Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Discussion pertaining to the Tri-Cities, Flint, Mt. Pleasant, and Bad Axe
SixPlusOne
Posts: 332
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:03 am

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by SixPlusOne » Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:26 pm

Another writeup:

Courtesy: Central Michigan Life

Central Michigan Life - University To Sell Flint Broadcast Station For $14 Million


http://www.cm-life.com/article/2017/02/ ... ction-ends



User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11877
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by MWmetalhead » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:16 pm

Opening Bid for the WCMU spectrum was $143,613,000

By the time we got to the end stage, it was down to $14,000,000?
Why am I not surprised??? :lol

10% of the FCC's auction value estimate!!! Thanks for sharing that info.

Anyone with a functioning brain (i.e probably every person who sees this post of mine) knew those FCC estimates were preposterous. If the spectrum were worth even half that price, broadcasters would be applying left & right for construction permits for "flipping" purposes later on. All of us knew the FCC estimates were an absurd pipe dream.

Does anyone recall how much WJRT sold for? I want to say even *that* property went for just $25 million or $30 million. When viewed in that context, $14 million seems like a fair price for WCMZ.



ftballfan
Posts: 875
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:38 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by ftballfan » Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:30 pm

Didn't CMU pick up 28 for cheap?



User avatar
Fingerboard Corners
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:24 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by Fingerboard Corners » Fri Feb 10, 2017 3:40 pm

The neighboring signals are all 40 or more miles away. All of their stations are now UHF, doesn't matter what channel they call it. Just the curvature of the earth makes them iffy. How they get the idea that those other three they mentioned having anything more than weak fringe OTA service makes me think they are looking for an excuse to sell. Look on TV Fool where they use Longley Rice prediction, if you don't believe it.

They bought it for $1M. If they couldn't make it work, it was their own fault. Weren't they promising to have local programming? They serve more people with the single signal than with the other signals combined, at least when you include the cable service that Mark mentioned. It's more about eliminating competition (and yes, noncommercial stations compete for contributions) and spending the lottery winnings than it is about serving people.

It would make a good station to carry secondary networks that will be squeezed out by more channel packing, if they let it. Buy it off of whoever bought it otherwise. This is NOT a disposable signal.



tvbobn
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 3:25 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by tvbobn » Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:56 pm

Don't you guys understand, the FCC and Congress is selling all this spectrum off to the wireless companies. Stations aren't selling to other owners. This is the Spectrum Auction that's been in the news for a couple years. They've sold off all the channels 38 and up this time!

All the broadcast stations left will be repacked to channels 36 and below. That means many stations in Michigan are going to be displaced and will be broadcasting on a new RF channel in the future.

Some other SE Michigan station could end up on channel 28, but it would be the same station that they are now, with a different RF channel.

Several Detroit stations will have to change to lower channels. This will have to fit in with the stations in Flint, Lansing, Toledo and Canada. Some stations in one market might have to change channels even if they're already in the lower bands, just to make room for another station to fit a channel in somewhere else. It's a big puzzle to make them all work!

By the way, the FCC is working on the new channels for the repack and will put out the list in a few weeks. Some LPTV stations may loose their channels and coverage in this repack. Only Full Power and Class A stations are protected and will be getting new channels. LPTV get to file for what's left.


Frontier Airlines SUCKS! They're a bunch of thieves. Don't fly with them!

tvbobn
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 3:25 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by tvbobn » Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:22 pm



Frontier Airlines SUCKS! They're a bunch of thieves. Don't fly with them!

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11877
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by MWmetalhead » Fri Feb 10, 2017 8:10 pm

I wonder how the gross purse compares to expectation on a global scale.

Getting back to the Mid-Michigan PBS situation, I wonder what the chances are of WDCQ applying for a digital translator to serve the Flint area? I am guessing the chances of that occurring are very slim.

Are translators/repeaters of full power, in-market stations protected, tvbobn, or are they lumped into the same category as the LPTVs?



tvbobn
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 3:25 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by tvbobn » Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:52 am

MWmetalhead wrote:I wonder how the gross purse compares to expectation on a global scale.

Getting back to the Mid-Michigan PBS situation, I wonder what the chances are of WDCQ applying for a digital translator to serve the Flint area? I am guessing the chances of that occurring are very slim.

Are translators/repeaters of full power, in-market stations protected, tvbobn, or are they lumped into the same category as the LPTVs?
Hard to say at this time. They're sort of making the rules as the go. LPTV is secondary to Full Power stations main channel, but we don't know about a FP translator. The FCC hasn't followed their own rules during much of the auction, so it's hard to say what will happen in the future. None of us know what will happen until they come out with the "repack channel list". The FCC is providing it for stations, so it's in their hands. At this point, we don't know if the list will only be FP and Class A's or if it will include the LPTV's too. They've said that it should be out in a few weeks. Earlier in the auction, they made it sound like only FP and Class A would be included on the repack channel list, then LPTV would fight for what channels were left available for them.

