How the 1994-96 realignment worked differently if WCAU became a Fox station instead of NBC?

Chapter 81: June 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Time Warner reorganizes divisions

    Time Warner Inc. announced a plan to reorganize several divisions in a cost-cutting move, after the purchase of Tribune Company.
    • Many Tribune-owned newspapers like The Chicago Tribune, were consolidated into Time Inc.
    • The Tribune Entertainment syndicated division was folded into Telepictures Distribution and Warner Bros. Television Distribution.
    • The Tribune Broadcasting and Turner Broadcasting television division were merged under the group of The WB Television Group, and the broadcasting unit was renamed to The WB Television Stations.
    • The WB, a network formerly owned by Time Warner will be absorbed into Turner Broadcasting.
    • New Line Cinema's distribution unit was folded into Warner Bros. Pictures.
    • The news stations produced by Tribune Broadcasting was merged with CNN.
    Time Warner also saw the shutdown of several Tribune-related divisions.

    -

    Midway outbid Hasbro for Atari assets

    Midway Games of Chicago had outbid Hasbro Interactive for $50 million, for the Atari name and assets from JTS Corporation. This was able to reunite all pieces of Atari, including Atari Games and Atari Corporation. Hasbro's price cost $5 million. Midway's price cost $50 million. Atari Games, meanwhile announced plans to launch Centipede 3D for the arcade market.

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    Disney/Guy Gannett merger completed

    The merger between The Walt Disney Company and Guy Gannett Communications was completed. All of the seven Guy Gannett television stations were integrated into the ABC owned-and-operated television station family.

    KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids and WMTW in Portland would switch to CBS, before it was completed, while WTXL-TV in Tallahassee would switch to NBC.

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    NBC to buy WTXL-TV

    NBC announced negotiations to buy the Tallahassee station WTXL-TV for $1 billion, which is more than Tydings' asking price. WTXL-TV operates as a NBC station shortly after Disney purchased Guy Gannett Communications.

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    Berkshire Hathaway to buy Evening Post Industries

    Berkshire Hathaway announced a $22.5 billion offer to purchase Evening Post Industries, who owns a series of successful newspapers in The Post and Courier. This makes Berkshire Hathaway the top leader in newspapers. The broadcasting unit Cordillera Communications will be sold to NBC, with some exceptions below.

    The only exceptions were the Boise station KIVI-TV which was transferred to Disney/ABC, while KATC-TV in Lafayette, KTVQ in Billings, KXLF-TV in Butte and its Bozeman satellite KBZK, KRTV in Great Falls and its Helena satellite KXLH-LD, Missoula station KPAX-TV and its Kalispell satellite KAJJ-CD, which would instead be transferred to Sony/CBS.
     
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    • Chapter 82: July 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    WVTM to be rebranded

    The current Fox affiliate in Birmingham, WVTM-TV will be rebranded as "Fox 13" effective this August, reflecting its status as an owned-and-operated station. WVTM-TV would air a three-hour schedule block on Saturday mornings, which met to comply with FCC's "educational-and-informational" quota like Wild About Animals, Secrets of the Animal Kingdom, Inside High School Basketball, Popular Mechanics for Kids, Click, and Student Bodies.

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    UPN pushes forward with news

    The United Paramount Network, owned by the Paramount Stations Group, whose two of the flagships were WWOR-TV in New York and KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, was pushing forward by helping more stations to add local news, starting in the fall of 1997.

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    Granite Broadcasting divesture completed

    Granite Broadcasting has officially been dismantled. KNTV in San Jose, was sold off to Disney/ABC and becoming a semi-satellite of KGO-TV in San Francisco. Two other stations in Buffalo, and Fort Wayne was also sold to Disney/ABC. Sony/CBS purchased most of Granite's stations including Lansing, Syracuse, Austin, and Battle Creek, and acquired complete control of the St. Louis and Shreveport stations. NBC purchased the Peoria, Fresno and Duluth stations.

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    Fox won construction permit for new San Diego license

    Fox Television Stations Inc. won a construction permit for a San Diego television license operating on channel 32. It was expected to start by the January of 1998. It was notified that the Spanish-language XETV would lose its Fox affiliation, and became a fully Spanish station.

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    Disney to complete Fisher acquisition

    The Walt Disney Company has completed its Fisher Broadcasting acquisition. This means that KOMO-TV would became the three owned and operated television station serving the Seattle area, the first of which was KING-TV, which had became a NBC owned and operated station two years earlier, and the second, KSTW-TV became a WB owned and operated station.

    Pending acquisitions include KCPQ-TV, which will became a CBS owned and operated station, KIRO-TV, which will became a Fox owned and operated station through the LDS Church buyout, and KJZZ-TV which will became a UPN owned and operated station.

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    Sony to approve IFE offer

    Sony Pictures Entertainment, who owns film and television properties, approved the $3 billion offer for International Family Entertainment. This means current MTM shows like Sparks, Good News and The Pretender will became Sony productions. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, which MTM presently distributed will be transferred to Columbia TriStar.

    The MTM game shows that was originated on The Family Channel, like Family Challenge, Shopping Spree and It Takes Two would move to Sony's own Game Show Network, becoming GSN originals.

    Our history between MTM and CBS dates back to the 1970s when The Mary Tyler Moore Show premiered.
     
