Nexstar-Tegna merger and WNY

NBC 2 WGRZ On Your Side studios in Buffalo; 16 August 2021.

Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 TV station conglomerates Nexstar and Tegna have announced their merger. Of course, this needs approval from the FCC and FTC, and some stations will have to be sold off, particularly where they overlap. One area I know is Buffalo. Tegna, which spun off of USA Today owner Gannett in 2015, own NBC 2 WGRZ, their only station in New York State, while owning many NBC affiliates in other states. Nexstar are far bigger, owning NBC 2's competitor CBS 4 WIVB, as well as CNY's ABC affiliates NewsChannel 9 WSYR in Syracuse and ABC 20 WUTR in Utica to name a few. Since Buffalo is a larger market than Syracuse, having the boys' turf nearby for added ratings to boot, having it like CNYcentral back in my area may not work, which has CW 6, while CBS 4 is sister to O&O CW 23 WNLO. So much for WNYcentral, if you like. NBC 4 could be sold to Hearst, Hubbard, Weigel, Mission, Cox, Gray (who have CBS 12 WBNG in Binghamton and CBS 7 WWNY in Watertown in the state to date), or Deltavision (who just bought CBS 12's rival Fox 40 WICZ and their sister stations Fox 68 WSYT/my 43 WNYS). Scripps already have yet another WNY station, ABC 7 WKBW along with ION (who have the affiliate for Buffalo and Rochester run out of Batavia), while Sinclair have Fox 29 WUTV and my 49 WNYO. Even in the age of streaming, these deals are still lucrative. Tegna also own ABC 16 WNEP in the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area, the other NBC 3 WKYC in Cleveland, and flagship CBS 9 WUSA in Washington, DC. As for NBC 2 and in other markets in the same boat, Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said he won't have his and Tegnas stations operations combined, so it's likely these will all be sold over the next year or so, even as FCC policies are changing.

Merit Street TV from Dr Phil

Dr Phil McGraw in Jackson County on 9 October 2008. Courtesy Craig O'Neal. CC-by-NC-ND-2.0

 Dr Phil McGraw is Americas therapist. Since Oprah Winfreys beef with beef in 1998 in Amarillo, TX, his tough love tactics have made him a household name. Dr Phil aired in first-run syndication from 2002-23 for twenty-one series (on NBC 3 and CW 6 in CNY). Now he and his wife Robyn have returned to their North Texas/South Oklahoma roots and moved back to the DFW area and started Merit Street Media. While there have been bumps along the road, Merit Street has taken the brand to a new place. However, less than half the country can get it on terrestrial or even cable if they don't want to get the app or their streaming service doesn't provide it yet either. Dish and DirecTV have it coast to coast, as do some streamers. RabbitEars have an affiliate list with some major markets and smaller cities. On Merit Streets own site, you just put in your zip code as would with the old guard to see how to watch in your area (this is how you "Check your local listings" in todays world). In mine, all three major station groups have room on their tiers, while the flagship in the tri-state carry Merit Street on two smaller stations, one being frontline and the other with two more upstart networks that need their own articles, which will have to wait for another day, since I've focused more on the sister blog lately and other other one on occasion. It'd take forever to canvas roughly 200 markets to see who has room, but even the lowest rated ones (population-wise by the Nielsens standards) could somehow squeeze it in somewhere.
    Dr Phil is as much a quotefest as Yogi Berra or any classic film, and his southern wisdom guides me to this day, and I could use him with my own personal issues, even though his Primetime show is not quite the same as its predecessor. He is now independent from CBS/Paramount, which is about to change hands again, which may have been a factor in breaking out of LA and the post-postwar studio system (the infancy of television was a catalyst for the studios' spinoff of cinemas, but not right now).

UPDATE (3 July 2025): Merit TV have entered administration, so there may not be much expansion at this time, since they're showing reruns for now. The partnership with TBN has also soured, with pending litigation. Dr Phil and Steve Harvey have launched the content-driven app Envoy Media Co.

Cable 13

Edited screenshot of logo. Courtesy Syracuse Nostalgia.

