Fox leaving KUIL

[FTA Michael]

As reported in Mediaweek http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/local-broadcast/e3i733e6910b87d5955d78421ac933983fa, Beaumont TX's stronger NBC station will switch to Fox on Jan. 1, 2009. No word yet on whether KUIL (the current Fox affiliate and FTA on AMC 4) will pick up NBC or something else.

[Davenlr]

Rats, one less chance to catch Packer games for free...Need more Fox!

[Jon Ellis]

Since KUIL is a low-power station, chances are good that NBC might go for a digital subchannel on the ABC or CBS affiliate. NBC would probably also prefer an affiliate that has a news operation. But it would be great for the FTA world if KUIL did become the NBC affiliate, since K-band dishes would then only be missing CBS and CW.

KUIL could continue as an independent station pretty easily, since FOX only accounts for two hours of programming per weekday, plus sports on weekends. (The market already has CW and MNT affiliates). Conversely, KBTV will need a lot more syndicated programming to fill middays, afternoons, late night, and overnight.

[Jon Ellis]

NBC has affiliated with KBMT, the ABC affiliate. NBC will be on a digital subchannel:

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/local/kbmt__the_abc_affiliate__to_show_nbc_content__too_ 11-25-2008.html

So KUIL will most likely become an independent station.

[Jtaylor1]

Either Independent or they'll probably affiliate the Retro Television Network.

[machavez00]

In Phoenix, we had a near complete switching of affiliates(94/95). NBC was the only network that stayed on it's original station. It was all part of this big mess that Fox started
Fox affiliate switches of 1994 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_affiliate_switches_of_1994)
The Fox affiliate switches of 1994 was a series of events resulting from a multi-million dollar deal between Fox Broadcasting Company, known commonly as Fox, and New World Communications, an owner of several VHF television stations affiliated with major networks, primarily CBS.

The major impetus for the changes was to improve local coverage of the fledgling network's new National Football League packages. As a result of various other deals that followed as a result of the affiliation switches, most notably the buyout of CBS by Westinghouse, the switches constituted some of the most sweeping changes in American television history.

[FTA Michael]

Either Independent or they'll probably affiliate the Retro Television Network.There's no particular reason for KUIL to go with RTN. Unlike most OTA channels on FTA, it's not owned by Equity, the folks who also own RTN.

Let's see, CW is already on someone else's subchannel. Could we be looking at another MyNetwork affiliate? :(

[Jon Ellis]

KUMY-LP is already the My Network TV affiliate for Beaumont. KUIL-LP probably has better cable distribution, being a current FOX affiliate, so it might be possible to steal the MNT affiliation away.

Or they could just add a few more hours of syndicated programming and become an independent. FOX only has about 27 hours of programming a week (out of 168) which is about 1/4 of what the "big three" offer, so FOX affiliates are almost independents as it is.

[FTA Michael]

I was just thinking, given that no other major network is available, and considering that KUIL was spun off mainly to provide Cowboys games to Beaumont fans, maybe its parent station will just shut it down when Fox leaves. I'd hate to see that, but maybe it makes sense from their perspective.

[jeffgbailey]

KUIL is going Independent and will stay on AMC4 and active. They have a DT construction permit
(this is from someone at KUIL and KVHP)

[jeffgbailey]

There's no particular reason for KUIL to go with RTN. Unlike most OTA channels on FTA, it's not owned by Equity, the folks who also own RTN.
(

why couldnt they add it? There are approx 30 RTN affiliates that are not owned by Equity...the station owners just add the RTN option as subchannels on existing stations

[FTA Michael]

That's why I said no "particular" reason for it to go to RTN, as opposed to any of the other proliferating independent alternatives. That doesn't mean that it won't go to RTN or that it wouldn't be a good fit, just that unlike most FTA broadcasters, it doesn't already have a corporate relationship to RTN.

And thanks for the note that it'll stay on AMC4. I hope that you're right!

[FTA Michael]

This week, the Beaumont local paper quoted KUIL GM Bonita Elias as saying the station would just step up its output of syndicated programming plus "more community service and Lamar University produced shows".

Not much of a story here: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/fox_64_to_drop_affiliate_in_new_year_12-18-2008.html

[SamC]

Two words:

Jay Leno

In most markets it really doesn't matter what station has what network. Four full power VHF stations with towers located in the single central city.

But there are plenty of markets that are not like that. Less than a full set of stations. Stations spread out over multiple towns. UHF. Rimshot stations. Varrious issues.

NBC is nearly finished with a process of totally abrogating a serious effort in primetime. In a few years, it will have no original filmed entertainment shows at all.

And in markets where it matters, it is going to get the weakest affiliate in the market.

[Jtaylor1]

I read the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KUIL-LP) and it says that most of it's local programming will be produced by Lamar University.

Their new branding will be similar to WCIU-TV Chicago.