Archive for April, 2012

WOOD-TV morning news to start at 4:30 A.M.

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Posted 27 Apr 2012 — by Michigan Media
Category Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek

LIN Media’s WOOD-TV (Channel 8 ) in Grand Rapids will launch a 4:30 A.M. newscast on Monday, April 30. The announcement comes a few days after market rival WWMT started a 4:30 A.M. newscast on April 23.

Beginning Monday, April 30, 24 Hour News 8 Daybreak will begin at 4:30 a.m.

“We’re responding to changes in viewers’ habits being seen all over the country. 24 Hour News 8 Daybreak is West Michigan’s #1 morning show,” said WOOD TV8 News Director Rebecca Sapakie. “Our entire team will be here ready to go at 4:30 a.m. We’re committed to making sure our viewers are prepared for the day with the latest overnight news, big stories still ahead and the Storm Team 8 forecast.”

WOOD-TV

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WWMT debuts West Michigan’s first 4:30 A.M. newscast

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Posted 23 Apr 2012 — by Michigan Media
Category Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek

WWMTSinclair Broadcasting’s WWMT (Channel 3) in Kalamazoo debuted the market’s first 4:30 AM newscast this morning.

WWMT in Grand Rapids, MI debuted the market’s first 4:30 a.m. newscast today.

“We are proud to be the first to offer a 4:30 a.m. local newscast to Western Michigan,” WWMT vice president and general manager Jim Lutton said, announcing the newscast’s debut. “We are dedicated to being the news leader in the market and this shows our commitment to those efforts.”

Now appearing a half-hour earlier every weekday, is the WWMT morning team of Josh Roe, Marcie Kobriger, and Jeff Porter.

TV Spy

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Tribune reaches agreement with DIRECTV

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Posted 04 Apr 2012 — by Michigan Media
Category Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek

WXMI, DIRECTVWXMI (Channel 17) in Grand Rapids and other Tribune stations have returned to the DIRECTV channel lineup.

DIRECTV and Tribune have reached a retransmission consent deal for DIRECTV to continue carrying all of Tribune’s local stations and WGN America for the next five years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re pleased that Tribune and their creditors now recognize that all DIRECTV wanted from day one was to pay fair market rates for their channels,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president of Content, Strategy and Development, DIRECTV. “It’s unfortunate that Tribune was willing to hold our customers hostage in an attempt to extract excessive rates, but in the end we reached a fair deal at market rates similar to what we originally agreed to on March 29. On behalf of our customers, we are very happy to close the deal and put this behind us.”

Tribune restored all of their local signals and WGN America to DIRECTV customers at approximately 9 p.m. ET.

DIRECTV Press Release

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Sinclair completes purchase of WWMT and WLAJ

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Posted 03 Apr 2012 — by Michigan Media
Category Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Lansing

Sinclair, WWMT, WLAJSinclair Broadcast Group has closed on its acquisition of Freedom Communications’ broadcast stations. The deal includes WWMT (Channel 3) in Kalamazoo and WLAJ (Channel 53) in Lansing.

Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Monday that it has closed on its acquisition of the Freedom Communications broadcast assets for $385 million. The deal was announced last November.

Sinclair financed the acquisition and a portion of the closing costs with a draw under a recently raised $157.5 million incremental Term Loan A and a $192.5 million incremental Term B Loan commitment under its amended Bank Credit Facility, plus a $38.5 million cash escrow previously paid in November 2011.

 TVNewsCheck

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FOX 17 and other Tribune stations go dark on DIRECTV

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Posted 01 Apr 2012 — by Michigan Media
Category Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek

Tribune Broadcasting’s local stations, including WXMI (FOX 17) in Grand Rapids, are no longer available on DIRECTV. WGN America was also removed from the DIRECTV channel lineup. Tribune’s contract with DIRECTV expired at midnight on March 31. DIRECTV replaced the channels with the following message:

FOX 17 removed from DIRECTV

 

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