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    • Chapter 83: July 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Boston and Dallas to focus on local programming

    The ABC owned-and-operated stations WCVB-TV in Boston and WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth had completely stopped airing acquired programs, to dominate the schedule to local programming outside of ABC's program hours, effective September 8, 1997. NBC's KCNC-TV in Denver was the first to stop putting acquired programs in 1990, to be held several years later by New World's KTVU and WTTV, both Fox affiliates in the respective San Francisco and Indianapolis markets.

    Both the Dallas and Boston ABC O&Os would completely focus their attention to their newscasts. Boston was rated sixth in the television market, and Dallas was eighth in the television market.

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    CBS/Retlaw merger sent FCC approval

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the $2.5 billion offer to transfer Retlaw Enterprises to Sony/CBS. KJEO-TV in Fresno, KIMA-TV in Yakima and its two satellites, KIDK in Idaho Falls, KBCI-TV in Boise and KVAL-TV in Eugene, and two satellites became CBS owned-and-operated stations.

    ABC already had an owned-and-operated station in 1985 when it bought out KFSN-TV to became the ABC affiliate for the Fresno market. NBC has another when it bought out a station from Granite, KSEE.

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    USA Network to air NBC shows

    Thanks to the General Electric/Seagram merger, it was announced that USA Network will air rebroadcasts of NBC programs, such as Caroline in the City, Veronica's Closet, Profiler, Players, The Naked Truth, Jenny, The Tony Danza Show and Just Shoot Me!, both of them were current and upcoming shows effective the fall of 1997.

    In a cost-cutting move, General Electric agreed to sell its shares in Brillstein-Grey Entertainment back to Brad Grey, and its NBC Enterprises division will be merged into Universal Television Enterprises.

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    ABC to buy WOTV

    ABC announced its agreement to purchase WOTV-TV in Grand Rapids for $4 billion. It would make Grand Rapids an ABC owned-and-operated station. ABC would also acquire NBC's local marketing agreement for WOTV-TV, thus giving the Grand Rapids station two owned-and-operated stations in the television market.

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    NBC to buy Max Media Properties

    NBC announced a $5.3 billion offer to purchase Max Media Properties. Max Media Properties' television properties include WKEF-TV in Dayton, KETK-TV in Tyler and its satellite KLSB-TV. Fox Television Stations announced negotiations to buy WSYT in Syracuse, KBSI in Paducah and WEMT in Tri-Cities Tennessee, while Paramount Stations Group would purchase WNYS-TV in Syracuse, WDKA-TV in Paducah and WMMP-TV in Charleston, and Westwood One would purchase the radio stations.

    This made the Dayton market its fourth owned and operated station. ABC already has one in Dayton in 1996 when it bought out WDTN-TV as part of the five-company merger. Fox had another one when it bought out WRGT from ABRY Holdings last year. CBS has another this year when it bought out WHIO-TV from Cox.
     
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    • Chapter 84: August 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Fox/First Media merger set for FCC approval

    The $2 billion merger between Fox Television Stations Inc. and First Media Television set for FCC approval. This means two television markets in Portland and Greenville will be added to Fox's owned and operated station lineup.
    • Fox would only retain KPDX-TV in Portland and WHNS-TV in Greenville.
    • Fox opted not to keep WCPX-TV in Orlando, which was instead sold to Sony/CBS
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    Sony completes IFE merger

    Sony Pictures Entertainment, whose holdings include movie studios Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures, and TV network CBS has completed its offer to purchase International Family Entertainment, which cost $3 billion.

    The newest MTM project Good News will be transferred to Columbia TriStar, who also has the two MTM shows Sparks and The Pretender, and a show transferred from CBS, Caroline in the City. The MTM game show Shopping Spree will move to Game Show Network after the acquisition.

    The history of MTM and CBS date back to the 1970s when The Mary Tyler Moore Show premiered.

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    Boston and Philadelphia stations changed by NBC

    NBC had completed changes made for the Boston and Philadelphia stations. The NBC trimulcast (WWAC (channel 40)-WMNJ (channel 48)-WOCI (channel 57)) in Philadelphia, changed its moniker to "NBC Philadelphia", and wanted to produce more local news coverage. The Boston station WNEN will change its callsign to "WBTS", and changed its on-air branding to "NBC 25".

    Both the Boston, Philadelphia and Raleigh stations were purchased by Outlet Communications in 1994, and all three, along with the Providence and Columbus stations were sold to NBC in 1996.

    -

    FCC approves BH/CBS/Dispatch merger

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the $10 billion offer that Berkshire Hathaway, the world's largest newspaper publisher would acquire The Columbus Dispatch, and an additional $750 million offer is granted for CBS was the Columbus stations WBNS-AM-FM-TV in Columbus and WTHR-TV in Indianapolis.

    WTHR-TV was previously an NBC affiliate, until the NBC-LIN acquisition came along that saw WISH-TV and WTHR-TV to swap affiliations.

    -

    FCC approves MGM/Paxson merger

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the $8 billion merger between MGM and Paxson Communications. WPBF-TV would be sold to Disney for $950 million, becoming West Palm Beach's ABC owned-and-operated station. Lowell Paxson will join MGM Television to start a seventh network in the fall of 1998 (the ITTL version of Ion Television), and brought the MGM film library to the small screen.
     
    • Chapter 85: August 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    NBC to buy four VHF stations

    NBC, a subsidiary of General Electric announced negotiations to buy four VHF stations, two from the Manship family, one from the Columbia University, and one from Communications Corporation of America, all for $7.5 billion, higher than what the asking prices for Manship and Columbia got. Both WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV are ABC affiliates owned by the Manship family, while KOMU-TV is Columbia University's NBC affiliate, and KTSM-TV is NBC affiliate owned by Communications Corporation of America.

