UPN and WB to merge

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Good News For Smackdown, The Cw Network Clears Five More Markets

The new CW Network, which will start broadcasting in the fall, has signed five new affiliates. They are:

* WBNX-TV Cleveland, OH, owned by Winston Broadcasting Network.

* WKCF-TV Orlando, FL, owned by EMMIS Communications.

* WJZY-TV Charlotte, NC, owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.

* WBKI-TV Louisville, KY, owned by Cascade Broadcasting Group, LLC.

* WMWB-TV South Bend, IN, owned by Weigel Broadcasting Company.

These stations are in the 16th, 20th, 27th, 50th and 87th largest markets in the country, respectively, and represent 4.32% of total U.S. TV households. WBNX-Cleveland, WKCF-Orlando, WBKI-Louisville and WMWB-South Bend are currently affiliated with The WB; WJZY-Charlotte is currently affiliated with UPN.

Here is the updated listing of all affiliates.

Station Designated Market Area (DMA)
1 WPIX-TV New York
2 KTLA-TV Los Angeles
3 WGN-TV Chicago
4 WPSG-TV Philadelphia
5 WLVI-TV Boston (Manchester)
6 KBHK-TV San Francisco / Oakland / San Jose
7 KDAF-TV Dallas / Ft. Worth
8 WBDC-TV Washington, DC (Hagrstwn)
9 WUPA-TV Atlanta
10 KHWB-TV Houston
11 WKBD-TV Detroit
12 WTOG-TV Tampa / St. Petersburg
13 KSTW-TV Seattle / Tacoma
14 Phoenix (Prescott)
15 Minneapolis / St. Paul
16 WBNX-TV Cleveland / Akron (Canton)
17 WBZL-TV Miami / Ft. Lauderdale
18 KWGN-TV Denver
19 KMAX-TV Sacramento / Stockton / Modesto
20 WKCF-TV Orlando / Daytona Beach / Melbourne
21 KPLR-TV St. Louis
22 WNPA-TV Pittsburgh
23 KWBP-TV Portland, OR
24 Baltimore
25 WTTV-TV Indianapolis
26 KSWB-TV San Diego
27 WJZY-TV Charlotte
28 WTXX-TV Hartford / New Haven
29 Raleigh / Durham (Fayettville)
30 Nashville
31 Kansas City
32 Columbus, OH
33 Milwaukee
34 Cincinatti
35 Greenville / Spart / Ashville / And
36 Salt Lake City
37 San Antonio
38 WTVX-TV West Palm Beach / Ft. Pierce
39 Grand Rapids / Kalamazoo / Battle Creek
40 Birmingham (Ann, Tusc)
41 Harrisburg / Lancaster / Leb / York
42 WGNT-TV Norfolk / Portsmith / Newport News
43 WNOL-TV New Orleans
44 Memphis
45 Oklahoma City
46 Albuquerque / Santa Fe
47 Greensboro / H Point / Winston-Salem
48 Las Vegas
49 Buffalo
50 WBKI-TV Louisville
51 WLWC-TV Providence / New Bedford
52 Jacksonville
53 Austin
54 Wilkes-Barre / Scranton
55 WEWB-TV Albany / Schenectady / Troy
73 KPWB-TV Des Moines
87 WMWB-TV South Bend / Elkhart

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=16688&p=1
 
KCWE-TV Awarded CW Affiliation

KCWE-TV, currently Kansas City's UPN affiliate, has been awarded the CW Network affiliation for the market. The announcement was made Tuesday by officials for the CW Network and by C. Wayne Godsey, President and General Manager of KMBC-TV/KCWE-TV, the Hearst-Argyle Television stations serving Kansas City.

The CW Network was announced earlier this year by executives of CBS Corporation and Warner Brothers, co-owners of the UPN Network and WB Network, respectively, as a successor to those networks, both of which will be discontinued this fall. The CW is scheduled to launch in September 2006 with a program lineup including some of the most popular shows currently airing on the WB and UPN.

KCWE-TV is currently operated by Hearst-Argyle Television under a local marketing agreement (also known as a local management agreement or time brokerage agreement) and is part of a "duopoly" with Hearst-Argyle's KMBC-TV, the market's ABC affiliate and its news-ratings leader.

