WJMN TV to be sold to Morgan Murphy by Nexstar

[statmanmi]

Hello All,

I just happened to notice this FCC filing this morning:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... f&goBack=N

Pending FCC approval, Nexstar is selling WJMN RF32 virtual channels 3.x Escanaba basically to Morgan Murphy Media (via subsidiary Queen Bee's Knees = QBK). Perhaps someone can read through the attachments with more time than I can take right now, but this sentence jumped out at me:

"The Purchase Price to be paid to Nexstar is $1,500,000, of which Sullivan’s Landing agrees to pay to Nexstar $300,000 and QBK agrees to pay to Nexstar $1,200,000."

I'm not familiar with who or what entity Sullivan's Landing is by name. Perhaps this arrangement is being used because of Morgan Murphy having purchased the former Stephen Marks TV stations in the market (those being WBUP RF10 10.x Ishpeming and WBKP RF5 5.x Calumet) last year.

Cheers! ~~ Statmanmi

[ftballfan]

One prediction is that WJMN adds ABC and CW to its subchannel lineup.

[MetalUpYourAss1973]

One prediction is that WJMN adds ABC and CW to its subchannel lineup.

Can they legally do that with the owners of RF-10 providing that to the Marquette market already?

[edj]

Isn’t WJMN technically in the Green Bay market, or have things changed recently?

[MWmetalhead]

It is in the Marquette market.

Sounds like Morgan Murphy is trying to circumvent FCC ownership limits by using a variable interest entity to acquire WJMN.

I am uncertain if the FCC views WBKP and WBUP as a satellite station situation or as a duopoly. If I were a betting man, I'd place my money on the latter.

So, Nexstar ruined WJMN (by losing the CBS affiliation) and now they want to unload it.

It would indeed be nice to see ABC programming on WJMN as it reaches many areas OTA that WBUP misses.

[sinklair]

How is Nexstar doing this? I thought they were at the ownership cap — and the FCC was making them divest stations like WPIX in New York City?

[EdWalker]

How is Nexstar doing this? I thought they were at the ownership cap — and the FCC was making them divest stations like WPIX in New York City?

They're selling WJMN. If anything, it very reduces their ownership footprint, albeit slightly.

[organman95]

It is in the Marquette market.

Sounds like Morgan Murphy is trying to circumvent FCC ownership limits by using a variable interest entity to acquire WJMN.

I am uncertain if the FCC views WBKP and WBUP as a satellite station situation or as a duopoly. If I were a betting man, I'd place my money on the latter.

I would agree. Similar to Sinclair ownership of WEYI/WSMH/WBSF...

[sinklair]

Sinclair only owns WSMH. They are operating WEYI through a shared services agreement with Armstrong Williams’ Howard Stirk Holdings. They run WBSF through Cunningham. All sidecar deals to avoid running into FCC ownership cap issues. However, the FCC has been cracking down these end arounds with lawsuits against Nexstar.

[SBaxley]

To add clarity:
The FCC fined Nexstar $1.2 Million ANNNND Mission Broadcasting $612,395 for WPIX in its 42 page report , the FCC found that in essence Nexstar "pulled a Sinclair/ Grupo Televisa [ late 60's"..see XETV San Diego /Tijuana]
in the article from Variety The FCC told Nexstar and Mission that they must undertake one of two options within twelve months of the issuance of any forfeiture order or payment of the forfeiture proposed in this [Notice of Apparent Liability], whichever comes first, whereby either (1) Mission divests WPIX to an unrelated third party, or (2) Mission formally sells WPIX to Nexstar and the Parties file an application seeking Commission consent to the assignment of license, with Nexstar divesting a sufficient number of other stations to reduce its national coverage footprint consistent with the National Ownership Cap.”
Now..as to MORGAN MURPHY, if I was a betting man, i'd say that WJMN or WBUP will have its news department shrunk down to a news bureau for WPBN/WTOM's UP NORTH LIVE , while the other would have the same deal but with Gray Media's WLUC TV

[organman95]

Now..as to MORGAN MURPHY, if I was a betting man, i'd say that WJMN or WBUP will have its news department shrunk down to a news bureau for WPBN/WTOM's UP NORTH LIVE , while the other would have the same deal but with Gray Media's WLUC TV

If that were to happen, it would only last short while. Then that "bureau" would be cut from the budget.

[organman95]

Sinclair only owns WSMH. They are operating WEYI through a shared services agreement with Armstrong Williams’ Howard Stirk Holdings. They run WBSF through Cunningham. All sidecar deals to avoid running into FCC ownership cap issues. However, the FCC has been cracking down these end arounds with lawsuits against Nexstar.

Which is why I said Sinclair owns all three - it basically is true, without being on paper.

I highly doubt Sinclair gives a damn though. If WJMN were to more or less become a bureau for 7&4, that wouldn't cross any duopoly rules.

[SBaxley]

Uh, hold on folks, TVNewsCheck reports that WJMN is being sold to Sullivan's Landing LLC, not Morgan Murphy [ unless THIS is a shell company of Morgan Murphy]

WJMN-TV Escanaba, MI — PRICE: $1,500,000 BUYER: Sullivans Landing LLC (Ralph Oakley, sole member/manager) SELLER: Nexstar Media Group (Perry Sook, chairman/CEO) FACILITIES: DTV Ch.32, 736.000 kW, ant. 1,167 ft. AFFILIATION: MNT

[EdWalker]

Uh, hold on folks, TVNewsCheck reports that WJMN is being sold to Sullivan's Landing LLC, not Morgan Murphy [ unless THIS is a shell company of Morgan Murphy]

WJMN-TV Escanaba, MI — PRICE: $1,500,000 BUYER: Sullivans Landing LLC (Ralph Oakley, sole member/manager) SELLER: Nexstar Media Group (Perry Sook, chairman/CEO) FACILITIES: DTV Ch.32, 736.000 kW, ant. 1,167 ft. AFFILIATION: MNT

If you read the FCC application, you'll find that there will be a joint sales agreement as well as a shared services agreement between the buyer and Morgan Murphy (dba Queen Bee's Knees). Morgan Murphy also retains an option to buy from Sullivan's Landing in the future.

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... f&goBack=N

[statmanmi]

Uh, hold on folks, TVNewsCheck reports that WJMN is being sold to Sullivan's Landing LLC, not Morgan Murphy [ unless THIS is a shell company of Morgan Murphy]

WJMN-TV Escanaba, MI — PRICE: $1,500,000 BUYER: Sullivans Landing LLC (Ralph Oakley, sole member/manager) SELLER: Nexstar Media Group (Perry Sook, chairman/CEO) FACILITIES: DTV Ch.32, 736.000 kW, ant. 1,167 ft. AFFILIATION: MNT

Understood that the entity Sullivan's Landing LLC is named as the buyer. Hence my noticing where the cash was actually coming from:

"The Purchase Price to be paid to Nexstar is $1,500,000, of which Sullivan’s Landing agrees to pay to Nexstar $300,000 and QBK agrees to pay to Nexstar $1,200,000."

It'll be interesting to see what the FCC provides regarding this transaction, given their treatment this week of the intended WADL sale in the Detroit market to Mission Broadcasting (but backed by Nexstar, who would be the organization operating the station). Will the FCC similarly mandate that Morgan Murphy (as Queen Bee's Knees) can't be as involved with the intended purchase? Or won't the FCC, since Morgan Murphy isn't near the 39% national viewership cap? Time will tell.

Cheers! ~~ Statmanmi