    The Baton Rogue and Brownsville stations would dislodge the existing UHF stations WVLA-TV and KVEO-TV, which are owned by the Galloway family. In a similar manner to WTVJ, which NBC had to run it as a CBS affiliate until the contract runs out on December 1988 and KDAF-TV, which CBS agreed to run it as a Fox affiliate until the contract runs out on July 1995, NBC agreed to run WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV as ABC affiliates until its contract was expired. In any case, these two were reunited with its original home until their 1976-77 defections.

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    Fox to buy Communications Corporation of America

    Fox Television Stations Inc. announced a $3.6 billion dollar offer to buy Communications Corporation of America. These include WGMB-TV in Baton Rouge, KADN-TV in Lafayette, KMSS-TV in Shreveport, WNTZ-TV in Alexandria, KWKT-TV in Waco, and in the process of buying KFXK in Tyler, Texas.

    This excludes KVEO-TV and WVLA-TV, which was instead transferred to Disney/ABC, and Paramount Stations Group is in the process of buying the Galloway stations K46DG, KSHV-TV in Shreveport and KAKW in Austin, Texas. The aforementioned NBC is in the process of buying KTSM-TV in El Paso.

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    CBS completes Retlaw merger

    CBS is completing the $2.5 billion offer for Retlaw Enterprises. Retlaw Enterprises is owner of KJEO-TV in Fresno, KIMA-TV in Yakima and its two satellites, KIDK in Idaho Falls, KBCI-TV in Boise and KVAL-TV in Eugene, and two satellites.

    All of these Retlaw stations will became CBS owned-and-operated stations.

    -

    Westwood One to buy Capitol Broadcasting

    Westwood One, owners of NBC Radio Network, announced its negotiations to buy Capitol Broadcasting Company for $5 billion. The offer kept the WRAL stations, and forced to sell WRAL-TV to CBS, and WJZY-TV, which was instead transferred to Paramount Stations Group.

    CBS also bought out the baseball team Durham Bulls.

    -

    FCC approves NBC/Sunbelt offer

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the offer that NBC received a $7.5 billion offer to purchase Sunbelt Broadcasting Company, who owns KPVI in Pocatello, KYMA in Yuma, KVBC-TV in Las Vegas and KRNV-TV in Reno, while KKVI would be spun-off to Fox Television Stations.
     
    • Chapter 86: September 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Fox rebrands WHDH, WSVN stations

    Fox Television Stations announced that they will rebrand the two Sunbeam Television stations WHDH and WSVN as "Fox 7", to match in line with co-owned stations in Austin, and the rebrand will took effect next month.

    WSVN joined Fox in 1989 and WHDH joined Fox in 1995, both became owned and operated stations later that same year.

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    FCC approves NBC/KSBY offer

    The Federal Communications Commission is approving the offer that NBC would bought out KSBY-TV in Santa Barbara. KSBY-TV is long the sister station of the popular KSBW-TV in Santa Cruz. They would owns the properties. KSBW-TV is now a NBC owned and operated station.

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    Fox rebrands stations

    Fox is now rebranding WCAU in Philadelphia, WTTV in Indianapolis, WVTM in Birmingham and KTVU in San Francisco to "Fox 10", "Fox 4", "Fox 13" and "Fox 2" respectively, by effect on Labor Day 1997, because of Fox's purchase of New World Communications.

    A three-hour educational block will be simulcast by the New World stations which include Wild About Animals, Secrets of the Animal Kingdom, Inside High School Basketball, Popular Mechanics for Kids, Peer Pressure and Click, in addition to Student Bodies and local paid programming.

    -

    Berkshire Hathaway to buy Gray Communications

    Berkshire Hathaway announced negotiations to buy Gray Communications, who is owning newspapers, while NBC would buy Gray's television holdings which include WALB-TV in Albany, WJHG-TV in Panama City and WITN-TV in Greenville, but exclude WCTV in Tallahassee, WVLT-TV in Knoxville, WKYT-TV and WYMT in the Kentucky area, which was instead sold to Sony/CBS, and WRDW was sold off to Disney/ABC. The price tag cost $6.4 billion.

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    ABC to buy Grapevine Communications

    ABC announced negotiations to buy Grapevine Communications, who owns KAAL in Austin and KODE-TV in Joplin, while NBC would purchase KTVE-TV in El Dorado, and Fox Television Stations would purchase KTBY-TV in Anchorage.
     
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    • Chapter 87: September 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    FCC approves NBC/Liberty merger

    The Federal Communications Commission has approved the NBC/AETNA takeover of Liberty Corporation. This would mean what WSFA-TV in Montgomery, KAIT in Jonesboro, WFIE in Evansville, WAVE in Louisville, KPLC in Lake Charles, WLOX in Biloxi, WTOL in Toledo and its flagship WIS in Columbia becoming NBC O&Os. NBC switched to WTOL-TV in October 1995, sending the former CBS affiliation to WNWO-TV (of which CBS had acquired two years earlier), which lost its ABC affiliation to WTVG-TV, which became an owned and operated station.

    This makes the Toledo market four owned and operated television stations.

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    ToledoVision to convert into FCC-based license

    The cable ToledoVision 5 has agreed to convert into a full Federal Communications Commission license operating on UHF channel 48, so it won't interfere with WKBD-TV in Detroit. ToledoVision 5 is the WB affiliate on the Toledo market there.