 I was given several items to sell (anything pertaining to this business is now sold) by a former presenter/employee of Cable 13, which was on Syracuse CableSystems/Cooke CableVision/Adelphia Cable in the City of Syracuse (covered earlier) and NewChannels in the Suburbs (both absorbed by Time Warner Cable in the mid-to-late '90s and the rest of Adelphia in 2006). Not to be confused with the local public access channel, which I think was on channel 7 in those days (before there was even an internet, let alone a YouTube or TikTok). This couldn't be over the air back then because of ABC 13 WOKR in Rochester (now WHAM), NewsChannel 13 WNYT (NBC) in Albany, and possibly (even though it's further away than PBS flagship WNET in New York) CTV 13 CJOH in Ottawa, ONT (with a repeater of CTV 6 in Cornwall or Deseronto under CRTC regulations and closer to the North Country on US soil), although an unrelated, short-lived low-power station, WNNY-LP 13.1, was registered with the FCC in more recent memory, but the licence was cancelled since the station never even went on the air. I found the logo by screenshot-ting an embarrassing, low-budget promo on YouTube, and later cut out the crawl. From what I can remember, there would be sports, kids shows, teen shows, local sports (high school and college), technology, and public affairs. As cable became more diversified, the scope of channel 13 changed, and would become TWC Sports for CNY (becoming Spectrum by 2016). There was one show called Life Without Shame, which came up on Facebook. Much else has faded into obscurity, but Cable 13 has a unique place in Syracuse TV history.

MyNetworkTV in Miami and Boston

 

Bay State Capital Region fantasy logo

MyNetworkTV was founded in 2006 by Fox after the merger of the WB and UPN formed the CW (now owned by Nexstar) in order to fill the vacuum. Today, it's more of a syndication service much like its sister network in early days. Ironically, two of the largest DMAs on the east coast no longer have a MyNetworkTV affiliate of their own. It could be that it never had high ratings to begin with, exacerbated by the rise in streaming services. Even smaller markets still have it. It depends more on reruns now and stopped having original shows such as English-language telenovelas (Latin American style soaps) and wrestling, which moved to cable.

In Boston, WSBK 38 went back to their indie roots once more (formerly on cable well into UPN days when some other areas had yet to get theirs until SyndEx made 38 useless). Non-network rival WHDH 7 could either have their main channel be the affiliate, or put it on .3.

In Miami and Ft Lauderdale, WBFS 33 could make a late switch. It's one the biggest markets in the South, of course. Then, you wonder if any small towns are missing out.

South Florida affiliate logo. A bit simplistic.

UPDATE (27/3/25): Warren Buffetts ABC/Local 10 WPLG will go indie on 4 August 2025 when ABC moves to 7.2 at Sunbeams (not the bread) Fox 7 WSVN of all places (rare for a Top 10 DMA), moving a local subchannel down. My10 would work too, even though either station could add another subchannel for MyNetworkTV. I only found this out just by going direct to WSVNs site when looking up something more suited to our sister blog (had the wrong area), but anyway. Sometimes, you just know when to strike while the iron is hot. I will update again if I learn anything else on the Gold Coast.

Another lazy composite. I did suggest it to them on X.

Carriage Dispute Healing

Part graffiti, part abstract art, part ransom note!

The TV business, like life, is one big Whack-a-Mole! Until Congress stop messing about (don't get me started), laws not upgraded since the Clinton administration will keep cable and satellite providers and broadcasters and networks, as well as the taxpayers to their own devices. Once again, I had to go beyond earthly means as described in the last post.  This time, the list on the left says Dish, DirecTV, Comcast Xfinity (Comcast as both owner of NBC O&OS like NBC 4 in NYC and LA and with the telecom Xfinity), and on the right, Hearst, Nexstar, Mission, Cox and Comcast again. The peace symbol from the previous entry is in the middle. I had to edit out typos and unrelated names on the desktop, which is why it now looks like a mishmash and so I wouldn't have to upload a hard copy all over again. Of course, this will only happen again, and I just can't keep up. Hearst owned many newspapers in the postwar era (I just know the Albany one), and are now a minority owner of ESPN, which is dominated by Disney, yet only have NBC 5 in Clinton County in my state. I took off Dish a while ago due to downsizing and other personal reasons. I drew one of these for the UAW strike too, but they're having less trouble by comparison, as far getting back to the bargaining table instead of another shade trade.

