Tribune stations dump CW branding
David
Tribune gives CW the cold shoulder
Broadcasting unit rebranding affiliates
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
As the CW preps for what could be its make-or-break season, Tribune
Broadcasting has thrown a wrench into the net's branding efforts.
Over the past few weeks, Tribune's station group has scrubbed the
network's name off most of its 13 CW affils. Instead, the company,
whose stations are CW's most crucial affils in top markets, is
introducing new station identities without the CW moniker and is
de-emphasizing the network affiliation on its station websites.
In Houston, Tribune even changed the station's call letters, from KHCW
to KAIH, removing the CW's name in the process (that station, once
known as "CW39," now just calls itself "Channel 39"). In Dallas, what
had been known as "CW33" is now being called "The 33." Tribune's
Washington station, which had referred to itself as "CW50," is now
"DC50."
Move reps the latest salvo from Tribune in what's become an
increasingly strained relationship between the Sam Zell-led company
and the CW. Tribune earlier dropped the CW from its San Diego station
in favor of Fox (although the CW ultimately benefited by trading up to
a VHF outlet there). Tribune was also instrumental in driving CW's
partnership with financier-producer Media Rights Capital to take over
the CW's Sunday-night lineup.
Adding insult to injury for the CW is that Tribune is so far still
utilizing the News Corp.-approved logo and brand for its two
MyNetworkTV affils, in Seattle and Philadelphia.
As of now, Tribune's New York flagship, WPIX, is still calling itself
"CW11" -- at least online -- but the CW brand is harder to find on the
redesigned websites for L.A.'s KTLA and Chicago's WGN.
The CW-free rebranding effort comes as Tribune Broadcasting continues
to make changes under new prexy Ed Wilson. Decision to rebrand the
Trib stations also is reminiscent of News Corp.'s quick move to strip
UPN's name off its affils soon after CBS announced plans to merge UPN
with Time Warner's WB to create CW in early 2006.
Taylor
Enjoy the 2008-2009 season, folks, because I would bet it's the last
or second-last of The CW.
To me, this is reminiscent of the PTEN (Prime Time Entertainment
Network) that supplied programming to independent stations used before
The WB and UPN had been born. Only use the PTEN branding amongst the
programming block (intros, bumpers, extros, promos), but keep the
local stations local identity front and center.
Branding an entire stations w/ MyNetwork TV is stupid, to me. This
crap isn't worthy of an entire mini-"netlet" (if The WB/UPN were
"netlets" and failed, then MyNetwork TV -- even smaller -- is a
mini-"netlet").
Obveeus
"David" <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Over the past few weeks, Tribune's station group has scrubbed the
> network's name off most of its 13 CW affils.
Tribune prepping their stations for sale as they try to keep the print media
sinkhole afloat. It seems that the only TV thing Tribune is going to try
and save is WGN America, but they sure have run that 'national cable
network' into the ground over the last decade.
Taylor
So it's basically putting one of those Billy Mays scratch removing
(filling in) coloured crayon on a rotted through rust hole patch in a
car (The CW a rust patch).
If someone can get Tribune stations to dump The CW programming all
together, they'd be all the more attractive for selling. Actually, on
second thought..... I guess it's like having a new Lexus w/ a bunch of
ugly bumper stickers on it. Get rid of the gaudy unnecessary crap
extras, you got yourself a pretty nice gem underneath. Okay. No more
car analogies for me.
Adam H. Kerman
The biggest sinkhole is the debt Sam Zell loaded the company with.
Incidentally, in Chicago, tonight's CW prime time lineup including the
first two episodes of the "90210" remake, has been pre-empted for a Cubs game.
Obveeus
"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:
> Incidentally, in Chicago, tonight's CW prime time lineup including the
> first two episodes of the "90210" remake, has been pre-empted for a Cubs
> game.
Yep. WGN Chicago is a great affiliate for the CW when they actually air the
CW programs, but their contractual connection/obligation with the Cubs makes
them a lousy affiliate when it comes to national ratings numbers. Fans of
anything other than the Cubs would be happy to see WGN lose its CW
affiliation to another network that would actually air all the programs.