Katz subchannels to their systems or not. I have forwarded your note along to them to let them know of your interest in them adding the channels. "

And from WTAJ itself:

"At this time there are no discussions for cable carriage. It is only available over the air."

Is Corporate trying to claim it's up to the actual cable companies to simply add the channels with their already in progress contract?

Also I am very surprised Comcast who seems to carry virtually every possible subchannel in my area even duplicating WPSU PBS World and WQED PBS World that even they aren't carrying WTAJ's channels.

I received Grit via KATC 3.3 on June 28th and was launched on Cox Cable 124 Aug. 2.....If you go to the post where Nexstar and Katz deal there is a link that says Considerable Cable Coverage in the article....It will probably take a couple of months though....Yes there are a bunch of us that have nexstar. I think half of the stations in Louisiana are owned by Nexstar or fixing to be owned by the Group

 

[RedPenguin]

I received Grit via KATC 3.3 on June 28th and was launched on Cox Cable 124 Aug. 2.....If you go to the post where Nexstar and Katz deal there is a link that says Considerable Cable Coverage in the article....It will probably take a couple of months though....Yes there are a bunch of us that have nexstar. I think half of the stations in Louisiana are owned by Nexstar or fixing to be owned by the Group

We actually did have GRIT on various cable systems in my area before.

WJAC had it at 6.3 but it got bumped to 6.4 after they squeezed in Comet.

For some reason Sinclair must only have agreements to carry two subchannels with cable co's as even other areas with Atlantic Broadband and Sinclair only 2 out of the 3 subchannels are carried.

Only a single cable co I could find in my entire area carries GRIT now along with MeTV and Comet.

Anyway, they added GRIT on Jan 1 2015 originally but it wasn't until at least Apr 15th or so I believe for it to appear on cable.

 

[RedPenguin]

Is this normal for a subchannel launch?

Nexstar Corporate gave me this response:

"We and they are required to negotiate in good faith with them. They have not reached out to us regarding their desire to add them at this time."

So it looks like Nexstar is willing to negotiate with Atlantic Broadband but they have not even approached Nexstar to get the talks started.

I would think ABB would at least talk to Nexstar even if the plans go sour.

 

[RedPenguin]

Even though most probably suspected this it appears that Nexstar has not gotten cable carriage for any of the Katz channels in any market it appears.

I was using SchedulesDirect/Zap2It just to check random Nexstar stations and unless subchannels existed on a station before Nexstar got the channel, there is no cable carriage of their subchannels.

I'm not sure if it's just because Nexstar is completely unused to subchannels or what.

Most broadcasting companies seem to race to talk to the cable co's to get carried.

 

[ScottLV]

Let's not rule out the idea of the cable companies approaching the broadcasters for carriage. Now, a Comcast won't likely approach, even though they carry just about every one on a full power. Chances are those systems who are carrying them, already, are smaller systems.

Service Electric Cable TV of Wilkes-Barre carries Escape, Laff, Grit, and Bounce TV from WYOU-TV Scranton, and WBRE-TV Wilkes-Barre. Their Lehigh Valley, PA and Hunterdon, NJ systems already carry the lot from Philadelphia and Allentown, and they're all under the same local umbrella, which is probably why they were fairly quick to pick up the subchannels for their Wilkes-Barre system once they were made available for NEPA.

 

[RedPenguin]

Let's not rule out the idea of the cable companies approaching the broadcasters for carriage. Now, a Comcast won't likely approach, even though they carry just about every one on a full power. Chances are those systems who are carrying them, already, are smaller systems.

Service Electric Cable TV of Wilkes-Barre carries Escape, Laff, Grit, and Bounce TV from WYOU-TV Scranton, and WBRE-TV Wilkes-Barre. Their Lehigh Valley, PA and Hunterdon, NJ systems already carry the lot from Philadelphia and Allentown, and they're all under the same local umbrella, which is probably why they were fairly quick to pick up the subchannels for their Wilkes-Barre system once they were made available for NEPA.