Back to the Table Talk

What the spirits led me to make.

I haven't posted in a period, not necessarily in solidarity with the writer and actors, but rather, there hasn't been much to add here that the established media hasn't already covered, and I've focused more on the sister blogs, as well as my own life. However, in a desperate search for answers, I went to the book shop and bought City Magick by Christopher Penczak. In the chapter Language of the Streets, he talks about Graffiti Sigils (not signals per se). One that stuck out was one that stood for making peace, which is what the studios and unions need to do after months of unending anguish. I'm no expert on wicca myself, mind, but I tried drawing the sigil (as opposed to tag or sign) and even wrote the names of the union and organisation initialisms, studios and a couple key names in sloppy, graffiti-esque font, along with other symbols for divine femininity (for Nanny star turned SAG-AFTRA leader Fran Drescher), health and balance, and removing obstacles, trying to conjure healing. The peace sigil even looks like the word strive, which is what the SAG-AFTRA and WGA-E & W members continue to do each day as they fight for everything they're owed.  I even tried pulling out the late Lew Wasserman, who knew Ronald Reagan when the later US President became head of SAG during the 1960 double strike. The 1988 writers strike was the last major Hollywood one in eithers lifetime and the second in mine. They didn't live to see the 2007-08 one, let alone this. They wouldn't be surprised by this one.

The latter and AMPTP return to the table this coming week. They must sort out the mess by this stage, then the others have their turn and we can move forward. A right fortune has been lost on many fronts.

In my drawing, the list on the left has Netflix, Hulu, Comcast, AMPTP, amazon, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Disney and Paramount. In the centre are the sigils for health and balance, divine  femininity, Fran (Drescher), peace, and higher guidance. On the right are IATSE, WGA-E, WGA-W, SAG-AFTRA, Lew (Wasserman) [typo fixed after upload], Reagan (Nancy might've gotten all this) and my signature. I wouldn't dare buy a tin of spray paint and go Banksy on someones property. MC Hammer said to do it on paper on a show he had in 1991 (that always stuck with me). Some may think shaman is sham and man put together, and I'm not one of those or using any label here, but I do have empath abilities, and it drives what I do. Life is not always like it is on TV, even "reality" TV.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! US Series 3

Caitlyn Jenner, 2017

 While all strikes eventually end, reality shows filled the vacuum since writers aren't needed.  Cops on Fox helped pave the way back in 1988, despite its reputation and also being an occasional target for parody (usually by another show on the network).  The turn of the millennium made "reality" a reality.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is a franchise from the UK made by ITV and also has international counterparts.  Twice, they tried in the US, several years apart; Series 1 on ABC, which included the now-Caitlyn Jenner (she went to the flagship later), and Series 2 six years on at NBC.  Neither did well in the ratings and were cancelled, making it another yet thing that just didn't catch on here in the States.  We even had Ant & Dec themselves over once for their other franchise Wanna Bet?, and they can't get arrested here either!  I heard of the Tyneside duo through The Irish Sun years ago.

Whilst we wait for a truce, maybe a third season could be pitched to another network or streamer.  It could be seen as an all-star Survivor, if you like, or even like a Celebrity Big Brother in the wilds.  Forgotten or washed-up celebs like A Martinez, Roseanne Barr, or even Lori Beth Denberg could revive their careers by going on the show.  Martina McBride doesn't know if she'll ever sing again and recover like country competitor Shania Twain, so she can do all these challenges in the middle of nowhere.  Singer-actor Jill Scott may participate since the athlete of the same name just did the last UK series with Boy George.

I stopped watching this kind of show a long time ago because I have no interest.  Annie Lennox has spoken out about celebrity culture.  I know that she and four others I mentioned are more suited for the sister blog.  I love Boy George to bits, and he signed a big deal to do the show just after he and Culture Club were in town again despite a row with the ex.  Anyway, it's just an idea of what could be done for now, as this is a bridge that has to be repaired, not burned, if you will.  Even when everything's back to normal, IACGMOOHUS might be a reboot that reintroduces the overseas sensation to North American audiences.  There could also be two Canadian versions, each in English and French, for Canadian content purposes with people from there, and they can also go to Australia or South Africa, staying in the Commonwealth, or go to Costa Rica or another out of the way locale, like the US or UK versions.

