The courtship of NBC by the Hearld-Traveler

[Garrett Wollman]

<<On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:02:30 -0400, "Doug Drown" <revdoug1@myfairpoint.net> said:

> I've long been curious as to why, when CapCities bought ABC, it divested 
> WXYZ-TV and WKBW AM and TV ---- all large and (I would think) strategic 
> stations.  WJR and WXYZ-TV would have made a formidable combination in 
> Detroit.

Because the ownership limit at the time was still 7/7/7.  ABC owned in
New York (WABC), Chicago (WLS), San Franciso (KGO), Los Angeles
(KABC), and Detroit (WXYZ).  Cap Cities owned in New Haven (WTNH),
Philly (WPVI), Houston (KTRK), Durham (WTVD), Tampa (WFTS), and Fresno
(KFSN).  CC/ABC chose, rather sensibly, to keep the strongest markets.
Why Fresno instead of Detroit?  No clue, but it could have had to do
with theorized synergies with the other two California stations.

-GAWollman