"We appreciate the confidence that CW management has demonstrated in KCWE-TV and Hearst-Argyle Television in awarding this affiliation." Godsey said. "The people at CBS and Warner Bros. have assembled a great team at the CW Network. Their new fall schedule will include the best of both the UPN and the WB Networks. We look forward to our partnership with the new CW as we offer a strong showcase for this programming in Kansas City."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/kmbc/20060307/lo_kmbc/3314072
 
WFLI Signs With New CW Television Network

Local WB affiliate WFLI-TV will become the local affiliate for the newly created CW television network when the network debuts in September, station officials announced Tuesday.

The new network is a joint venture between CBS Inc., parent company of UPN, and Warner Bros., owner of The WB.

WFLI-TV, which can be seen locally on UHF channel 53 and on Comcast Channel 2, will become the outlet for combined programming from the current UPN and WB networks.

WFLI-TV is owned by Des Moines-based Meredith Broadcasting Group. Meredith owns 13 other television station across the country, including stations in Atlanta, Portland, and Phoenix.

“The programming for the new network will include several current WB and UPN shows, as well as some newly launched programs. At present, shows that are anticipated to be broadcast on the new network include The WB's "Gilmore Girls," "Smallville," "Supernatural" and "Reba," as well as UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris," "America's Next Top Model," "Veronica Mars" and WWE wrestling.

A final schedule for the fall programming has not yet been announced.

The CW announced it had signed exclusive, long-term affiliation agreements with stations in Rochester, N.Y.; El Paso, Tex.; and Youngstown, Ohio, as well as Chattanooga.

The combination of these four newly signed affiliates with the previously announced affiliations brings America's fifth broadcast network's national coverage to almost 54% of the country, including 18 of the Top 20 markets and 25 of the Top 30, officials said.

The newly signed affiliates are:

* WRWB-TV Rochester, N.Y., owned by WB/Time Warner Cable.

* WFLI-TV Chattanooga, owned by Meredith Corporation.

* KVIA-DT El Paso, Texas, owned by News-Press & Gazette.

* WBCB-TV Youngstown, Ohio, owned by Vindicator.

These stations are in the 79th, 86th, 99th and 102nd largest markets in the country, respectively, and represent 1.19% of total U.S. TV households. WRWB Rochester, N.Y., WFLI Chattanooga, Tenn. and WBCB Youngstown, Ohio, a digital station, are currently affiliated with The WB; KVIA-DT El Paso, Texas is the digital station of the ABC affiliate in El Paso.

"As we build The CW's affiliate line-up station-by-station and market-by-market, it's an exciting opportunity to partner with a variety of companies, all of whom share our enthusiasm and optimism about America's fifth broadcast network," said John Maatta, chief operating officer, The CW. "Each new affiliate brings its individual strengths to The CW. We look forward to working with these four stations as we maximize the value of our new business relationship."

On Jan. 24, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment announced their intent to form a new fifth network, The CW, to be launched in the fall of 2006. The new broadcasting network will be a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, with each company owning 50%.

It was also announced on Jan. 24 that Tribune Broadcasting and the CBS Corporation's UPN affiliates have agreed separately to sign 10-year affiliation agreements with the new network. The combination of Tribune's 16 major market stations (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Houston, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, Indianapolis, San Diego, Hartford, New Orleans and Albany) and the 11 CBS-owned UPN major market affiliates (Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa, Seattle, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, West Palm Beach, Norfolk and Providence) cover the top 13 television markets, 20 of the top 25 television markets and have a total coverage area of more than 47% of the country.

The CW will incorporate The WB's current scheduling model, which consists of a 6 night-13 hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8-10 (EST/PST); Sundays from 7-10 (EST/PST); Sunday from 5-7 (EST/PST) outside of primetime as well as a Monday thru Friday afternoon block from 3-5 (EST/PST) and a 5-hour Saturday morning animation block. Together, the network will program 30 hours a week over seven days for its affiliated stations.

CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and UPN), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Paramount Television and King World), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), theme parks (Paramount Parks), digital media (CBS Digital Media Group and CSTV Networks) and consumer products (CBS Consumer Products). In Fall 2006, UPN will cease operations and The CW, a new fifth broadcast television network, will launch as a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation. For more information, log on to www.cbscorporation.com.