WGA Strike

Tim Robbins at the 2007-08 strike downstate (WGA-E), November 2007 (the ex went to Albany instead this year)

 Here we go again.  The studios and the Writers' Guild of America have failed in negotiations and WGA are once more are on the picket line.  A strike is the last resort for any union.  The last one from November 2007 to February 2008 cost over a billion dollars in lost revenue just before the last recession to boot.  I just hope this one isn't as long.  They don't last forever.  Every union eventually have to return to the bargaining table and sort it out with management.  Streaming and now AI are everywhere, and residuals aren't as guaranteed after fifty years time.  The pandemic has also affected Hollywood and pretty much all of society, and has emboldened workers to fight for more, from a rise to benefits to better treatment.  We all want that, and it's frustrating to see an industry tied up when one side or the other isn't ready to haggle.  For less lucrative labour, when David or Goliath is at the end of his rope at it were, then it's time to settle.  Glad I was too young to notice when this happened in the late '80s.  This isn't the kind of business that can have scabs like a plant because of the money and lawyers involved.  We had less trouble with the railway row just a while ago, even though they didn't get everything they demanded.  I'm no Norma Rae myself, mind, but I was in a union myself once.

Writers, we all love you and appreciate all of your hard work.  Fight the good fight and go back to the table soon so history doesn't repeat itself.  I'm not trying to meddle or cross the picket line, but nobody wants this to drag on into next season.  I'll ask the spirits when we can expect you to reconcile with the studios with the crystal ball, the original AI or AP wire since antiquity, if you like (it says 13 May or 8 June [checked thrice], or even when strike funds run out).  Good luck in the trenches.  Come back soon.

Katy Perry (née Hudson) 2001 début

Low-res fair use scan of CD for eBay

 From the sister blog.  Because Katy Perry is on American Idol on ABC, this qualifies here.

CW 9 WGN

Possible logo configuration

With Tribunes TV division being sold to Sinclair, perhaps they may look into re-establishing the Chicago conglomerates flagships affiliation with the CW, which went to my50 WPWR in Gary as I posted a while ago.  New owners often means new people and new decisions.  It would be like with my38 in Boston.  However, it would cause a seismic shift in the schedule for both stations.  It could take up to a year for Washington to approve and another for operations to be absorbed fully.  The local news might appeal more to the Collar Counties west of town after the sale is complete with Sinclair having a reputation similar to FNC (myNetworks sister station).  I wanted to start a new post instead of just adding onto the old one.  SBC already have CNYcentral near me which includes CW 6.  WGN meanwhile remains a separate animal from sister station WGN America (now NewsNation) which used to have channel 9 outside the Chicago DMA, just as CWs half-sister TBS now have a different agenda to the original channel 17 in Atlanta which remains indie.  In the meantime, WGN 9 is now sister to Newschannel 9 WSYR ABC in Syracuse and CBS 9 WNCT in Greenville, NC.

UPDATE: Even though WGN and the CW are now sister subsidiaries of Nexstar, Weigel flagship WCIU is the affiliate for the Chicagoland DMA today.

UPDATE 2: WGN will return to the CW on 1 September 2024 along with a reshuffling of Nexstar stations that include KLFY 10.2 laFayette Parish, LA and WVBT 43.2 Norfolk, VA, both which have room on their tiers to move down the smaller networks the CW are replacing. Back in Chicago, WCIU will go back to being the U (indie).

TV stars with CNY ties

Vanessa L. Williams in a red carpet-ready red dress!  The L is for local!

