WPTV and WSM to become ABC affiliation in the 80s

Hopefully KNTV (in San Jose) & WAKR (in Akron) wanted Ten O'Clock Newscasts to Cover the SF Bay Area and the Cleveland Market respectively and maybe add the Independent Network News (INN) following their Respective Local Newscasts to the schedule.
 
Chapter 59: KGO-TV to change callsign
November 1, 1982

The longtime ABC owned and operated TV station KGO-AM-FM-TV in San Francisco would change its callsign to KLMN-AM-FM-TV. Its callsign was meant to be the station's new slogan "The Middle Name in Broadcasting" and could be seen as the exact opposite of WXYZ-TV-AM in Detroit and the ABC television network itself.

This new call sign emphasizes the formatting of the alphabet, so there are "ABC", "KLMN" and "WXYZ", which are the first three letters, the middle letters and the last letters.

By coincidence, ABC also owns WXYZ-AM-TV in Detroit, so it was also meant to play on an alphabet, showing the last four words of the alphabet.

Meanwhile, on the same day the new callsign for the ABC O&O in San Francisco, General Electric-owned NBC affiliate KFOG-TV in San Francisco would adapt a new version of the news set, replacing the previous Chronicle-era set when it was KRON, with a variation of the news set used by NBC affiliate WRGB-TV in Schenectady.
 
Chapter 60: WHAG goes independent
November 8, 1982

WHAG-TV announced that they will drop NBC in order to became an independent station, because of the weak television ratings of the NBC programming that was found on the station, and forced to pick up Independent Network News.

The reason why WHAG-TV wants to go independent was not to compete with WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.

WRC-TV then became the sole NBC affiliate for the Hagerstown television market, which covered the Washington, D.C. market.

This is not the first time, a network dropped the secondary network affiliation in another area. KNTV and WAKR-TV both compete against ABC affiliates KGO-TV (now KLMN-TV) and WEWS-TV in these markets, but it was dropped.
 
Chapter 61: WAAT to became independent station
November 10, 1982

WAAT-TV announced that they will disaffiliate from NBC, in order to became an independent station. This was due in part of competition of programs from KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

Westinghouse decided to revise the filing drafts for both the San Francisco and Philadelphia markets. Group W said they would now trade KMOX-AM-FM-TV to Post-Newsweek for WDIV-TV in Detroit, and once the deal is finished, the Detroit station would be renamed as "WJZD", which stood for "WJZ Detroit".

Another filing draft is for the Philadelphia trade. Group W traded its Macon stations to Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. for WRCB-TV. On the same day, Group W would buy two radio stations to cover the Chattanooga market, WQNE-FM and WGOW-AM. Once the deal would be finalized, it would be renamed to KYW-TV-AM-FM.

Group W had nixed both the Charlotte/Birmingham trade and the Lexington buyout, and revised the filing of the Boston affiliation switch. WBZ-TV would stay with NBC, while WCVB-TV went to a CBS affiliate, and Dun & Bradstreet would buy WCVB-TV for $4.3 billion, while WNAC-TV went to Hearst and an ABC affiliate. To accommodate for the loss of the Lexington buyout, Group W bought out WLTZ-TV instead for $3.2 billion. NBC and Group W found good relations as a founding member of RCA in the 1920s.
 
Chapter 62: San Francisco and Schenectady stations change callsigns
November 22, 1982

The sale of General Electric's TV and radio operations has been butterflied away, while leaving in WGY-AM and WGFM-FM to change callsigns to WRGB-AM-FM to match the TV callsign in Schenectady. Both of them were affiliates of NBC, which were successful as one of the founders of RCA.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, General Electric bought a radio station in San Francisco, KNEW-AM, and forced to change its callsign, along with KFOG-FM-TV, to KRGB-AM-FM-TV, to reflect co-ownership status with the Schenectady station.

The news director of KFOG-TV (formerly KRON-TV when it was owned by the San Francisco Chronicle, until Times-Mirror bought the newspaper and sold a TV station to General Electric) jokingly stood for "red, green and blue". In actually, the new callsign would likely been changed to match that of sister station WRGB in Schenectady (the same kind of callsign effect was used when Gulf Broadcasting bought KOOL-TV in Phoenix and changed its callsign to KTSP-TV to match that of WTSP-TV in Tampa).