    -

    Berkshire Hathaway to buy The New York Times Company

    Berkshire Hathaway announced a $50 billion offer to purchase The New York Times Company. Berkshire Hathaway felt they were not interested in broadcasting, and the broadcasting business was sold off to CBS. CBS would include ABC affiliates WNEP-TV in Scranton and WQAD-TV in Rock Island, which would displace WYOU-TV in Scranton and WHBF-TV in Rock Island.

    Because both Scranton and Rock Island's ABC affiliates did not expire until September 1998, CBS had to automatically run WNEP and WQAD as ABC affiliates.

    -

    WCVB and WFAA going all news

    The ABC owned-and-operated stations WCVB in Boston and WFAA in Dallas/Fort Worth had officially dropped all acquired programming, and decided to focus more on their news activity and all local programming, outside of their network programming hours.

    This is not the first time, they do so. KCNC-TV, a NBC owned and operated station is the first to do so in 1990, followed in 1996 by Fox affiliates WTTV-TV in Indianapolis and KTVU in San Francisco, which had converted to all local programming.

    -

    CBS to buy Rochester station

    CBS announced negotiations to purchase WROC-TV in Rochester, New York for $6 billion, higher than Smith's asking price. The Rochester station would be the third owned-and-operated station in the market, the first would be WOKR-TV, which was purchased by ABC via the Guy Gannett acquisition and the second would be WHEC-TV, which NBC acquired via the Chronicle broadcasting purchase.
     
    • Chapter 88: October 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    FCC approves ABC/Citadel merger

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the merger between The Walt Disney Company and Citadel Communications, who owns WOI-TV in Des Moines, KCAU-TV in Sioux City and KLKN-TV in Lincoln, as well as its satellite KLKE in Alboin, as well as CBS affiliate in Rock Island, WHBF-TV.

    This resulted in the displacement of ABC from WQAD-TV. Since WQAD-TV's affiliation contract did not expire until September 1998, ABC had to run WHBF-TV as a CBS affiliate.

    -

    NBC/KSBY offer completed

    NBC announced negotiations to complete and close the KSBY-TV offer. KSBY-TV will again became a sister station to KSBW-TV in Santa Cruz. Both of them were NBC affiliates, and it was previously under co-ownership.

    NBC will be powerful here and it will be the top-rated network.

    -

    U.S. Broadcast Group/NBC merger approved

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the merger between NBC and U.S. Broadcast Group. U.S. Broadcast Group is owner of four television stations. Three of them KNSF-TV in Joplin, KJAC-TV in Port Arthur and KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls were already NBC affiliates, and WMGC-TV in Binghamton will became a NBC station.

    Since NBC's WBGH-LP contract did not expire until September 1998, NBC had forced to run WMGC-TV in Binghamton as an ABC affiliate.

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    Ellis Communications shuttered

    Ellis Communications, the Atlanta-based company announced that they would finally dismantle their operations. Connoisseur Communications Partners LP, Fox Television Stations, Paramount Stations Group, CBS, NBC and Disney took over pieces of the Ellis assets.

    Bert Ellis would became president of ABC's owned and operated television stations group.

    -

    CBS to buy Evansville station

    CBS announced that they would receive a $2 billion offer from Ralph Wilson to purchase WEVV-TV in Evansville. Two of the Evansville markets already received owned-and-operated stations in the market, NBC's WFIE-TV, and Fox's WTVW.
     
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    • Chapter 89: October 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Fox/First Media merger completed

    The $2 billion merger between Fox Television Stations Inc. and First Media Television has been completed. Fox only opted to keep KPDX-TV in Portland and WHNS-TV in Greenville, but never kept WCPX-TV in Orlando, because it was sold to Sony/CBS.

    -

    News Corporation completed LDS Church offer

    News Corporation is completing the $10 billion offer to purchase The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and merged it with HarperCollins, another News Corporation subsidiary. The radio operations of the LDS Church would be integrated into Fox Radio Networks, while the two stations under Bonneville, KSL-TV in Salt Lake City and KIRO-TV in Seattle became Fox owned and operated stations, under the ownership of Fox Television Stations. This gave Salt Lake four owned and operated TV stations in the market, with KUTV (NBC), KTVX (ABC, after Chris-Craft traded the station to Hubbard for the Tampa station) and KSTU (CBS) being the other O&Os.

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    Paramount to buy KJZZ

    Paramount was in talks with Larry Miller to buy KJZZ-TV for $1 billion. This intended to gave the Salt Lake market the fifth owned and operated television property. It also owns and operates UPN stations in large markets like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

    Paramount also talked to Rainbow to buy WRBW-TV in Orlando for $950 million, giving Orlando a UPN O&O.

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    FCC approved 100% of KUTV ownership

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the offer that NBC would buy the remaining 12% of the KUTV station. KUTV was a NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City, becoming the second place television network, behind KSL-TV, and KTVX-TV, the ABC owned-and-operated station went in third place.

    -

    Argyle Television Holdings II sale approved by FCC

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved Disney's $750 million offer to buy Argyle Television Holdings II. This owns and operates four ABC television stations in Fort Ville, Jackson, Grand Rapids and Honolulu. Two other Argyle stations, in Buffalo and Providence were sold respectively, to Sony/CBS, and Fox Television Stations for $250 million.
     
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    • Chapter 90: November 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Capitol District stations swapped facilities

    NBC and CBS announced negotiations to swap out the channel 6 and channel 13 transmitter facilities for the Capitol District market. This would mean that the WRGB intellectual unit (CBS shows, call letters, network and staff) would now be on channel 13, while WNYT's intellectual unit (NBC shows, calls, network and staff) would now be on channel 6. Both were in the Capitol District market. CBS had just purchased Freedom Communications' broadcasting unit last year, while NBC was purchasing Chronicle's broadcasting unit several months earlier.