There is a plethora of household names that have past personal ties to Central New York as it's too easy to start in a big area.  Been meaning to do this.  Here is a list of ones I know:

Kevin James (attended SUNY Cortland)
Al Roker (attended SUNY Oswego)
Peter Falk* (also attended Hamilton College)

Richard Gere (lived in North Syracuse; appeared on the BBCs MotherFatherSon)
Mike Tirico*

Kevin Michael Richardson*

Bobcat Goldthwait (grew up in East Syracuse)

Tom Kenny (same)
David Muir* (born in Syracuse; formerly on CBS 5; now on ABC)
Jerry Seinfeld (attended SUNY Oswego)
Andrew Daly (attended Ithaca College)

Anne Burrell (grew up in Cazenovia)

Ina Garten*
Ricki Lake (also went to IC)
Ann Coulter (went to Cornell across town)
Keith Olbermann (went to Cornells east campus)
Megyn Kelly* (lived in Syracuse, but later lived in Albany County)
Tom Everett Scott* (does TV occasionally)

Edie McClurg*
Debra Wilson*
Jeff Glor* (formerly of NBC 3 WSTM; originally from WNY)
Bob Costas*

Lindsey Vonn*

Marv Albert*
Ted Koppel*
John Walsh (born in Auburn)
Annette Funicello (born in Utica)
Dick Clark*
Taye Diggs*
Jerry Stiller*
Vanessa L. Williams (pictured; was on Ugly Betty, and is now on Daytime Divas, and is the only local legend on both this and the sister blogs post on CNY)*

*SU alumni

NET: The return?

Classic colour logo.

NET were the predecessor of PBS, which took over in October 1970 and NET was absorbed by WNDT downstate to become flagship WNET 13.  Since there are several indie stations in the country that are neither PBS (anymore in some cases as I'll get to in a bit) or commercial, there could be a new network for them to join.  Just as commercial indies in the past few decades turned to Fox, the WB, UPN, the CW and my Network TV, their non-profit rivals could have a place of their own.
The coasts have WNYE in the tri-state and KCET (which I explained in an earlier post) in LA.  Others like them include WPDS in Largo, FL and WLAE in New Orleans, LA just to name a few.
In the Commonwealth, there can be two pubcasters per nation.  The UK has the BBC and Channel 4, Canada with the CBC (English) and Ici Radio Canada-Télé (French) as well as Ontarios TVO for Anglophones and TVFO for Francophones, Australia with the ABC (as different from Americas as the two Woolworths are, as I told Cody Simpson and Kylie Minogue) and SBS (closer in aspect to PBS compared to Aunty), and New Zealands TVNZ and Māori (not directly owned by Wellington).  In the US, PBS is TV while NPR is radio.  They have their own fish to fry with funding fears.  Not sure how this would work as far as that.  Washington directly owning a network isn't quite the way it goes, and PBS are collectively owned by their member networks being non-profit and uncommercial.
As I said the other week, NET Journal would work now as hot button issues exist today that the documentary series could cover.  It paved the way for Ken Burns and POV.
The state PBS network in Nebraska are called NET but they would have to change their name to Nebraska PBS or Cornhusker PBS if they had to for TV, and NPR Nebraska for radio.  Don't think WNET would go back to their old callsign however.  There have been other unrelated networks called NET due to the generic nature of the name.  Just as there could be dark commercial stations left lingering across the country, it'd be a task trying to make an affiliate in every DMA.  The FCC have a licence for both kinds of stations.  Public ones are in the same boat as registered charities and houses of worship as far as tax-exempt status and not making profits.  Contributions from the audience can be written off.  The Ford Foundation bankrolled NET before CPB was formed.  Since not even the major commercial networks have an affiliate in every town the antithesis of such would have a more uphill challenge.  WPBS, WSKG and WCNY back in Upstate NY have two transmitters each but they don't have the same shows as the competition of course so it's not like how CBS in Utica and NBC in Watertown had been lacking a local voice until recently.  NET could even be on existing PBS member stations' tiers if ion affiliates can have as many as six channels on a set.
UK imports like Still Open All Hours are three series behind so NET could have the newest ones as Britbox, a joint venture of the BBC and itv online isn't for everyone.  Streaming is the latest threat to public television although Independent Lens and Masterpiece can be viewed that way these days.
NET could be another source of smart programming needed in a world of mindless "reality" shows and graphic scripted series trying to turn a fast buck.
Maybe a different name would work as NET could get confused with Netflix.

MyNetworkTV

Modified from former CLE 43 logo.