Warner Bros. Entertainment, a fully-integrated, broad-based entertainment company, is a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses. Warner Bros. Entertainment, a Time Warner Company, stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature films to television, home video/DVD, animation, comic books, interactive entertainment and games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_81618.asp
 
Belo Signs With CW in Phoenix

The CW inked a long-term affiliation pact on Wednesday with Belo’s WB station in Phoenix, KASW. The deal, the CW’s sixth so far this week, brings its distribution to more than 55% of the country.

The CW, which is being launched in September by the parents of the folding UPN and WB neteworks, has secured carriage in 19 of the top 20 markets, with only Minneapolis-St. Paul still outstanding.

In Phoenix, the No. 14 TV market, Belo’s KASW was an obvious choice. Fox Television owns the local UPN affiliate, KUTP, but has committed the station to the company’s new mini-network, My Network TV, also debuting in September. Belo also operates a duopoly in the market with its strong independent KTVK.

"Adding KASW-TV to our affiliate family expands The CW's Top 20 market presence and renews a strong partnership in Phoenix that we've forged with Belo," said John Maatta, Chief Operating Officer, The CW. "We're thrilled to have them on board."

"The CW affiliation fits seamlessly into our business plan for KASW-TV," commented Dunia Shive, Belo's President/Media Operations. "It gives us a very attractive and saleable program line-up that is perfectly positioned to reach key target demographics.”

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6314296.html?display=Breaking+News
 
CW Commits To Second Comedy

The CW has committed to a second comedy pilot, She Said, He Said, from CBS Paramount TV and Warner Bros. Time Warner and CBS are teaming on the new network, which launches in September.

The series, from executive producer Dan Berendsen, supervising producer/writer Heidi Clements, and executive producer Garry Hart, is described as a comedy "about how men and women perceive situations differently."

The new net has already announced one comedy, The Game, a spin-off from UPN's Girlfriends (The CW will also launch with some programming from the folding UPN and WB networks). CW is contemplating a couple more comedies, according to a source.

The CW has already announced four dramas in development: The Runaway, Aquaman, Palm Springs, and Split Decision.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6314355.html?display=Breaking+News
 
ACME To Carry CW

ACME Communications signed on Thursday to carry The CW network on seven of its TV stations. The stations represent 3% of the country and bring The CW’s total distribution to 60% of the country.

With the deal, ACME becomes the third-largest CW affiliate group, behind Tribune’s 16 CW outlets and CBS’ 11 owned-and-operated stations. The ACME stations involved in the deal are: KWBQ Albuquerque, N.M.; WBXX Knoxville, Tenn.; WBDT Dayton, Ohio; WTVK Ft Myers-Naples, Fla; WIWB Green Bay, Wis.; WBIU Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Ill.; and WBUW Madison, Wis. All seven stations are currently WB outlets. (ACME also owns a UPN affiliate in Albuquerque.)

“Affiliating our television stations with The CW is an outstanding business opportunity because it immediately enhances the value of our television assets,” ACME President Doug Gealy said in a statement.

Two of ACME’s stations, WBXX and WBDT, are among the top WB affiliates, tying for No.2 in 18-49 ratings in last November’s sweeps.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6314794.html?display=Breaking+News
 
The CW Inks Four More Long-Term Affiliation Deals

The CW on Thursday announced long-term affiliation agreements with four stations in the top 100 markets that boosted the new network's carriage commitments to nearly 57 percent of the country's TV universe some six months before the network launches in September.

The newly signed affiliates are Commonwealth Broadcast-owned WHCP-TV, a primary WB affiliate and secondary UPN affiliate in Charleston-Huntington, W.V. (market No. 64); Pegasus Broadcast Television-owned WB affiliate WPXT-TV in Portland-Auburn, Maine (market 74); Minden Television-owned UPN affiliate KPXJ-TV in Shreveport, La. (market 81); and Communications Corp. of America-owned WB affiliate WBRL-TV in Baton Rouge, La. (market 96).

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=9520
 
Thats good to hear that Charleston/Huntington WV will get The CW Network. It would make sense that they would get it since the station was both a WB and UPN affiliate.
 
WBUI Decatur will be CW Network affiliate

DECATUR - WBUI will be the Central Illinois CW Network affiliate this fall.

The Decatur television station is currently affiliated with The WB network, which announced a merger with the UPN network in January.