The original WRGB call letters stood for Walter Ransom Gail Baker, while the new KRGB call letters in San Francisco is a derivative of the original WRGB-TV callsign. Both of them were currently NBC affiliates. WRGB was started in January 1928 as the world's first television station, and goes on the air in 1942, while KFOG-TV, which will soon to be KRGB-TV was originally started by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1949 as KRON-TV, until Times-Mirror bought out the Chronicle paper, and sold the station to General Electric to lose its grandfathered status.
 
Chapter 63: Revised Group W filing for FCC
December 6, 1982

The revised Westinghouse Broadcasting filing has been approved by the Federal Communications Commission.

The filing said that Westinghouse would now own the Detroit TV station, while Post-Newsweek owns the St. Louis stations and CBS had owned the San Francisco TV station (KPIX would soon to be renamed to KCBS-TV once the deal is closed). Another filing said that Westinghouse will now own the Chattanooga TV station (plus the purchase of two Chattanooga radio stations) and renamed the stations itself to KYW-AM-FM-TV, while Sarkes Tarzian would now own the Macon stations, General Electric would own the Philadelphia stations (now renamed to WKYP-AM-FM-TV), and Multimedia would own the Grand Rapids stations.

The Federal Communications Commission said that they had expand the reach limit from nine to fourteen stations (AMs, FMs, TVs), said that they had more than 25% of its national reach.

RCA was in talks to merge with Westinghouse for $24.5 billion. RCA is principal owner of the NBC television network. NBC owns five TVs, while Group W owns seven TVs. (ITTL, IOTL Group W would not merge until it was merged into CBS in 1995).
 
Chapter 64: Storer to buy Lexington station
December 13, 1982

After a bid by Group W failed, Storer Broadcasting Company, who owns six CBS affiliates reached a deal to acquire Kentucky Central Insurance Company for $10.5 billion. Kentucky Central is the owner of WKYT-TV in Lexington, which was a CBS affiliate.

This would join the existing CBS Storer-owned affiliates WAGA-TV in Atlanta, WJBK-TV in Detroit, WJKW-TV in Cleveland, WTVG in Toledo, WITI-TV in Milwaukee and WAST-TV in Albany. The new acquisition, along with the five CBS O&Os reach 25% of the national cap.

The six CBS affiliates Storer owned are VHF affiliates, while WKYT-TV is a UHF station on the band of channel 27.

WKYT-TV had its own history, it was initially started in 1957 as WKXP-TV, then Taft bought it in 1958 and changed it to WKYT-TV only to change back to local ownership in 1967, and Storer would have its own UHF outlet for its first time since the two UHF stations were traded to Viacom in trade for the Capitol District unit.
 
Chapter 65: Group W/GE deal finalized
January 1, 1983

The Westinghouse Broadcasting revised draft has finally been finalized. The results are in:
  • KYW-TV-AM-FM in Philadelphia will became WKYP-TV-AM-FM, which will now be owned by General Electric, and introduced the "circle 3" logo for the Philadelphia TV station. Meanwhile, WMAZ-TV-AM-FM will now be sold to Sarkes Tarzian, Inc., while WOTV and WOOD-AM-FM were transferred to Multimedia, Inc. and introduced a news music package and logo, and Group W itself bought out WRCB-TV and WQNE-FM and WGOW-AM, both Chattanooga stations were renamed to KYW-AM-FM-TV.
  • The San Francisco station, KPIX became KCBS-TV (ITTL, IOTL this was used as a callsign for the Los Angeles station KNXT since 1984), and became a CBS O&O. Meanwhile, KMOX-AM-FM-TV was transferred to Post-Newsweek Stations, and NBC's Detroit affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit will be transferred to Group W ownership under the new Westinghouse-based calls "WJZD", which is a derivative of the Baltimore callsign.
  • WCVB-TV became a CBS affiliate owned by Dun & Bradstreet, while Hearst took control of WNAC-TV and WRKO-AM and WROR-FM and became an ABC station.
  • Group W had just been purchasing WLTZ-TV in Columbus, Georgia, becoming the second UHF buyout ever.
On the same day, WGY-AM and WGFM-FM would became WRGB-AM-FM, in Schenectady, while KFOG-FM-TV became KRGB-FM-TV and General Electric had just been purchased KNEW-AM, in San Francisco and became KRGB-AM.
 
