WDTV to operate WVFX

[Mr. Jones]

[quote]WITHERS CRAFTS DUOPOLY IN CLARKSBURG, WV

Under shared services agreement, Russ Withers' CBS affiliate will operate the Fox affiliate. He promises more news, local service.

By Harry A. Jessell


Withers Broadcasting is expanding its operation in Clarksburg, W.Va., having reached an agreement to manage the Fox affiliate, WVFX, in tandem with its CBS affiliate, WDTV.

The so-called virtual duopoly will be the first for the 166th market, which has just one other full-power commercial station, West Virginia Media Holdings’ WBOY, an NBC affiliate.

WVFX is owned by the estate of the late oil billionaire Marvin Davis. As Davis Television, it also owns WFXS Wausau-Rhinelander, Wis. (DMA 134).

Withers Broadcasting owner Russ Withers said WDTV GM Tim DeFazio will now run both stations under a shared services agreement. Withers confirmed that WVFX GM Bill Stanton will not be part of the new order.

Withers said the deal will result in “some efficiencies,â€

[Norm]

One horrible station operating another horrible station. You gotta love it!!

[whatchamacallit]

Amen to that....

That means that will be two network affiliates in that area that will never see the HDTV light of day....

WDTV is still not even broadcasting in digital yet, not that it would improve quality of service...

WVFX audio is horrible.

I heard from somone from WBOY that the hdtv plans has been in the works for some time now. but so far no announcements made to this date.

[fearpeddler]

That means that will be two network affiliates in that area that will never see the HDTV light of day....

WDTV is still not even broadcasting in digital yet, not that it would improve quality of service...

WVFX audio is horrible.

Things like this are what the FCC needs to be cracking down on, I've seen these channels before and really, I find it more offensive to watch a channel with a crappy signal than anything else..

[sportsvoice]

That means that will be two network affiliates in that area that will never see the HDTV light of day....

WDTV is still not even broadcasting in digital yet, not that it would improve quality of service...

WVFX audio is horrible.

Things like this are what the FCC needs to be cracking down on, I've seen these channels before and really, I find it more offensive to watch a channel with a crappy signal than anything else..

A big thank you to dumb network exclusivity rules for protecting two-bit operations like that from having technically superior competitors available on cable. Time to buy a satellite system and "move" to a signal "white area".

[J. Fox]

I miss getting WPGH we lost it right after WVFX went on the air. For the longest time WVFX was experiencing major transmitter problems which took the station either off the air for long periods of time or made the signal so weak that it was unwatchable. It would have been nice if Comcast would have added WPGH to replace WVFX while that happened, but no chance. We are lucky that at least Pittsburgh's KDKA, WPXI, and WPCW aren't blacked out and we get an alternative with CBS, NBC, and the CW. I just wish we had one with FOX.

[Mr. Jones]

Bump.

[quote]dma 166

WITHERS PROMISES NEWS FOR WAIVER IN WV

TVNEWSDAY, Jul. 2, 8:36 AM ET

The group owner tells the FCC that if granted a "failing station" waiver and allowed to buy WVFX Clarksburg-Weston, W. Va., creating a duopoly, it will add a 10 p.m. newscast to the Fox affiliate.

By Harry A. Jessell





Withers Broadcasting is promising the FCC that it will begin offering a 10 o’clock newscast on WVFX, the Fox affiliate in Clarksburg-Weston, W.Va., if the agency will grant a “failing station’ waiver that will allow Withers to buy the station.

Withers, which has agreed to buy WVFX for $5 million from Davis Television, needs the waiver since it already owns one of the two other full-power stations in the market, WDTV (CBS), and the FCC prohibits ownership of two full-power stations in markets as small as Clarksburg-Weston (DMA 166).

In a filing last week with the FCC, Withers says that its deal for WVFX meets all the criteria for the “failing stationâ€

[jag]

OK, on a related note, what about Withers' purchase of WDCI. What has that brought about in terms of change for the radio station? More local programming? Signal improvement? What about the "F" word (yes, I mean "format")?

[Norm]

What a joke. Withers will run this one in the ground even more than he has already run WDTV into the ground. The man is a horrible owner and he surrounds himself with horrible yes-men managers who tell him what he wants to hear. His product in Clarksburg is a TOTAL joke, which gets it's rear end kicked by a West Virginia Media Station (of all things).