"I think they were looking for the strongest station in the market," said WBUI general manager Bill Snider. "We dominate here. In my mind, it was never in question."

Russ Hamilton, general manager for Springfield UPN affiliate WCFN (as well as Champaign CBS affiliate WCIA), is doubly happy with the announcement.

"Good for them, and good for me," Hamilton said. "We didn't want it."

Hamilton said WCFN didn't even put in a bid with the CW Network.

"The WB was losing, and UPN was losing," he said. "To put the two of them together and ask us to pay for that didn't make good business sense to us."

The merger of The WB and UPN, both launched in 1995, marked the first elimination of a commercial broadcast network since the money-losing DuMont network went out of business in 1955.

Snider said he expects little change in what viewers see on WBUI. The daily format will be the same: network programming from 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays and 7 to 9 p.m. evenings and a Saturday morning kids' lineup.

The station also will continue with the morning show "Daily Buzz," which Snider said is now seen in 137 markets.

"We get the best of The WB and the best of UPN," Snider said. "It seems well-accepted by local and national advertisers."

The CW Network has nothing set for its fall lineup. Announcements are expected in May.

Acme Communications, which owns WBUI, is the third-largest company affiliate with the CW Network. The Tribune Co. has 16 stations with the network, CBS has 11 and ACME has seven.

Hamilton said he expects to make an announcement early next week on WCFN's future. Independent programming is a possibility, he said, as is an affiliation with My Network TV, a new network to be launched this fall by FOX. News releases say My Network TV plans programming with new shows from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/03/11/news/local_news/1013671.txt
 
Directvisforme said:
Does anyone know what will happen to Kail channel 53 in Fresno California thanks!?

KFRE-TV is going CW and KAIL is still deciding between My Network TV or going Independent. I haven't heard anything else.
 
Cw+ Network Names Kesq-tv As New Palm Springs Affiliate

Officials of the CW+ Network announced today that KESQ-TV, Channel 3, will become the new CW+ Network affiliate beginning September of 2006. KESQ-TV will continue to be an ABC television network primary affiliate, and will operate the CW as a separate channel on its digital signal and on cable.

The CW+ Network is jointly owned and operated by the CBS, which operates the UPN Network, and Warner Brothers, which operates The WB network. UPN and The WB networks will cease operation early this September, to be replaced by the CW and the CW+. Prime-time programming on the new CW+ network will include the most successful programming currently airing on UPN and the WB and a many new television series.

The CW+ is a special version of the CW network serving markets smaller than the top 100 markets in the U.S. In larger markets, the CW will offer only two hours of prime-time programming per day. In markets smaller than 100, such as Palm Springs (Nielsen DMA Market 153) the CW+ will offer programming twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. This is the same business model currently used by the WB 100+ Network, and seen locally on KCWB, cable channel 5.

KESQ-TV currently operates KCWB, the WB 100 + network affiliate for Palm Springs. Viewers watch the WB throughout the Palm Springs market on cable channel 5. Unlike the WB, the CW+ network will be seen over-the-air and on cable. KESQ-TV will include CW+ programming as a multicast channel on KESQ-DT, which already carries high definition digital programming from ABC and digital programming from Fox affiliate KDFX-TV. The CW+ will be the third programming stream carried on KESQ-DT. KESQ will work with local cable operators to provide CW+ programming on local basic cable tiers.

KESQ-TV General Manager Bob Allen said “We are proud to be the CW’s Palm Springs affiliate. We currently operate KCWB, the WB 100+ affiliate for Palm Springs, and it has consistently been the number-one WB affiliate in markets 100+ in the United States in both audience ratings and revenue. We are confident that our new CW+ affiliate will be just as successful.” Bob Allen is currently the Chairman of the WB 100+ Network Executive Committee.

The CW+ network is actively taking advantage of 21st century digital television technology, which enables over-the-air television stations to broadcast multiple program streams on one channel. Many new CW+ affiliates plan to carry CW+ programming as one of their digital programming streams. Congress recently passed a law which requires analog stations to stop broadcasting in early 2009. At that time, viewers will need a digital receiver, or a cable or satellite subscription to continue to receive local programming.

