Fort Wayne Fox Follies

[mheckman]

So, our local Fox affiliate (WFFT) is dropping its Fox affiliation at the end of July and going independent. Another station (WISE) is picking up Fox network programming and carrying it on one of its digital sub-channels.

So far, I'm seeing nothing about Dish picking up that subchannel, and today saw a new website (Home Page) saying Dish is the only major provider not to have signed an agreement to carry it, and "I could lose my Fox programming on August 1", etc., etc.

I assume it's WISE-TV putting up the site to get negotiating leverage, but does anybody here have insight on the situation?

I can probably get the subchannel OTA on my main TV, but the bedroom TV doesn't have OTA input.

 

[oryan_dunn]

Yes, it's INC that put the site... funny they went to the trouble of making a website that looks independent, but still use the same voice-over as other INC ads. I like how their solution is to drop dish instead of plugging in an antenna.
Also funny that they don't have a similar site because dish doesn't carry the CW or the soon to be gone MyNetwork.

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Indiana's NewsCenter
3401 Butler Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808
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Indiana's NewsCenter
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(260) 482-5505
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Does Dish carry a subchannel in any market?

 

[navychop]

Very rarely, I believe.

 

[Peter Parker]

If they do it is klikely a situation like this.

 

[Mr Tony]

Does Dish carry a subchannel in any market?

yep. Lots of small market areas where its one of the Big 4 Networks on a subchannel. As example just down the road in Mankato, MN they carry CBS (main) and Fox (subchannel)...the only 2 stations in the market

Also the main station in some cases holds the subchanel hostage (if CW or My as example) when negotiations come up

 

[Mr Tony]

So, our local Fox affiliate (WFFT) is dropping its Fox affiliation at the end of July and going independent. Another station (WISE) is picking up Fox network programming and carrying it on one of its digital sub-channels.

So far, I'm seeing nothing about Dish picking up that subchannel, and today saw a new website (Home Page) saying Dish is the only major provider not to have signed an agreement to carry it, and "I could lose my Fox programming on August 1", etc., etc.

seriously...worry around July 30th. This is Dish we're talking about. They wait til the last minute it seems like on any negotiation. The Fox in Evansville did the same thing July 1. Dish **finally** uplinked the new one on Wednesday but its not available yet
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/259833-wtvw-evansville.html

 

[Mr Tony]

side note...the stations in Ft Wayne are the same setup as Duluth, MN is

One station is owned by Granite Broadcasting (legally)...NBC in both markets
One station is "owned" by Granite....ABC in Ft Wayne, CBS in Duluth. Supposedly this is owned by Malara Broadcasting who it turn basically gave the keys to Granite and said "here ya go. Glad to help you get around the FCC rules. Have fun running it" (both markets are too small to have one owner have 2 stations)

I know recently Granite got both D* & E* to add the local CW to the locals which is pretty much just the CW+ feed so it sounds like both parties have a good working relationship.

 

[Tampa8]

Fox channel in Springfield Mass is a sub channel of the ABC station. (Ch 40)

 

[ClarkGable]

The only thing we watch on Fox other than major sporting events is Cops. Since I can also get them OTA, I'll just do some old school converter box-VCR recording for Cops, and watch the big sporting events live on the plasma.

What's going to happen to WFFT?

 

[Mr Tony]

What's going to happen to WFFT?

unknown right now...
WFFT will likely revert to independent status although nothing about the station's future has been decided yet;

 

[oryan_dunn]

Doesn't seem like much will change for WFFT. Other than the 2hrs of national prime time and sunday programming, WFFT was just about all reruns of other shows... so now they can be just 100% reruns. The only thing I watched on that channel was NFL and the summer F1 races (not really a nascar fan).