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MEDIA NOTES: THE AFFILIATE SHUFFLE CONTINUES
Published November 22, 1994
"In a move likely to further shake up the television network landscape and befuddle TV viewers," CBS and NBC agreed to swap broadcast stations and other assets in Philadelphia, Denver, Miami and Salt Lake City. For NBC, the "linchpin of the deal" is the acquisition of CBS's O&O WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. CBS had taken affiliate in Philly, the nation's 4th largest media market. To get back a VHF station in Philadelphia -- "albeit one that is one of the weaker stations in the market" -- NBC was willing to make some concessions: swapping signals and channel positions with CBS in Miami and selling CBS and Group W its news station in Salt Lake City, as well as its O&O in Denver (Robin Schatz, N.Y. NEWSDAY, 11/22). In Denver, NBC O&O KCNC switches to CBS, and Gannett's KUSA-TV switches from ABC to NBC. KUSA now becomes home to the Broncos (Gannett). ....Ad agency sources say that CBS is getting price increases of 10-15% for its college hoops schedule. One buyer says CBS has already moved 80% of its inventory. CBS also was reportedly in talks with the NCAA about extending the network's college basketball contract. The current pact runs through '98 (INSIDE MEDIA, 11/16-29 issue)....ESPN2's household count is up to 16.1M through more than 2,200 affiliates (ESPN2)....Gaylord Entertainment, the parent company of The Nashville Network, is on the block for $3B, according to USA TODAY. Disney, TCI, Tribune Co. and TBS are among those reportedly "hankering" for Gaylord. Gaylord owns 10% of the Texas Rangers (USA TODAY, 11/22)....Rudy Martzke reports a decision on Wimbledon TV rights has been delayed until late November at the earliest, with Fox/fX vying against NBC/HBO (USA TODAY, 11/22).