Wow thanks for the info.

When I was just quickly checking various areas of random Nexstar stations it appeared that none of them had cable carriage.

I didn't check the PA area of Service Electric though, just states like California, Arkansas, etc just trying random ones on their list.

Not sure about Atlantic Broadband and Comcast in the Johnstown/Altoona/State College market so far.

According to their websites and looking at ABB's system myself, I see no evidence so far and ABB I think is somewhat similar to Service Electric, it's not extremely big like Comcast.

ABB has remained completely silent on the issue, not a yes or a no at all. Just 100% silent.

 

[RedPenguin]

Does anybody here know some of the "internals" of Nexstar so to speak?

I'm trying to find out, is it standard practice for Nexstar to go to cable co's like many station groups and say "Let's talk subchannel cable carriage" or does Nexstar almost always require cable co's to come to them first?

I ask because Nexstar was famous for no subchannels unless they bought a station with one already, so I don't know their history too much.

Every now and then I will look in different Nexstar markets in different states.

I've looked at Comcast, Former Time Warner, Mediacom, Charter, Former Bright House, and some more localized companies in at least 4 or 5 states.

It seems like virtually no cable companies anywhere have the new Katz.

Is it possible that Nexstar and Katz don't even care at all about carriage?

Then again the CEO of Nexstar said in an article he loves anything to do with money coming in like from cable companies.

Katz, I heard pays for carriage so maybe it doesn't matter about cable carriage.

 

[Mgsports]

SpectrumKC,Mediacom and Comcast have Laff but not Escape,Grit yet. CCI doesn't have all 3 yet but Google Fiber does.

 

[RedPenguin]

SpectrumKC,Mediacom and Comcast have Laff but not Escape,Grit yet. CCI doesn't have all 3 yet but Google Fiber does.

You appear to be in a Scripps area and their Katz deal was back in May of 2015 it appeared. Which if similar to the Nexstar deal, which took from Jun 15th until Sept 1st, that means most likely Scripps possibly had Katz's broadcasting on their stations by Sept 2015 or so?

I would figure they would be carried on all systems by now.

Meredith stations seem to be all covered by cable mostly from Katz's website lists.

It doesn't appear like Katz stations really rank that well compared to MeTV, Antenna TV, Cozi, etc because I never seem to see cable co's dying to carry them.

 

[localclassictvfan]

You appear to be in a Scripps area and their Katz deal was back in May of 2015 it appeared. Which if similar to the Nexstar deal, which took from Jun 15th until Sept 1st, that means most likely Scripps possibly had Katz's broadcasting on their stations by Sept 2015 or so?

I would figure they would be carried on all systems by now.

Meredith stations seem to be all covered by cable mostly from Katz's website lists.

It doesn't appear like Katz stations really rank that well compared to MeTV, Antenna TV, Cozi, etc because I never seem to see cable co's dying to carry them.

He's got 2 stations owned by Scripps, 2 Meredith, One Tribune, and 2 by the Hearst Corporation

 

[localclassictvfan]

I received Grit on KATC 3.3 on June and Cable Cox 124 5 weeks later. KATC is owned by Cordillera though. Hopefully when Nexstar officially takes over KLFY they'll add Laff or Escape, put Get on cable too

 

[RedPenguin]

I received Grit on KATC 3.3 on June and Cable Cox 124 5 weeks later. KATC is owned by Cordillera though. Hopefully when Nexstar officially takes over KLFY they'll add Laff or Escape, put Get on cable too

Well I guess I will have to wait and see.

So far WTAJ added Escape and Laff on I believe Aug 26th or so but Sep 1st officially.

So far Atlantic Broadband will not even say a word about it at all and Comcast and the Localized Providers have not carried even though it's almost Nov or 2 months.

I guess the most annoying part is Atlantic Broadband just 100% ignoring the subject and not even responding to customers at all.

The only "glimpse" that I have is that Nexstar claims ABB hasn't come to the "talking table" so to speak.