Chapter 66: WHAG and WAAT left NBC
January 2, 1983

After an airing of the final Saturday Night Live off of WHAG and WAAT, these stations quit NBC to became independent television stations.

The reason cited was what WHAG and WAAT picked up any programming any of these stations outside of the owned-and-operated stations chose to preempt, as well as the 10 o'clock newscasts.

WHAG covers decently the Washington, D.C. area, while WAAT covered the Philadelphia market.

The reason cited was that WHAG was due to competition from NBC O&O WRC-TV, while WAAT was due to competition from the newly-named WKYP-TV in Philadelphia.

General Electric now owns nine TV stations, in Schenectady, Philadelphia, Denver, Nashville, San Francisco, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Miami, Durham and Fort Myers, both of them were NBC affiliates. Our relationship with NBC dates back to the 1920s as one of the co-founders of RCA.
 
Then on January 3, 1983: NBC added Hit Man, Just Men and $ale of the Century to it's daytime lineup just like IOTL and WRC in Washington, DC and WKYP in Philadelphia, PA aired it for the first time along with KRGB in San Francisco, CA and others.
 
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Chapter 67: FCC pushes limits
January 10, 1983

The Federal Communications Commission had pushed the ownership cap limits from nine to fourteen, stating it has more than 25% of its national coverage. The FCC also pushes for a possible RCA/Westinghouse merger.

Westinghouse, along with General Electric is one the co-founders of RCA. NBC has five television stations in the portfolio, which are WNBC in New York, KNBC in Los Angeles, WMAQ in Chicago, WRC in Washington, D.C. and WKYC in Cleveland. Group W's seven TV stations are KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, WJZD in Detroit, KYW-TV in Chattanooga, WBZ-TV in Boston, WJZ-TV in Baltimore, WCPQ-TV in Charlotte and WLTZ-TV in Columbia.

Most of the Group W stations are NBC affiliates, except for KDKA and WJZ, which are CBS affiliates. Once the deal is finalized, then KDKA and WJZ became NBC affiliates, while searching ex-NBC outlets WMAR-TV and WPXI-TV for new affiliates, possibly ending up at CBS.

The FCC also had starting to relax the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules, giving it a permanent waiver for RCA to keep the Group W Productions syndication unit.
 
Chapter 68: KNX radio and TV to change callsign
January 24, 1983

The CBS owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, KNX-AM-FM and KNXT-TV announced that they will change its callsign to KCBH-AM-FM-TV. The new callsign reflects that it was meant to be standing for "CBS Hollywood", in which "Hollywood" is the nickname for the Los Angeles city used in filming.

This will reflect the identity of Hollywood culture, and the new KCBH announced plans to renovate its department.

KCBH-TV announced plans to expand its television newscasts, centering mostly on Hollywood. The KCBS callsign is already in use in San Francisco on a TV station.

The Evening Magazine program will move to Detroit's WJZD and KYW-TV in Chattanooga, so PM Magazine Detroit and PM Magazine on WCRB-TV would be cancelled, and a new PM Magazine show would air on WKYP-TV in Philadelphia and KCBS-TV in San Francisco to replace Evening Magazine.
 
Chapter 69: Twin Cities station to change callsign
February 7, 1983

The General Electric-owned NBC affiliate WTCN-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul announces its plan to change call letters to "WGEB". The call letters meant to be short for "General Electric Broadcasting", as this was the station's owner.

The new call letters put an emphasis onto the feel of General Electric Broadcasting, who owns several TV stations like WRGB in Schenectady, WKYP in Philadelphia and KRGB in San Francisco.

San Francisco and Philadelphia are the largest television markets that General Electric owned, and both of these are stations that was not owned and operated by NBC. General Electric is one of the founding members of the Radio Corporation of America.

General Electric bought out WTCN from Metromedia in 1980, as the company is in pursuit of buying several NBC stations. The company is one of the largest broadcast groups, along with Group W/Westinghouse Broadcasting.
 
