KRON for sale-Young hires advisers to help make a deal by first-quarter end

[Newschannel4SF]

Here are a few possible scenarios:

If the Comcast/NBC deal goes through NBC may have to shed their O&O stations in markets where Comcast has service.  In the case of the San Francisco/San Jose Market KNTV may very well have to be sold.  Fox may jump for that opportunity rather than trying to buy KRON.  KNTV is a newer station with state of the art equipment in a section of the Silicon Valley that is in the heart of the tech industry.

Keep in mind that Fox still has an agreement in place with KTVU which I believe expires sometime in 2011.  They would have to break the agreement with Cox Communications out of Atlanta which is unlikely in this economic climate.

[Lkeller]

Here are a few possible scenarios:

If the Comcast/NBC deal goes through NBC may have to shed their O&O stations in markets where Comcast has service.  In the case of the San Francisco/San Jose Market KNTV may very well have to be sold.  Fox may jump for that opportunity rather than trying to buy KRON.  KNTV is a newer station with state of the art equipment in a section of the Silicon Valley that is in the heart of the tech industry.

Keep in mind that Fox still has an agreement in place with KTVU which I believe expires sometime in 2011.  They would have to break the agreement with Cox Communications out of Atlanta which is unlikely in this economic climate.

I'm under the impression that News Corp has been shedding stations over the past decade, not adding stations.  This has included Fox O&Os as well as other News Corp stations affiliated with other networks - like KSBW 8 (NBC) in Monterey/Salinas.

The question I would ask is - Why would Fox need or want an O&O station in San Francisco?  What would be the economic benefit and why would it be preferable to continuing their long-term relationship with KTVU?

[e-dawg]

Fox is trying to get owned and operated station for years in San Francisco.  I know that Fox is get ridding some of their o&o stations, but you have to realized that San Francisco is #6 in the DMA.  Being in the top 10 markets, you'll make a ton of money from advertising vs. #18 or #52 in the market.

[Lkeller]

Fox is trying to get owned and operated station for years in San Francisco.  I know that Fox is get ridding some of their o&o stations, but you have to realized that San Francisco is #6 in the DMA.  Being in the top 10 markets, you'll make a ton of money from advertising vs. #18 or #52 in the market.

OK - sensible answer.  So I have a follow-up question:  is there so much potential for advertising money that it's worth paying the purchase price of either KNTV or KRON?...KOFY, maybe? 

Even in this economy, KNTV has got to be worth a lot, and I know that the KRON's creditors will not let the station go for "fire sale" prices...otherwise it would have sold a few months ago.

Then there would be the additional cost to Fox for breaking their affiliation agreement with KTVU - assuming they would be moving Fox programming to their new O&O prior to the 2011 expiration of the agreeement.

Actually, if Fox really wants an O&O in the Bay Area, the most sensible solution by far (though possibly the most expensive solution) would be to buy KTVU.

[Mark]

But why buy a station in a very depressed economy and run the risk that your new station won't be as successful and that you may be making an enemy of COX owned KTVU?

Even if FOX could make money from the station, and there's no guarantee they would, they can simply make money elsewhere as well.

TV Stations are not the cash cows today that they were even three years ago. Look at WGN-TV, as part of Sam Zell's Tribune, the whole station quickly became a mess with this economy. Perhaps if it wasn't being pulled by other parts of Zell's Tribune it would be more sucessful.

Stations need to be part of a group sucess as well as individually too.

Also with DTV signal penetration is less of an issue. If FOX wants to own a station it may be easier to buy a cheapo station who's DTV signal is similar to KTVU and then petition the FCC for a change of PSIP rules. Maybe that wouldn't work, but maybe they could force the issue, the way NBC pushed for a lot of changes to get KNTV signal over SF

[Newschannel4SF]

Channel 4 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary on Sunday, November 15th...haven't seen too many promos from the station regarding this milestone event.

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Channel 4 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary on Sunday, November 15th...haven't seen too many promos from the station regarding this milestone event.

Yep that's right...KRON was the third of three stations to sign on within a year between December of 1948 with KPIX 5, the sign on of KGO-TV in mid 1949 and the KRON sign on in November of 1949.

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Channel 4 will be celebrating their 60th anniversary on Sunday, November 15th...haven't seen too many promos from the station regarding this milestone event.

Yep that's right...KRON was the third of three stations to sign on within a year between December of 1948 with KPIX 5, the sign on of KGO-TV in mid 1949 and the KRON sign on in November of 1949.

I just went to the station website which has no mention of it of their anniversary. 

It's kind of sad in a way.... I had to laugh when I saw the banner for the "Big Block of News" with the most traffic updates.

Yep, 60 years since the sign on of Northern California's third oldest television station and nearly 8 years since the station began to unravel into what it is today.  They probably don't want to really highlight how great they used to be. 

[JackBauer112]

I just went to the station website which has no mention of it of their anniversary. 

It's kind of sad in a way.... I had to laugh when I saw the banner for the "Big Block of News" with the most traffic updates.

Yep, 60 years since the sign on of Northern California's third oldest television station and nearly 8 years since the station began to unravel into what it is today.  They probably don't want to really highlight how great they used to be. 

I taped a commercial during Make Me a Millionaire a few weeks ago that speaks of KRON's 60th anniversary. They showed how they were during the "NewsWatch" era and the famous 1984-1989 KRON Golden Gate Bridge Legal ID which only consisted of "KRON-TV San Francisco", The San Jose-Oakland did not get added until 1985. and the past KRON logos. It's a shame that KRON has gone from the glory of NBC to a douchebag of what the station is now with very bad news anchors except for Pam and Gary.

[recto101]

I just went to the station website which has no mention of it of their anniversary. 

It's kind of sad in a way.... I had to laugh when I saw the banner for the "Big Block of News" with the most traffic updates.

Yep, 60 years since the sign on of Northern California's third oldest television station and nearly 8 years since the station began to unravel into what it is today.  They probably don't want to really highlight how great they used to be. 

I taped a commercial during Make Me a Millionaire a few weeks ago that speaks of KRON's 60th anniversary. They showed how they were during the "NewsWatch" era and the famous 1984-1989 KRON Golden Gate Bridge Legal ID which only consisted of "KRON-TV San Francisco", The San Jose-Oakland did not get added until 1985. and the past KRON logos. It's a shame that KRON has gone from the glory of NBC to a douchebag of what the station is now with very bad news anchors except for Pam and Gary.

.

Once Pam Moore, Gary Radnich, Catherine Heenan, Marty Gonzales, and Yseblel Duron Leaves KRON then the station has to go off the air and move My Network TV to KFTY 50. Just leave KRON blank Fox does not want to touch this toxic station. ABS-CBN and GMA(Philippine TV networks) could by the Channel 4 signal but FCC won't allow this to happen and ABS-CBN and GMA already have successful Cable networks on Direct TV.