UPN, WB to Combine to Form New Network

[Sparkman87]

See the Press release here:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060124/tv_network.html?.v=4

Wonder which Milwaukee station will carry this.

[gparris]

That is what I was conveying on my post with the channel 24 HD thread.

Who cares if channels 18 and 24 are in HD if the channels they support are no longer going to exist...and the battle with TWC and SBG for getting them in HD on cable thus becomes a moot point.

That also means that Directv does not have to worry about adding them for the HD LiLs, either...maybe Tribune Broadcasting's stations will be available as HD nationals.
 I don't think our locale has any Tribune-run stations-Chicago WGN is the closest one I know of,  but it is not offered as a local station on TWC's system, only the superstation.

[GBK]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11006886/

I guess the UPN and WB networks get combined starting in Fall 2006 how does that change Plans for our local channels.. ?  does that mean we drop channel 24 and only get 18 with it's HD capability?

[gparris]

Quote from the article:
"Altogether, the 16 Tribune stations and the 12 UPN stations owned by CBS will give the new network coverage in almost half of the country, the executives said. The executives said they hoped to sign up new affiliates in the rest of the country by the time The CW launches."

So the SBG station (18 or 24) in Milwaukee may decide to become an affiliate and then maybe Directv and TWC will negotiate to add that one channel if it comes in HD.
Either that, maybe the WGN superstation will offer it in HD.
Sinclair all over the country must be scrambling over the news to get "The CW".
They seem to have the most WB stations from what I can research.

Maybe starting over again as "The CW" could be a good thing for all of HD subs/owners/addicts.

[TAS]

I wounder how this will play out in milwaukee?  Will one station go as an independent? What about WB 18 news at 9:00, the Milwaukee Bucks games, and those old re-runs like Simpsons.  Very interesting

[gparris]

The news states that Tribune company Owned & Operated stations including CBS O&O UPN stations will be the first to have The CW network followed by stations which contract to be affiliates as I understand it.
Considering how Sinclair has treated TW with its HD carriage in its TWC locations, I am hoping it doesn't, period.  
Don't assume SBG will gets its way with getting The CW...it had some issues today according to the avsforum.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=635448&page=3

[Tom Snyder]

WB18 News was going away anyway...
http://www.jsonline.com/enter/tvradio/jan06/385473.asp

[jfelbab]

So with yesterdays announcement of the demise of UPN and WB I'm wondering whether either 18 or 24 will be gone or whether one will become a new local public channel. One of them will become the new CW, a youth oriented network channel. So what will happen to the other?

[gparris]

So with yesterdays announcement of the demise of UPN and WB I'm wondering whether either 18 or 24 will be gone or whether one will become a new local public channel. One of them will become the new CW, a youth oriented network channel. So what will happen to the other?

"Public channel"?  

No, I don't think so.

Sinclair is left to its on its own to ask for The CW network-on one channel.

Seems fitting to me since Sinclair never worked out details with TWC carriage for the digital/HD only and that goes for TWC, too with its inability to resolve carriage details with them.
Note not every SBG local for networks is not even WB or UPN...it is just more common for SBG to have WB or UPN.
But as far as the battle for getting our local WB and UPN for HD carriage...that one is not lost, just eliminated, for September, unless something changes.

[Todd Wiedemann]

I've stickied this thread in hopes to keep all the UPN/WB --> The CW stuff in one place.

[John L]

I'm thinking WITI-TV, ch. 6 to become the The CW affiliate.  But then who is gonna carry Fox?

 :rofl:

-John L.

[mhz40]

"Public channel"?  

No, I don't think so.

Sinclair is left to its on its own to ask for The CW network-on one channel.

Seems fitting to me since Sinclair never worked out details with TWC carriage for the digital/HD only and that goes for TWC, too with its inability to resolve carriage details with them.
Note not every SBG local for networks is not even WB or UPN...it is just more common for SBG to have WB or UPN.
But as far as the battle for getting our local WB and UPN for HD carriage...that one is not lost, just eliminated, for September, unless something changes.

Maybe this is the crack in Pandora's Box we've needed...  the new partners can put the screws to Sinclair, stipulating that they handle their affairs on the local retrans agreements as a contingency to granting an affiliation.  Off-air is good, but cable carriage is better for the startup network.

[gparris]

mhz40: Thank you for your reply.
"The CW" is just the thing for getting those WB and UPN surviving shows for the 2006-07 season.

Since SBG has been left holding the bag without either network here and other locations, HD  cable transmission could become a reality, finally.