KESQ-DT’s ABC high-definition programming can be seen over-the-air on digital cable 42.1 by viewers who own over-the-air set top receivers. KDFX-TV’s digital programming can be seen over the air on DTV channel 33.1. Time Warner cable carries KESQ high definition digital programming on channel 603, and Fox high definition digital programming on channel 611. When the CW Network offers a high definition digital programming to its affiliates, KESQ will work with local cable operators to pass through high definition CW programming to their homes.

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4646930
 
Six More Affiliates Sign With CW

The CW signed affiliation pacts with six more affiliates Tuesday, bringing its total distribution to almost 68% of the country.

The largest market deal is in Tucson, Ariz., where Cascade Broadcasting’s WB affiliate KWBA will become a CW outlet when the network launches in September. It is Cascade’s second pact with the new network. The company’s other WB affiliate, WBKI Louisville, Ky., will also be a CW affiliate.

Other deals unveiled Tuesday include two Roberts Broadcasting owned stations, WZRB Columbia, S.C. and WRBJ Jackson, Miss.

Three other new affiliates are digital broadcast stations owned by Gray Television: KWTX Waco, Texas; KBTX Bryan, Texas, and WTVY Dothan, Ala.

The newest CW outlets operate in the 71st, 83rd, 89th, 94th and 172nd largest markets in the country, representing 1.39% of total U.S. TV homes.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6317621.html?display=Breaking+News
 
New call letters, new network on tap for KWCV

KWCV-TV says it has been named the Wichita affiliate for the new CW network that will launch this fall.

The CW is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS. It comes from the merging of two other networks, the WB and UPN, both of which will cease operations in September.

"We're excited about it, no doubt," says Eric Lassberg, KWCV's general manager. "We have been working on it for quite awhile and we're very fortunate to have it go our way."

It's unclear what the selection means for Wichita's UPN station, which is operated by Clear Channel Broadcasting. Clear Channel also operates the local Fox affiliate, KSAS-TV.

Kent Cornish, general manager of Fox Kansas and UPN Kansas, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Lassberg says he expects the CW programs to begin airing in the second or third week of September. Programming will include a mix of the WB's and UPN's highest rated shows, such as the Gilmore Girls and Everybody Hates Chris.

Later this month, KWCV will be changing its call letters. Lassberg says on March 28 the station's will change to KSCW, to reflect its new network.

"Just today we received approval to change our call letters," he says.

The station broadcasts on cable channel 5 and over the air on channel 33. It employs more than 20, and is owned by Chicago-based Banks Broadcasting.

http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2006/03/20/daily10.html?from_rss=1
 
I guess Sinclair is the largest hold out.

They have 18 WB & 6 UPN stations although some of them are in the same market.

17 of the Sinclair stations were signed to the MyNetwork TV.
 
The CW Signs 30 More Affils

The CW announced a slate of new affiliation agreements Tuesday that brings its total distribution to 74% of the country. Thirty more stations have signed on for the new network, including several Media General and Raycom Media-owned outlets.

The new deals include carriage in two top 50 markets: Media General’s WASV Greenville-Spartanburg, SC-Asheville, NC-Anderson, SC (market no. 35) and KBEJ San Antonio, operated by Belo Corp (no. 37).

Other deals include five top 100 markets: Media General’s WJWB Jacksonville, Fla (no. 52); Grant Communications’ WBVA Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA (no. 68) and Raycom’s WSTQ Syracuse, N.Y. (no. 76).

Also among the newest affiliates are 19 digital broadcast stations. Under these deals, The CW will be carried on the secondary digital channel of a Big Four affiliate, and, in most markets, also have full cable carriage.

“We’re very pleased to sign our first long-term multi-station affiliation agreements with Media General and Raycom Media, two of broadcasting’s largest station owners, as well as with Grant Communications and Quincy Newspapers, companies whose strong entrepreneurial spirit is grounded in local station ownership,” John Maatta, Chief Operating Officer, The CW, said in a statement.

“We’re also adding to the number of Banks, Barrington, Belo, Block Communications and Gray stations in The CW fold, as well as sealing new deals with a number of other companies with whom we’ve previously partnered for The WB. All of these companies share our excitement and enthusiasm for the unique and exceptional programming and promotion opportunities that The CW creates for them.”

The CW, co-owned by CBS and Time Warner, plans to launch Sept. 5 with some programming from both the WB and UPN, which are shutting down.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6319869.html?display=Breaking+News
 
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