Could WDIV be preparing to drop their affiliation with NBC?

[Tvguy]

This kind of thing has already happened in Miami and Atlanta

WDIV
[https://tvnewscheck.com/business/articl ... ur-brands/]

In Miami WPLG dropped its 70 yearlong affiliation with ABC.
[https://thedesk.net/2025/03/wplg-losing ... filiation/]

In Atlanta WANF will end its 31 yearlong affiliation with CBS on Aug. 15th. and transition to an independent local television station.
[https://www.newscaststudio.com/2025/06/ ... dependent/]

[Rate This]

This kind of thing has already happened in Miami and Atlanta

WDIV
[https://tvnewscheck.com/business/articl ... ur-brands/]

In Miami WPLG dropped its 70 yearlong affiliation with ABC.
[https://thedesk.net/2025/03/wplg-losing ... filiation/]

In Atlanta WANF will end its 31 yearlong affiliation with CBS on Aug. 15th. and transition to an independent local television station.
[https://www.newscaststudio.com/2025/06/ ... dependent/]

Only if you’re certain you’ll win the lottery and get struck by lightning as they announce the numbers.

[edj]

This has been rumored for 30 years.

[Newsman123]

They are literally the #1 rated NBC affiliate in the country. I dont think either side allows that to happen.

[GrahamWellington]

We'll see more of this going forward. The networks still appear to be demanding obnoxious amounts of money for crappy programming that garners continuously decreasing ratings. Not to mention they make programming available on streaming services, bypassing the local stations.

Sports are the only thing keeping affiliates on board, for now. If the NFL decides to move away from the networks in any form in the next contract negotiations, look for the exodus to speed up.

[MWmetalhead]

Not a chance in hell of WDIV willfully dropping NBC, in my opinion. If it happens, it will be because another station outbid WDIV for the affiliation.

CBS essentially ditched WANF, not the other way around. CBS wanted to put its programming on the station it already owned in Atlanta.

[Tvguy]

Not a chance in hell of WDIV willfully dropping NBC, in my opinion. If it happens, it will be because another station outbid WDIV for the affiliation.
CBS essentially ditched WANF, not the other way around. CBS wanted to put its programming on the station it already owned in Atlanta.


Ok let's say you're right but can you explain what happened in Miami?

[Newsman123]

WPLG is an independent station (locally owned). Very different than a random Graham station.

[Tvguy]

In March 2014, Graham announced that it would sell WPLG to Berkshire Hathaway, in exchange for a large majority of Berkshire Hathaway's shares in Graham Holdings. Berkshire Hathaway and its chairman, Warren Buffett, had been longtime stockholders in the company. The acquisition closed on June 30, 2014; Berkshire Hathaway entered into agreements with Graham Media to continue providing WPLG with the Graham Media station group's centralized services following the sale, so Graham still runs that station.

[Rate This]

In March 2014, Graham announced that it would sell WPLG to Berkshire Hathaway, in exchange for a large majority of Berkshire Hathaway's shares in Graham Holdings. Berkshire Hathaway and its chairman, Warren Buffett, had been longtime stockholders in the company. The acquisition closed on June 30, 2014; Berkshire Hathaway entered into agreements with Graham Media to continue providing WPLG with the Graham Media station group's centralized services following the sale, so Graham still runs that station.

Yeah but it’s still not an identical setup to a directly owned station.

[MWmetalhead]

[
Ok let's say you're right but can you explain what happened in Miami?

WSVN presumably offered financial terms to ABC that were more attractive. WPLG was given an opportunity to beat that offer and chose not to do so citing financial burden. ABC played hardball because it knew it had WSVN in its back pocket.

Graham Media Group was uninvolved with the decision.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/warren-b ... 13957.html

https://www.wlrn.org/news-in-brief/2025 ... th-network

[Tvguy]

The move to WSVN is a total downgrade for ABC, they have been placed on the 7.2 sub-channel of a medium to low power station in Miami.

In Detroit for example we have Channels 20 & 38 which are both high power independents stations that are listed as “must Carry” but generate no retrains money. Channels 2 , 4 , 7 & 62 are high power network affiliates that are forced to pay 100% of their retransmission money back to the networks plus 50% of their spots.

The Major Networks don’t care about their local affiliates; they just want the big money that’s generated from their retransmission agreements. It’s very likely the NBC affiliation will be dropped by WDIV and keep all the money they generate. Five years ago a station would give anything for a major network affiliation but now with streaming taking over these Networks are becoming less desirable and less profitable.

[MWmetalhead]

WSVN broadcasts on RF channel 9 (virtual channel 7) with 158 kW. Its city grade contour even extends into portions of the West Palm Beach market.

Channel 7.2 will broadcast in 720p, just like virtually every other ABC affiliate. To further augment OTA availability, ABC will also be carried on a UHF digital signal in Miami (either a Class A or LD signal).

WSVN's news has been #1 or #2 in the market for decades.

Every major live TV streaming service will carry WSVN's ABC stream, and I'd be willing to bet the retrans money will be there once Sunbeam negotiates renewals.

I do completely agree with you that OTA major network affiliations are becoming increasingly less attractive to broadcasters in view of the rise of FAST and video on demand streaming services (Peacock, Paramount Plus, Disney+, etc).

That said, airing solely reruns, daytime syndicated series, redundant local news, no major live sports, etc. would spell ratings doom for WDIV. Their ad rates would fall through the floor. That's why I cannot see WDIV gleefully becoming an Independent station. Now, if someone makes a valiant effort to pry the NBC affiliation from WDIV - which wouldn't be easy - who knows what could happen.

[edj]

I think of KRON as exhibit A of a major station plummeting after losing their network. That's a story in itself.

[MWmetalhead]

WISH-TV in Indy is an excellent example, in my opinion.

WHDH in Boston is the one station that comes to mind who has navigated such a situation well.