MyNetworkTV is one of the last new TV networks to launch prior to DTV being standard and after The WB and UPN folded in the CW.  A weak sister of Fox, it tried having Anglophone telenovelas (usually a Hispanophone phenomenon, yet ABCs version of the Ugly Betty franchise held its own) but the ratings were as bad as some of the sister networks obscure short-lived series!  It is not a network per se, now but rather a syndicated package, yet affiliates don't identify as indie the way WPCH (née WTBS) in Atlanta does.  SVU (also on similar rival ION) has repeats as do several other shows on MNTV.  Due to the large scale nature of the American TV industry, it would be tedious to list every small market that has yet to get their own, as a network would have roughly 200 stations nationwide.  Watertown, NY is only just about to get their station (albeit the same channel as AntennaTV) and Alpena, MI now share it with the sister networks station there as MNTV are a lower priority.  Plattsburgh, NY (the last area in my state left to get one after down US 11), Columbus, GA (halfway between Atlanta and Florida), and Ft Myers, FL (my only contact there would never watch it anyway) are just a couple places left to conquer.  Now W45EC-D in Erie, PA could become my 45 WECD (pictured).  Just when you think there couldn't be another space to fill!  The next one west in Cuyahoga County is now called CLE 43 WUAB to avoid confusion perhaps with CNY's own my 43 WNYS.

NBC 26 WNYD

Had to edit the picture due to Fox/Disney split.

    They say that one thing leads to another, and it always does.  Also, just when you think the entire country is covered, somewhere falls through the cracks.  Someone mentioned getting NBC 7 & 4 from Traverse City which lead me to finding out the resort town of Alpena, MI until recently were in the same boat as fellow Great Lakes city Watertown, NY as far as not having NBC or MyNetworkTV to call their own, making this the next frontier to conquer.  However, I've only been to the Midwest once in my life, so I know even less about there myself than New Yorks North Country which I have been to several times.  Then again, NBC 45's owner are based in southern Georgia, so it's not uncommon for a station owner to be based out of town and/or state as it's not uncommon, even in Roscommon.  The FCC just cares that a licence is paid for and regulations are followed.
    Through a shared sales agreement, cable-only CW 21 WBAE (yes, that's a real station!) could be simulcast on 26.3 as predecessor The WB had cable based affiliates for smaller markets in the past.  One of the little networks like ThisTV could be on 26.4.  Channels 18 and 31 are also available to create new tiers with these newer netlets as the possibilities are almost endless now.  New call letters would have to be found as the ones they had look more like the kind for translators such as W63AE in Oneonta which simulcasted ABC 20 WUTR in Utica back in Upstate NY in analogue days to Otsego County and the northern Catskills, yet these new stations will be over in the Wolverine State, which like much of the Midwest largely lacks elevation which can disrupt signals especially in the elements.  Sky truly is our (if) only limit now.
If there's another lesser known area missing a certain channel based there I'll eventually hear of it and come out of my occasional writers block.  Meanwhile, Alpena sounds like a nice place to visit during the summer, so I could see how it goes there, but that's a story for another day.

UPDATE: The major networks are now on WBKB 11, with CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox and MyNetworkTV together respectively. A real WBAE licenced with the FCC is a radio station in Portland, ME. WNYD is an unused station in the NYC Tri-State (which makes more sense, even though there's more than enough on air there, while Alpena is the polar opposite, with only two DMAs even smaller than them). Now a silent signal registered in Thunder Bay could be revived for the smaller networks, but that would take research for another post.

Planet Fitness

Columbia, SC location where they get NBC 10, CBS 19, ABC 25, and Fox 57.

For a few years I've gone to Planet Fitness and there are a number of TVs on mute that you can only hear through a few types of equipment on headphone.  They will have the first four along with Fox News (sister to Fox), CNN and HLN (ex-sisters to TWC), ESPN (sister to ABC), MSNBC and CNBC (owned by Comcast; you see the pattern), MTV and VH1 (ex-sisters to CBS), A&E (Duck Dynasty are the flagship show there now much to Morrisseys ire), and in the case of Time Warner Cable in Upstate NY, Time Warner Cable News; all depending on the franchise.  Other gyms may do this too as far as I know as there was a report on TVs in a publicly run community gym mainly used by pensioners the other week.  Back at PF sometimes a TV doesn't work right or at all. Some locations have Cardio Theatre which has a TV on each individual machine with a remote attached which will get all the channels provided by the cable company there.  As I posted earlier the future Cortland, NY location will have two stations each of CBS and Fox being roughly between Syracuse and Binghamton.  The existing one near Ithaca in the next county will have Onondaga County ones with one each for Broome and Chemung/Steuben County (both Twin Tiers).  Once my gym exists I can write off TWC and other business expenses on my taxes.  TV like the Tannoy (PA) can become part of the furniture however when people go to the gym to keep their figure!  Better than being at home on the settee all day!

