Fox Broadcasting dropped two stations from network affiliation after failing to reach deals under a new plan to get broadcast affiliates to pay for programming, reports the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town blog.
The network had warned that it was ready to drop stations if they didn’t accept Fox’s new terms, the story says. The stations are WTVW-TV in Evansville, Illinois, Indiana, owned by Nexstar Broadcasting, and KTRV-TV in Boise, Idaho, which is owned by Block Communications.
Fox wants stations in the country’s top 125 markets to pay the network a portion of the funds they receive from cable and satellite operators who carry the stations’ programming, the piece notes. Fox has said it needs the money to cover its programming costs and to offset declines in advertising.
WEVV-TV, owned by Communications Corp. of America, will replace WTVW as a Fox affiliate in the Evansville market, while a Journal Broadcast Group station will move to Fox in Boise.
Evansville is in Indiana.
Actually, there is an Evansville in Illinois as well. However, it’s only a small village, and we did indeed mean Evansville, Indiana. We’ve made the correction. Thanks!
“Fox has said it needs the money” – gee, don’t they think the STATIONS need the money, too? How are these stations supposed to thrive, if Fox now wants to take a slice of their revenue pie? Stations, especially independents, have it tough enough already.