Chapter 70: Storer/Kentucky merger for FCC approval
February 16, 1983

The Federal Communications Commission had ordered a review that the buyout of Kentucky Central Insurance Company by Storer Broadcasting Company for $10.5 billion would be approved.

This would make Storer's first foray into the UHF territory and its first foray into Kentucky, since Storer sold off the UHF stations to Viacom two years ago in return for the Albany television station.

WKYT-TV was a CBS affiliate on the UHF band of channel 27 in Lexington, which served the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Storer's other six stations are WAST-TV in Albany, WAGA-TV in Atlanta, WJBK-TV in Detroit, WITI-TV in Milwaukee, WJKW in Cleveland and WTVG in Toledo, all of these are CBS television affiliates.
 
Chapter 71: Storer/Kentucky merger finalized
March 7, 1983

The $10.5 billion merger between Kentucky Central Insurance Company and Storer Broadcasting Company has to be completed. Storer is one of CBS' largest television groups ever made.

This made Storer Broadcasting Company a total of seven CBS television stations. WKYT-TV is adding it to Storer's seven-station roster.

Storer's other six television stations were WAGA-TV in Atlanta, WITI-TV in Milwaukee, WTVG-TV in Toledo, WJBK-TV in Detroit, WJKW-TV in Cleveland and WAST-TV in Albany/Schenectady/Troy, serving the Capital market, all of which are CBS affiliates.

WKYT-TV's acquisition marked Storer's return to the UHF market since it was sold off two years ago.
 
Chapter 72: WPTF to update news set
March 20, 1983

After an airing of Saturday Night Live, the old WPTF newsroom faded to black. The General Electric-owned NBC affiliate WPTF-TV, which served Durham, Raleigh and Fayetteville is upgrading the newsroom set.

The new version of the news set closely resembles the set that used by fellow GE-owned NBC affiliate WNGE-TV in Nashville (WNGE was transferred from ABC to NBC in 1980, when WSM switches to ABC).

General Electric also has other NBC affiliates in the portfolio, like WCKT in Miami, WRGB in Schenectady, WKYP-TV in Philadelphia and KRGB-TV in San Francisco.

WPTF-TV had its origins in 1968 as WRDU-TV, owned by Triangle Telecasters. It was sold to Durham Life in 1977 and changes its name to WPTF-TV the following year. In 1982, General Electric bought out the stations.
 
Chapter 73: WTCN adapted new name
April 3, 1983

After the airing of Saturday Night Live, General Electric-owned NBC affiliate WTCN-TV fades to black, preparing for a station change. Meanwhile, on the first day under the new name, WTCN-TV will became WGEB-TV (the call letters really stand for General Electric Broadcasting, the station's owner).

This would expand further through the feels of General Electric Broadcasting, who already owns its flagship property WRGB-TV in Schenectady/Albany/Troy, and also WNGE-TV in Nashville (originally an ABC affiliate, became a NBC affiliate in 1980, as market leader WSM-TV switches to ABC), KOA-TV in Denver, KRGB-TV in San Francisco, and WKYP-TV in Philadelphia, also fellow NBC affiliates.

The circle 11 logo, used by the station since 1981, appeared with the WTCN-TV call letters. The call letters change to "WGEB", and the announcer said that "WTCN-TV is now WGEB-TV. GEB is stood for the station who owned it, General Electric Broadcasting", accompanied by a campaign theme.

WGEB-TV changed its news set to resemble the one used by KOA-TV in Denver, who was also a General Electric-owned NBC affiliate.
 
Chapter 74: Hearst to buy Nashville station
April 3, 1983

Hearst Broadcasting, who owns six TV stations WBAL-TV in Baltimore, WISN-TV in Milwaukee, WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, WDTN-TV in Dayton, KAKE-TV in Wichita and WNAC-TV in Boston (all of which are ABC affiliates) announced its offer to purchase WSM-TV-AM-FM in Nashville from National Life and Accident Insurance Company.

This will gave Hearst seven television stations that were affiliated with ABC, and this means there are seven television stations in Hearst's roster.

Concurrently, there is talk that Hearst Corporation would purchase ABC Inc., who owns the ABC television network. The seven Hearst stations and the five ABC stations nearly reached 25% of the national limit.

The WSM-AM-FM-TV purchase in Nashville gave Hearst the world's largest television organizer in the marketplace.
 
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