    In a minor reversal of the 1981 affiliation swap in the Capitol District, only the transmitter facilities were swapped, not stations by itself. This mean that NBC would return to channel 6 and CBS would return to channel 13, and would overtake WRGB as the Capitol District's news leader.

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    Argyle Television Holdings II sale completed

    The $750 million offer of Argyle Television Holdings II by The Walt Disney Company was completed. This means that Argyle's stations were now ABC owned and operated stations. Two of the exceptions were WGRZ-TV in Buffalo, and WNAC-TV in Providence, which were instead sold to Sony/CBS and Fox Television Stations, respectively.

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    NBC to completed full KUTV ownership

    NBC announced that they would completed its full ownership of KUTV by raising it to 100%. NBC had just purchased 88% of the station three years earlier, now KUTV will became a fully NBC owned-and-operated station. This would gain access to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

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    Berkshire Hathaway/CBS/Dispatch merger completed

    The merger between Berkshire Hathaway and The Columbus Dispatch was completed. This means Berkshire Hathaway would only cover the newspapers. CBS would cover the Dispatch Broadcast Group unit, which included two TV stations WTHR-TV in Indianapolis (previously a NBC affiliate, until the NBC-LIN merger kicked in) and WBNS-TV in Columbus. This means Columbus had four TV owned and operated stations, which are WCMH (NBC), WSYX (ABC), WTTE (FOX) and WBNS (CBS)

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    Time Warner to buy three stations

    Time Warner announced negotiations to purchase WMHQ, the satellite station of PBS' WMHT that was in the Capital District, and two stations WLWC in Providence, and WWHO-TV in Columbus, from Fant Broadcasting. Time Warner intended to convert WMHQ into a commercial station that was an affiliate of The WB. CNN would produce local news for the station.

    Paramount however was in talks to build a construction permit for the Columbus and Providence stations, to became UPN affiliates once it was signed on.
     
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    • Chapter 91: November 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    FCC approval for Grand Rapids station

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the sale that Disney would purchase a $4 billion offer for WOTV-TV, which gave the Grand Rapids market three owned and operated stations, the other one was rival WOOD-TV, which was a NBC owned-and-operated station, and WWMT, which was a CBS O&O thanks to its acquisition of Granite Broadcasting's assets.

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    XETV disaffiliated from Fox

    It was officially stated that Fox Broadcasting Company would be disaffiliated from XETV in the two months, to start a new San Diego TV station on channel 32, called "KFSD", which stood for "Fox San Diego", which will happen on January 1, 1998. The transmission tower for channel 32 has been nearly finished, and news operations will start shortly afterwards.

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    Granite Broadcasting officially shut down

    Granite Broadcasting has officially dismantled their operations. KNTV will convert into a semi-satellite of KGO-TV, which was an ABC owned-and-operated station. Two other stations in Fort Wayne and Buffalo were sold to ABC. The Lansing, Syracuse, Austin and Battle Creek stations became CBS O&Os, and complete 100% control of the St. Louis and Shreveport stations. The Fresno, Peoria and Duluth stations were sold to NBC.

    Granite's employees joined the CBS owned and operated television division as the member of the board of directors.

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    The FCC approves Denver station

    The Federal Communications Commission has approved Paramount's $1 billion offer to purchase Channel 20 Television Corporation, which is owning KTVD-TV, the UPN affiliate in Denver and became the sixth owned and operated television station in the market.

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    FCC approves NBC/Kelly merger

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the merger between NBC/Universal and Kelly Broadcasting, for $3 billion. This means that Kelly News & Entertainment would fold into Universal Television Enterprises. Kelly News & Entertainment is the packager of the game shows Click and Peer Pressure. KCRA-TV in Sacramento was included in the deal.

    KCPQ-TV in Seattle, which Kelly owned was not in the deal, and sold off to Sony/CBS.
     
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    • Chapter 92: December 1997 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    NBC/Kelly merger completed

    NBC/Universal and Kelly Broadcasting is completing their merger agreement. This means KCRA-TV, channel 3 in Sacramento will became a NBC owned and operated station, while Kelly News & Entertainment was absorbed into Universal Television Enterprises. Universal would inherit Peer Pressure and Click, both of them runs on Fox's owned and operated stations.

    CBS/Sony instead bought out KCPQ-TV in Seattle/Tacoma. KCPQ-TV became a CBS affiliate in the December of 1994, when KIRO-TV switches to FOX.

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    Denver acquisition completed

    The acquisition of KTVD-TV by Paramount Stations Group has officially been completed. This made the Denver market a UPN owned-and-operated television station. It operates on channel 20.

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    FCC approves NBC acquisition of four VHF stations

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved NBC's acquisition of four VHF stations. Those are KOMU-TV, KTSM-TV, WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV, the latter two are ABC affiliates that were owned by the Manship family. The purchase price cost a combined $7.5 billion.

    Because NBC's affiliation contracts with WVLA-TV and KVEO-TV did not expire until the September of 1998, NBC had to run WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV as ABC affiliates. These two were reunited with NBC until their 1976-77 defections.

    -

    NBC completes Sunbelt acquisition

    NBC is completing their $7.5 billion offer to purchase Sunbelt Broadcasting Company. Sunbelt is owner of NBC affiliates KPVI in Pocatello, KYM in Yuma, KVBC-TV in Las Vegas and KRNV-TV in Reno. KKVI would be sold off to Fox Television Stations instead.

