Well, at first the New World deal was just affiliation, then Fox bought them outright in 1996. However, it would have left KTVU, WBFF, WPGH, WTXF, and WFXT in a lurch. WTXF and WFXT were not owned by the network at the time the New World switches took place.
@raymieX Yep. And an interesting note about WTXF, Viacom was going to drop the Fox affiliation in favor of UPN, but then they changed their plans and sold 29 to Fox and chose to buy WGBS/WPSG and affiliate that station with UPN instead. NBC would've probably ended up on 57 when the smoke cleared had Fox ended up on 3 or 10.
Doesn't the WCAU building still house some of the CBS owned radio stations, despite the building now being owned by NBC? CBS must have paid NBC a lease to continue keeping their stations in the buiilding.
@johnissoevil The CBS stations moved out of the building about 2-3 years ago if my memory's right. The station's "Studio Ten" advertising wing now occupies that space.
You are indeed right about the building - that went to NBC, and CBS leased the area where the radio stations were housed.
This switch took place because KYW's parent company, Westinghouse, bought CBS and switched all their stations, including WBZ here in Boston, to that affiliation.
From what one of the anchors at Group W-owned WJZ said during this time, NBC and Fox was competing with CBS for affiliation with the entire Westinghouse station group, but CBS ended up winning out. NBC then went for channel 10.
@johnissoevil That would be correct. NYT July 1994: "The Westinghouse Electric Corporation said on Friday that it was in talks with several networks, including CBS, NBC and Fox, for television station alliance agreements. A spokesman said the talks at the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, also known as Group W, had been on and off for six months. But, he added, the talks have accelerated since last month..."
That said, Fox would have promptly remodeled at the Group W stations...
@raymieX Possibly. But Group W would've probably retained ownership, with their association with Fox just being by affiliation, just as it was with CBS at first. I doubt Rupert would've sold the network to Group W outright like Larry Tisch did with CBS. Now if Fox had purchased Group W, then your scenario would've been likely. Would've been awkward though, "Fox 3 KYW Philadelphia"
Well, at first the New World deal was just affiliation, then Fox bought them outright in 1996. However, it would have left KTVU, WBFF, WPGH, WTXF, and WFXT in a lurch. WTXF and WFXT were not owned by the network at the time the New World switches took place.
raymieX 11 months ago
@raymieX Yep. And an interesting note about WTXF, Viacom was going to drop the Fox affiliation in favor of UPN, but then they changed their plans and sold 29 to Fox and chose to buy WGBS/WPSG and affiliate that station with UPN instead. NBC would've probably ended up on 57 when the smoke cleared had Fox ended up on 3 or 10.
johnissoevil 11 months ago
Doesn't the WCAU building still house some of the CBS owned radio stations, despite the building now being owned by NBC? CBS must have paid NBC a lease to continue keeping their stations in the buiilding.
johnissoevil 1 year ago
@johnissoevil The CBS stations moved out of the building about 2-3 years ago if my memory's right. The station's "Studio Ten" advertising wing now occupies that space.
You are indeed right about the building - that went to NBC, and CBS leased the area where the radio stations were housed.
HulkieG 1 year ago
15 years ago today, this happened.
Julius121081 1 year ago
This switch took place because KYW's parent company, Westinghouse, bought CBS and switched all their stations, including WBZ here in Boston, to that affiliation.
mediadude08 2 years ago
From what one of the anchors at Group W-owned WJZ said during this time, NBC and Fox was competing with CBS for affiliation with the entire Westinghouse station group, but CBS ended up winning out. NBC then went for channel 10.
johnissoevil 2 years ago
@johnissoevil That would be correct. NYT July 1994: "The Westinghouse Electric Corporation said on Friday that it was in talks with several networks, including CBS, NBC and Fox, for television station alliance agreements. A spokesman said the talks at the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, also known as Group W, had been on and off for six months. But, he added, the talks have accelerated since last month..."
That said, Fox would have promptly remodeled at the Group W stations...
raymieX 11 months ago
@raymieX Possibly. But Group W would've probably retained ownership, with their association with Fox just being by affiliation, just as it was with CBS at first. I doubt Rupert would've sold the network to Group W outright like Larry Tisch did with CBS. Now if Fox had purchased Group W, then your scenario would've been likely. Would've been awkward though, "Fox 3 KYW Philadelphia"
johnissoevil 11 months ago