With the new "broadcast friendly" FCC chairman instead of a "wireless friendly" chairman in charge now, we might have a better chance for LPTV stations surviving this auction mess!


Frontier Airlines SUCKS! They're a bunch of thieves. Don't fly with them!

User avatar
audiophile
Posts: 8546
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:21 pm
Location: Between 88 and 108 MHz.

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by audiophile » Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:07 pm

About the only chance Flint residents have is WDCQ on Channel 15.

The 1030 foot tower is in Quanicassee, so an outdoor antenna will mostly likely be required.


Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!

JackAttack FM
Posts: 295
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:50 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by JackAttack FM » Tue Feb 14, 2017 1:54 pm

Channel 28 is redundant.
Its redundant to WTVS, CBC and TVO in Detroit and its redundant to WDCQ in its own market.
As WFUM it was multi-redundant with WCMU before it was owned by CMU.
And to one side of town it was redundant to WKAR.
It was the fifth place PBS station sandwiched between three markets.
Its only real value was as a community service for local exposure in Flint.

I give props to WCMU for trying to expand and gain some exposure in the Detroit market, for the WCMU network and the university.
My feeling is they just weren't able to attract the extra eyeballs or donations from the Detroit market as maybe planned.
It will be interesting to see if Detroit cable systems keep the station in their line-ups.

Letting the station go commercial is probably a bad business model. CMU probably wouldn't even get half as much for it as it did in the auction.
And going against cable, internet and affiliate station subchannels as a start-up now is a suicide run.

CMU paid $1M for the station less then ten years ago and now they're going to to make $13M off of it.
Good for them!



Arthur Mometer
Posts: 220
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:52 am
Location: Radar Room

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by Arthur Mometer » Tue Feb 14, 2017 2:41 pm

I suggest that you look at a Longley Rice prediction of the signals you mention. With this misinformation and long obsolete models still used to predict signals, OTA TV is dead. 19, 23, and 56 DO NOT cover Genesee County well at all OTA. With analog, they were snowy. With DTV they don't come in at all without extreme measures. What was free will be very expensive.


"I'm meteorologist Arthur Mometer."

"Those of you who think you know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."

"Lies have to be repeated and repeated to be believed. Truth stands on its own merit."

User avatar
rugratsonline
Posts: 488
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 1:20 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by rugratsonline » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:59 pm

JackAttack FM wrote:Channel 28 is redundant.
Its redundant to WTVS, CBC and TVO in Detroit and its redundant to WDCQ in its own market.
It will be interesting to see if Detroit cable systems keep the station in their line-ups.
The same for TVO, now that they will be closing down all its transmitters, except for the flagship in Toronto.

In terms of WCMZ -- if it becomes something else, it is likely that if it's on cable now as WCMZ, it'll be on cable as something else. If WCMZ goes dark, however, systems can practically fill its slot with any channel they want -- or just leave it vacant.
JackAttack FM wrote: Letting the station go commercial is probably a bad business model.
If it's in a non-commercial allocation, it can't go commercial. Just hope it's not occupied by another godcaster.



User avatar
HD74
Posts: 584
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:53 pm
Location: SOMEWHERE BEHIND THE RACKS

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by HD74 » Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:26 pm

It will either be filled by a station coming down from above channel 36, or will be left vacant to help protect adjacent markets from interference.
The pool will be full.
Unless it is viable for a low power after the repack is done, you will not see a new station on that channel, but a different station that you already see may move there.
A Godcaster is unlikely.
We'll get a pretty good idea of what's actually going to happen in a couple more weeks as the FCC publishes its plan.
In the meantime your guess is as good as mine.


You're never too old to learn something stupid.

jry
Posts: 269
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:14 am
Location: somewhere in the former boonies

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by jry » Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:35 pm

Some indy in the Hudson Valley area of NY sold for 212 Million.... Whoa. Merry Christmas.



ftballfan
Posts: 875
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:38 pm

Re: CMU Sells Flint WCMZ-TV In FCC Spectrum Auction

Post by ftballfan » Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:12 pm

Here are some channels that will need new homes:
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City
WBSF (RF 46)
WAQP (RF 48)
Lansing
WSYM (RF 38)
WKAR (RF 40)
WZPX (RF 44)
Detroit
WADL (RF 39)
WXYZ (RF 41)
WTVS (RF 43)
WWJ (RF 44)
WDIV (RF 45)



Post Reply Previous topicNext topic