    -

    Nexstar dismantled

    Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc. announced that they will dismantle their operations, and decided to sell off their assets. Disney is a possible buyer for Nexstar, costing $14 billion. Nexstar owns WYOU-TV, which is losing its CBS affiliation as part of the New York Times purchase, KQTV in St. Joseph, and WTWO-TV, an NBC affiliate.

    NBC won its construction permit to build a station in Terre Haute.

    -

    CBS to buy Westwind Communications

    Sony/CBS announced its negotiations to buy Westwind Communications for $2.5 billion. It owns KBAK-TV, a CBS affiliate in Bakersfield.
     
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    • Chapter 93: December 1997 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Jefferson-Pilot for sale

    GEICO and CBS announced a joint venture for Jefferson-Pilot, the insurance and broadcasting company. It means, we have a stronger station slate for it.
    • GEICO would cover all of Jefferson-Pilot's insurance assets.
    • CBS would purchase WBTV in Charlotte, WCSC-TV in Charleston, and WWBT in Richmond, all three were CBS affiliates.
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    CBS to buy Spartan Communications

    Sony/CBS Inc. announced negotiations to buy Spartan Communications. All of them were currently CBS affiliates, with the exception of WMBB and WJBF, which are ABC affiliates.

    Disney/ABC had won a construction permit to build a station in Panama City operating on channel 18 by the FCC, while WRDW-TV will switch to ABC under Disney ownership. This means that WMBB and WJBF will became the new CBS affiliates for the Panama City and Augusta markets.

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    Grand Rapids station completed

    Disney's takeover of WOTV-TV was completed. This means this would gave three owned and operated stations for the Grand Rapids market. NBC owns WOOD-TV and WWMT was owned by CBS.

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    KIRO-TV to go all news

    KIRO-TV, the Fox owned and operated station announced next fall that it would drop all acquired programs, going completely to newscasts outside of Fox's network programming hours.

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    Fox Kids to convert to educational and informational block

    Fox Kids Network announced that they would convert the network to educational and informational block effective fall 1998. This means that Fox is supplying 3 hours of educational and informational programming, while some stations like the Philadelphia market refused to air the block completely. FCC's strict guidelines forced Power Rangers to move to a new kids block on the cable channel FX.
     
    • Chapter 94: January 1998 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    NBC acquisition of VHF stations completed

    NBC, the television unit of General Electric announced that they would complete acquisition of four VHF stations. Those are KOMU-TV, KTSM-TV, WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV. The latter two were ABC affiliates owned by the Manship family. Both offers have a combined $7.5 billion.

    Because NBC's affiliation contracts with UHF stations WVLA-TV and KVEO-TV did not expire until September 1998, NBC had to run WBRZ-TV and KRGV-TV as ABC affiliates for eight months, while searching outgoing NBC affiliates for new affiliations. In these cases, these two were reunited NBC until their 1976-77 defections.

    -

    NBC/Liberty merger completed

    NBC announced that, along with AETNA is completing their takeover of Liberty Corporation. AETNA would only cover the insurance assets, while NBC would cover the broadcasting unit. In this case, this gave the Toledo market an owned-and-operated station.

    -

    FCC approves Block Communications offer

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the divesture of Block Communications. All four major networks took control of the Block Communications television stations.

    -

    ABC/Citadel merger completed

    The Walt Disney Company, who owns and operates the ABC television network was completed. This means that WOI-TV, KCAU-TV in Sioux City, and KLKN-TV in Lincoln, and its satellite KLKE in Alboin becoming ABC owned and operated stations.

    Since WQAD-TV's affiliation contract with ABC did not expire until September 1998, ABC had to run WHBF-TV in Rock Island as a CBS affiliate for eight months, while WQAD-TV is in the process of going to CBS.

    -

    The WB launches Tuesday and Saturday nights

    The WB is launching its Saturday night block on January 3, 1998 with the premiere of nWo Heat (the ITTL version of WCW Thunder), produced by WCW. It consists of New World Order talent, and debuted as a live weekly show, with nWo talent to perform on the Heat show. Meanwhile, the WWF forced to change its name of the upcoming Sunday Night Heat show to Sunday Night Bolt, to avoid confusion with the WCW show on The WB. The WB launched its Tuesday night block several weeks later on January 20, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer moving there, followed by the premiere of Dawson's Creek.

    -

    Fox to rebrand Seattle and Salt Lake stations

    Fox announced plans to rebrand Seattle (KIRO-TV) and Salt Lake City (KSL-TV) stations as "Fox 7" and "Fox 5", now emplacing its better focus and solutions to better be associated with the Fox network. The original Bonneville-era Fox affiliate logos were all dropped.
     
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    • Chapter 95: January 1998 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    KRON to go all-news

    KRON-TV, the NBC owned-and-operated San Francisco station announced that all acquired programming has been dropped, ceding the way to air local programming exclusively to network hours. It will take effect on the September of 1998. This is not the first time, a NBC station devoted programs outside of network hours to air local programming. KCNC-TV, the NBC owned-and-operated Denver station has a successful run at airing local programming outside of network hours.

    -

    WSVN and WHDH to change morning show names

    Two Fox owned and operated stations WSVN in Miami and WHDH in Boston announced that they would change its names of the morning shows from "Today in Florida" and "Today in New England", to "Good Day Florida" and "Good Day New England".

    This will reflect the current Fox owned and operated morning shows using the "Good Day" effect.