No news is good news?

Fox 68/My 43 Studios in Syracuse

    Not all affiliates of the big four broadcasts get a newscast at 12 Noon and 10 PM or at all. I know ABC 20 WUTR in Utica didn't have news for a time but now even sister station Fox 33 WFXV has news at 10. Fox 68 WSYT along with sister station my 43 WNYS have changed hands recently so they may bring back news in the near future having carried NBC 3 WSTM and CBS 5 WTVH provided news (before they merged as part of CNY Central). However CNY Central no longer have 12.00 News on either channel anymore but have it on CW 6 WSTQ at 10 PM. Unfortunately with competition from Time Warner Cable news for local and regional stories and CNN and MSNBC for national and international coverage, local news operations struggle in the ratings and not many people are home at lunch time anymore for that. Smaller areas may also have limited news staff if any or have a simulcast from a sister station which is the case with ABC 50 WWTI in Watertown carrying Syracuse counterpart NewsChannel 9 WSYRs news two counties away sharing owners and network franchise with some central-casting. As if morning shows weren't cutthroat enough, trying to keep news departments running in low-rated markets can be an uphill battle.

Branding

The way it ought to be and where I wanna live until April!

Fox helped start a trend in the broadcast business with branding to show where the network is in each area.  While there's my43 in my neck of the woods and CBS 2 in LA, not every station has caught onto this pattern. Take WSVN in Miami.  It should be called Fox 7 especially as it's a larger area.  Up the east coast in New York City ex-indie superstation WPIX is called PIX 11 Home of the CW rather than just being CW 11 despite being the flagship.  Sister station WGN in Chicago isn't referred to officially as CW 9 either and has a cable channel for the rest of the nation.  For a less populated region WYOU in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area could be CBS 22 being all UHF over the air being surrounded by two larger markets and a few small ones with the risk of overlap on VHF (there's also ABC 16 WNEP).  For convenience they're within the first dozen channels on cable and FiOS.  Closer to home, NewsChannel 2 WKTV (NBC) in Utica (another common practice) is on channel 4 on Time Warner Cable in Oneida, Herkimer and Hamilton counties.  Sometimes the number isn't featured, such as Fox Rochester WUHF (31).  This is mainly an American phenomenon as it's not the same everywhere else, so you may never think of CBC affiliate CKWS in Kingston, ONT (also on TWC in the Mohawk Valley yet far from Canada) as CBC 11 but TV there is a whole other matter as most stations are O&Os with translators outside the big cities and have to follow Canadian content regulations enforced by the CRTC, north of the 49th Parallels answer to the FCC.  In my backyard if I tell a TWC customer that I watch channel 24 on Saturday nights I have to tell them that I mean WCNY (PBS) not ESPN!  On the road I sometimes know the local lineup in a nutshell.

Identity crisis

The ABCs (Australia) studio in Sydney, NSW

I put a similar post on the sister blog so I'll put this here now.
ABC - Australia (pictured), the Philippines and USA
Fox - network and FNC which are related yet different in scope
BrightHouse - former US cable service HQ in CNY and UK retailer
Cablevision - NYC, Service Electric Cablevision in NE PA, Cooke CableVision (sold in 1992 to Adelphia), early name for Bright House, and Southern Cayuga County Cablevision in Upstate NY.
Time Warner - cable and conglomerate (ex-parent company of TWC)
NBC - USA, the Philippines and Namibia
Dish Network and Dish Nation
Yes - UK, US (sister to Fox) and Canada
Ghostbusters - Filmation and Sony (you get the idea)