On th’WREG
Sinclair failed to break into the Memphis market earlier this year when WREG’s parent company, Tribune Media, backed out of a controversial, hotly contested deal with the conservative media giant.
In June, Atlanta-based media giant Gray Television Inc. agreed to acquire WMC’s parent company, Raycom, pending FCC approval.
Now, with Sinclair solidly in the rearview mirror, Tribune has entered into a new agreement with another giant, Nexstar. This latest development could alter the Memphis media landscape considerably.
According to a Bloomberg report, Nexstar plans to stay just below the FCC ownership cap by divesting in 13 markets. One of these markets will almost certainly be Memphis, where the company already owns WATN-24, and WLMT-30, which function as a content/staff-sharing duopoly.
As of now, WHBQ Fox-13 is still owned by Cox while WKNO continues to be sponsored by the letter Q, the number 12, and viewers like you.
Listed
Last week, Thrillist.com included Central BBQ on its list of the 21 best nacho plates in America. “AutoZone Park is the only pro MLB [sic] stadium in the country where hot dogs aren’t the top selling concession,” the entry notes.
On th’WREG 2
One of the more annoying/amusing artifacts of media consolidation is online content that initially appears to be local, but isn’t. Like this Tribune story out of Texas about a wedding photographer who was arrested for intoxication after allegedly having sex with a guest and peeing in public.