    -

    Good Day America picked up by Fox

    Fox announced that they would replace the ratings-drop Fox This Morning after two years, with Good Day America, which is based on the national title used by Fox's owned-and-operated stations. The format was based on KTTV, which utilized the format since 1993. Fox executives hoped for the show to be as successful as the previous morning show.

    -

    News-Press & Gazette sold

    The News-Press & Gazette Company announced that they would merge its operations with Berkshire-Hathaway for $7.5 billion. The television stations, were excluded as KUNA-LP would be sold off to Liberty Media and Sony Pictures, while KESQ-TV and KVIA-TV would be sold to Disney.

    -

    NBC Philadelphia to be a success

    NBC Philadelphia, the lowest major-market NBC station in its first three years, announced that they will increase news production, in order for hopes that NBC Philadelphia, the station of interconnecting networks WWAC (channel 40) in Wildwood, WMNJ (channel 48) in Millville and WOCI (channel 57) in Philadelphia, will became a success, and being more prolific. NBC had lost KYW three years ago in favor of CBS, while NBC settled with channel 57, by its virtue of ownership with Outlet Communications.
     
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    • Chapter 96: February 1998 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    FCC approves BH/NYT offer

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the $50 billion merger between Berkshire Hathaway and The New York Times Company. Because Berkshire Hathaway was not interested in the broadcasting industry, the television stations were instead to CBS. CBS would now include WNEP-TV and WQAD-TV in the respective markets, Scranton and Rock Island.

    -

    Disney won Nexstar offer

    The Walt Disney Company, owners of the ABC television network announced that they would won the $14 billion offer for the upstart broadcasting company Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc., which started two years earlier. This means that ABC is now having an owned-and-operated station in Scranton. ABC is having an affiliate KQTV in St. Joseph, and NBC is having Nexstar's WTWO-TV in Terre Haute.

    NBC won a construction permit to build a station in Terre Haute, operating on channel 26, so it won't interfere with the other stations, called "WNTH", for "NBC Terre Haute".

    -

    Block divesture completed

    The divesture of Block Communications has been officially completed. This means that there are more owned-and-operated television stations that was in the portfolio, and newspaper holdings belong to Berkshire-Hathaway.

    -

    FCC accepts Westwood One/Capitol offer

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the offer that Westwood One is having a $5 billion offer for Capitol Broadcasting. WRAZ, which operated through a marketing agreement with WRAL is sold off to Time Warner, causing WRAL-TV to sold to CBS, and WJZY-TV was sold off to Paramount Stations Group.

    This means Raleigh would surpass Boston as the nation's sixth largest television market.

    -

    Disney to buy WJET

    The Walt Disney Company announced a $24 billion offer to buy Erie television station WJET-TV-AM. This would likely mean that Erie would got its first owned and operated station, and made them a sister station to WPVI in Philadelphia.

    -

    FCC approval for WRBW buyout

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved Paramount Stations Group's $950 million offer to purchase Orlando television station WRBW-TV from Rainbow Media, giving it the UPN's Orlando O&O.

    -

    Fox to buy Grant Broadcasting

    Fox Television Stations announced a $15.3 billion offer to purchase Grant Broadcasting System II. This means that WZDX in Huntsville, KJLB in Davenport and its satellite KJMH, WFXR and its satellite WJPR in Roanoke and WLAX-TV and its satellite WEUX-TV would became Fox O&Os. This deal does not include WNYO-TV in Buffalo, which was instead transferred to Time Warner Inc., owners of The WB Television Network.
     
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    • Chapter 97: February 1998 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    WDTN to expand news activity

    WDTN, the ABC owned-and-operated station in Dayton announced that they will drop all acquired programs, ceding programming outside of network hours to air local news completely. WDTN has plans to establish 2pm and 3pm newscasts. Since the mid 1990s, WDTN is preempting the two ABC soap operas in favor of acquired programming.

    KCNC-TV, the NBC O&O in Denver has dropped all acquired programming since 1990. More stations had to follow suit, and WDTN could be the recent to drop all acquired programs.

    -

    Heritage Media sellout approved by the FCC

    A joint venture between News Corporation, ABC and NBC for Heritage Media is approved by the Federal Communications Commission. This means what WPTZ-TV could became Plattsburgh's NBC owned-and-operated television stations.

    -

    NBC to move soap

    NBC announced that they wanted to move the soap Sunset Beach to 3pm, because NBC executives said that the noon slot would be better suited for news. NBC would return the noon hour to affiliates in exchange for getting the 3pm timeslot.

    NBC would not launch a new 3pm program since the cancellation of Santa Barbara to 3pm.

    -

    NBC to buy Aries

    NBC announced its $2 billion offer to buy Aries Telecommunications, who owned Green Bay NBC affiliate WGBA-TV. This made the Green Bay market four owned-and-operated television stations, with WFRV-TV being the CBS O&O after it was acquired in 1992, WBAY-TV, which became an ABC O&O after a five-way merger in 1996, and WLUK-TV became a Fox O&O in 1996 after acquiring Savoy Pictures.

    -

    Fox to buy Bahakel Communications

    Fox announced a $6.4 billion offer to buy Bahakel Communications, which was based in Charlotte. The radio operations were assumed into Fox Radio Networks (from a merger between Mutual Broadcast and Clear Channel), while the television properties went to Fox Television Stations. This did not include WAKA, which was instead sold to Sony/CBS, WBBJ-TV, WABG-TV and WOLO-TV, which was instead sold to Disney/ABC, and WKFT-TV, which was instead sold to California Television Investors, owners of KCAL-TV.
     