 

[Mgsports]

Also have DTV America Stations,Heartland Broadcasting one,Univision one and so on.
CCI has space for them just has KMCI's Bounce TV,KSHB's Cozi TV. Also has METV,Movies,Antenna TV but might be saving spaces in 6 hundreds for HD other channels like between 621-629,638,619,613-14. Missing also This TV 4.3 Mundomax,Liffe,Qubo ISHOP and the ones on DTV Stations,Heartland Broadcasting one.
SprectrumKC other former Time Warner's/BHN are adding channels. Comcast might have Escape,Grit and so on but Online might not be up to date. Mediacom doesn't have those 2 yet so doesn't Charter,Sudderlink and so on. Google Fiber has all Digital Sub Channels other then 4.3 This TV,new ones just added to area,none vibes Metro Weather,SprectumKC Sports Jayhawks Channel that CCI,Mediacom don't have yet to.
Grit is on Dish in St. Joseph,MO and Topeks,KS. Cox Orlando but no others in Orlando.

 

[localclassictvfan]

Well I guess I will have to wait and see.

So far WTAJ added Escape and Laff on I believe Aug 26th or so but Sep 1st officially.

So far Atlantic Broadband will not even say a word about it at all and Comcast and the Localized Providers have not carried even though it's almost Nov or 2 months.

I guess the most annoying part is Atlantic Broadband just 100% ignoring the subject and not even responding to customers at all.

The only "glimpse" that I have is that Nexstar claims ABB hasn't come to the "talking table" so to speak.

WHen Grit launched on KATC, the next months bill had when it was launching on cox, luckily we didn't have to call and ask. You shouldn't neither because KATZ said on another sight when they made it official before the multi station launch there would be considerable cable coverage. They didn't say how long it would take to arrive on cable though. I guess since Cordillera has maybe 17 stations, it didn't take as long. The nexstar launch was 81 plus stations......maybe more....

 

[RedPenguin]

WHen Grit launched on KATC, the next months bill had when it was launching on cox, luckily we didn't have to call and ask. You shouldn't neither because KATZ said on another sight when they made it official before the multi station launch there would be considerable cable coverage. They didn't say how long it would take to arrive on cable though. I guess since Cordillera has maybe 17 stations, it didn't take as long. The nexstar launch was 81 plus stations......maybe more....

I could only find that the Media General deal with Katz said cable carriage.

The ones for Nexstar I couldn't find that mention.

It seems like many Nexstar stations across the country still don't have cable carriage of the new subchannels.

I just don't understand why Atlantic Broadband in my case can't at least say they are in talks or something. They are acting like it's something nobody can know about.

Even if ABB said "We plan on never carrying them", at least I'd know whether to get happy or angry. LoL

 

[andy_horton]

Not to change the subject but Comet has been broadcasting on 61.2 (Sinclair) and Comcast of Chattanooga TN has yet to add it. It has all the other subchannels, even the more recent Escape on 12.3 but not Comet. I wonder why?

 

[RedPenguin]

Not to change the subject but Comet has been broadcasting on 61.2 (Sinclair) and Comcast of Chattanooga TN has yet to add it. It has all the other subchannels, even the more recent Escape on 12.3 but not Comet. I wonder why?

Are you sure?

I just was looking at my usual guide source (SchedulesDirect) and they claim Comcast in Chattanooga, TN has WDSIDT2 at 226 which supposedly is Comet.

Unless you mean the other Comcast that came up for the area.

"Comast Battlefield - La Fayette" and also said "Flintstone".

Though Sinclair must make strange deals with cable cos.

In at least two areas that Atlantic Broadband services (Uniontown and Johnstown/Altoona) they never get their .4 channel carried.

Johnstown/Altoona's WJAC has .2 MeTV, .3 Comet, .4 GRIT and Uniontown has WPNT with .2 ASN .3 Comet .4 GetTV.

For months now both Sinclair stations have had a .4 since Comet started back in Oct and the vast majority of cable co's in the area including Comcast never carry Sinclair's .4s.