Ion Media "Pulling an NBC"?

[Scott Fybush]

No truth to that rumor, from what my sources are telling me.

It makes no sense, really. Disney/ABC hasn't lifted a finger to grow its
O&O portfolio in more than two decades. Dumping Hearst in Boston would
imperil one of the closest network/affiliate relationships in the country,
with ripple effects I'm Hearst ABC markets around the country.

It doesn't make a lick of sense on either end of the "deal."

On May 25, 2017 5:13 PM, "Doug Drown" <ashboy1951@gmail.com> wrote:

> James Woods, a fellow-participant in the RadioInsight.com message boards,
> reported today that anonymous word is going 'round regarding a sale of
> Ion's WBPX Channel 32 to the ABC Owned Television Stations Group.  One of
> WBPX's full-power satellites, digital channel 33, is in Concord, NH.  If
> all this is true, that would almost certainly place WCVB's and WMUR's ABC
> affiliations in jeopardy.
>
> NBC, having firmly established its own station in Boston, won't move over
> to Channel 5.  One wonders what Hearst would do, especially given that it
> has cable network joint ownership ties with both NBC and ABC.
>
> I have my doubts about this story, but I have to say it's interesting.
>