    • Chapter 98: March 1998 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Berkshire Hathaway/Gray merger sent FCC approval

    The $6.4 billion merger between Berkshire Hathaway and Gray Communications would be approved by the Federal Communications Commission. It is said that CBS would buy the broadcasting unit. CBS' assets include four of Gray's television stations. Three of Gray's stations would be sold to NBC, and one of Gray's TV station WRDW was sold to ABC.

    -

    Communications Corporation of America buyout by Fox sent FCC approval

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the merger between Fox Television Stations and Communications Corporation of America. Six of these were Fox affiliates. KVEO-TV and WVLA-TV was sold off to Disney/ABC, who was reunited with its original two stations until their 1976-77 defections which sent the two ABC stations to NBC, who already purchased KTSM-TV. Three of Galloway's stations were sold off to Paramount Stations Group.

    -

    Capitol/Westwood One merger completed

    The merger between radio company Westwood One and North Carolina company Capitol Broadcasting Company has been completed. WRAZ was sold off to Time Warner, while WRAL is sold to CBS and WJZY-TV was sold off to Paramount Stations Group.

    This met FCC's 218-station limit, and the full national market reach coverage.

    -

    WRBW acquisition completed

    Paramount Stations Group is giving a $950 million offer from Rainbow Media to complete and finalize the acquisition of WRBW-TV, this made them a sister station to existing Florida's UPN affiliates in Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami and West Palm Beach.

    -

    CBS to buy Draper Holdings Business Trust

    CBS announced a $7.5 billion offer to buy the Draper Holdings Business Trust. It owns and operates two TV stations which were WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland and KGBT-TV in Brownsville. This makes Brownsville three owned-and-operated television stations. Both of these were currently CBS affiliates.

    -

    Sony to buy K-Six Television

    Sony, owners of the CBS network announced negotiations for a $13.5 billion offer to buy K-Six Television. It owns and operates television stations in Texas, which were KVTV in Laredo, and KZTV in Corpus Christi, both of these were currently CBS affiliates.
     
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    • Chapter 99: March 1998 (Part 2)

    • DucNguyen0131

    FCC approves GEICO/CBS/Jefferson-Pilot merger

    The Federal Communications Commission had approved the GEICO/CBS/Jefferson-Pilot merger. This means that Jefferson-Pilot's insurance assets will be with GEICO, while the broadcasting group will be with CBS.

    -

    Midway's shareholders approve Atari assets

    Midway Games Inc. of Chicago, and its shareholders sent him approval for the $20-$50 million dollar acquisition for the assets of Atari Corporation, from JTS Corporation. This means Midway will have another moneymaker alongside the Mortal Kombat franchises. (Infogrames' acquisition of Atari was however butterflied away)

    -

    CBS to buy Fort Wayne station

    CBS/Sony was in negotiations to buy WKJG-TV, which was a Fort Wayne CBS affiliate for $750 million from the Corporation for General Trade. WKJG-TV was previously a NBC affiliate, until the NBC-LIN merger, in which both WANE-TV and WKJG-TV swapped network affilations.

    -

    Fox to get rid of Newswire

    Fox Television Stations announced that they will abandon the 615 Music's "Newswire" package from both the KTVU and WTTV stations effective the September of 1998, in order for Fox Television Stations to give them a new look planned for the stations. The "Newswire" package was first used by NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV in Chicago, and since been appeared on WLFL-TV in Raleigh and WLVI-TV in Boston.

    -

    NBC to buy KTUU

    NBC announced a $7 billion offer to buy Anchorage television station KTUU, becoming the first owned and operated television station to be in the state of Alaska. KTUU would plans to increase their news production, in order that KTUU to be as successful.
     
    • Chapter 100: April 1998 (Part 1)

    • DucNguyen0131

    Fox to buy Lexington station

    Fox announced its negotiations to buy WDKY-TV for $740 million. This gave the Kentucky market a Fox owned and operated station. It was formerly owned by Superior Communications, which was sold off several years ago to a trustee.

    WDKY-TV is a Fox affiliate operating on channel 56 in Danville/Lexington. WDKY announced its plan to launch a news operation.

    -

    Time Warner to buy Oklahoma station

    The WB, the largest without an Oklahoma City station had finally got an owned-and-operated station in the Oklahoma City market. It reached a deal to purchase KTLC-TV, which operates on channel 43 in Oklahoma City.

    This gave Oklahoma shows to watch favorites like 7th Heaven, nWo Heat, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Steve Harvey Show.

    -

    CBS to buy Griffin Communications

    CBS announced negotiations to buy Oklahoma company Griffin Communications, who owns and operates radio television stations. This deal does not include KPOM-TV and KFAA-TV, which was instead sold to General Electric/NBC.

    This gave the Oklahoma City market a fourth owned-and-operated TV station.

    -

    Fox to buy Wabash Valley Broadcasting

    Fox Television Stations Inc. announced a $5.3 billion offer to buy Wabash Valley Broadcasting. Wabash Valley is the owner of Fox affiliate WFTX-TV. This deal does not include WTHI-TV, which was instead sold to CBS for a $2.5 billion offer.

    -

    Heritage Media dismantled

    The dismantling of Heritage Media has been completed. News Corporation would pick up the radio stations, as well as the Actmedia and the DIMAC subsidiaries, as well as KOKH-TV and WFFF-TV. ABC affiliates WCHS-TV and WEAR-TV was sold off to ABC, and WPTZ and WNNE were sold off to General Electric/NBC.
     
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