Two Posts in One: WSMV Sold and MeTV Plus

- Posted May 3rd, 2021 at 2:11pm

There are two news stories that has come to surface today. So, let's get to it.

WSMV is Sold to Gray Television

The news about WSMV's future has finally been revealed. Just out today, Gray Televison, owner of close by station WBKO Bowling Green, KY, has now purchased all of Meredith Corp. TV stations including WSMV Channel 4. In the articles posted below, it says that both Gray's and Meredith's boards of directors have approved the transaction. I have no idea when this will clear the FCC, nor do I know when or what this will change at WSMV. I am posting three articles to this story below.

Gray TV Purchases Meredith TV Stations for $2.7B
Gray Buying Meredith Local Media For $2.7 Billion
Gray Buying Meredith Stations in Deal Worth $2.7 Billion

Weigel Beginning New Network MeTV+

It looks like Weigel Broadcasting; the owner of several networks including MeTV, H&I, StartTV, Decades, and Movies!; is now going to begin a spinoff of MeTV called MeTV+. In the article posted below, they say it will start May 15th and will include the following programming:

"Weekday programming will consist mainly of sitcoms and cop shows, with evenings featuring “Vega$,” “Hawaii Five-0” and “Mission: Impossible.” Late nights will include a rebroadcast of MeTV’s “Toon In with Me” (the morning cartoon show hosted by Bill Leff) at 11 p.m. followed by “Comedy Classics” (The Three Stooges, Laurel & Hardy and The Little Rascals) at midnight."

Now where this will end up here in the Nashville market, I do not know at this time, but my guess would be 99% on WJFB. When I do find out for sure, I will post it. I want to thank n2radio for bringing this story to my attention. In the words of Porky Pig, that's all folks.

Weigel expands memorable entertainment menu with ‘MeTV Plus’

15 Comments

Steve

- Posted on May 3rd, 2021 at 5:20pm - Edited

Sounds good about Me-TV Plus … fingers crossed… Hope I will finally be able to watch these channels using my Antenna …in Clarksville

RonG

- Posted on May 3rd, 2021 at 8:34pm

WJFB had a 44.6 and a 44.7 so it would be the perfect place to put it.

Brentwood OTA

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 8:08am

Now if only Gray will do something about WSMV's unstable signal! After years of having to move my den indoor antenna every couple of weeks or so to chase the next spot where I can pick them up, I had high hopes for their transmitter change earlier this year. But turns out I now can't pick up Channel 4 in my den at all now!

itgrouch

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 8:55am

I have also lost my ability to pick up channel 4 here in Gallatin regardless where I position my indoor antenna.

RFCCLebanon

- Posted on May 5th, 2021 at 9:03am

No dice either here in Lebanon after these past few rounds of storms over the past couple of months.

videohead311

- Posted on May 6th, 2021 at 10:52pm

E-mail their engineering department and complain...engineering@wsmv.com

retroviewer

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 9:25am

Great news about Me TV Plus. Looking forward to watching it. Thanks for keeping us updated!

itgrouch

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 9:32am

Meredith has been testing the waters to sell off their TV stations for some time. Their money maker business is in publishing. Since Gray is going to sell off the one TV station where there would be duplicate ownership in the same market, the FCC will probably approve the sale. The nominee for the vacant FCC Chairman's seat does not favor media corporations owning more than one TV station in a market, so the sell off of the TV station by Gray should alleviate any issues with the sale.

Steve

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 12:38pm

I rarely even try channel 4 … my best signal is sometimes fair … but more often than not it’s either weak or no signal at all…

cdg

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 3:45pm

I know Bowling Green, KY is considered a separate market then Nashville TN and at one time the FCC had a rule that a company could not own a TV station in a market in witch the Television signal's overlapped unless they got a waver.With Gray TV buying WSMV I'm wondering if WSMV might put WBKO on one of their subchannel's as a translator?

NashDigie

- Posted on May 4th, 2021 at 9:52pm

They can't do that for three reasons. One, it is still considered a separate market. That is a rule. Two, Nashville already has WKRN as its ABC affiliate, and three, with WSMV's main channel and four other subchannels, there is no more room, unless they want to really degrade the rest of the channels.

n2radio

- Posted on May 5th, 2021 at 8:22am - Edited

While not making any predictions, I think the reverse would be more likely. Those in the Bowling Green market relied upon WSMV as the default NBC affiliate until 2001. Even when WNKY switched from Fox to NBC, WNKY aired WSMV's 10:00 Newscast for a couple of years. WSMV had pretty good coverage in the Bowling Green market OTA during the analog days. Since the digital transition, and because WSMV broadcasts on RF10, it has lost most OTA coverage and cable carriage in Bowling Green. NBC would benefit having coverage on WBKO's far superior signal to WNKY. In fact, WBKO has a license for a low-power translator on RF34 (virtual channel 14) which is silent and has about the same coverage as WNKY (even though it is a full-power license).

aludra

- Posted on May 5th, 2021 at 2:33pm

Speaking of WBKO......I read a while back that they were planning a power increase....Has that happened yet and if not when? Thanks for any info and thanks for this great website!!

NashDigie

- Posted on May 5th, 2021 at 7:48pm

You know, I haven't thought about WBKO in awhile. They still have the construction permit, and it's good until Dec. 1, 2023. Now that doesn't mean they have to wait until then to power up, but they can do it any time between now and then. I am thinking of contacting someone there and ask. If I get a reply back, I will post it.

hdrick103

- Posted on May 18th, 2021 at 11:40am

I realize ME+ hasn't launched in Nashville yet but I did find their program schedule on the web in Chicago where it currently airs. According to TitanTV, this is the MeTV+ schedule. I believe these listings are all Central time since that's the time zone Chicago is in. Three episodes of Hawaii 5-0 daily looks good to me. Weekdays: 5AM: The Saint 6AM: Burke's Law 7AM: Here Come the Brides 8AM: Family 9AM: Mama's Family (2 episodes) 10AM: Mayberry RFD (2 episodes) 11AM: Cannon 12Noon: TJ Hooker 1PM: Matt Houston 2PM: The Mod Squad 3PM: The Rookies 4PM: Police Woman 5PM: The Streets of San Francisco 6PM: Vega$ 7PM: Hawaii Five-O (3 episodes) 10PM: Mission Impossible 11PM: Toon In With Me 12Midnight: Comedy Classics 2AM: Lost in Space 3AM: Space: 1999 4AM: War of the Worlds Saturday: 5AM: The Saint 6AM: Branded 6:30: The Guns of Will Sonnett 7AM: Daniel Boone 8AM: Trackdown (2 episodes) 9AM: The Beverly Hillbillies (4 episodes) 11AM: Petticoat Junction (2 episodes) 12Noon: Green Acres (2 episodes) 1PM: Mayberry RFD (2 episodes) 2PM: Mama's Family (2 episodes) 3PM: Laverne & Shirley (2 episodes) 4PM: Bosom Buddies (2 episodes) 5PM: Branded 5:30: The Guns of Will Sonnett 6PM: The Wild Wild West (2 episodes) 8PM: Cheyenne 9PM: Trackdown (2 episodes) 10PM: The Rebel (2 episodes) 11PM: The Big Valley (2 episodes) 1AM: Iron Horse 2AM: Broken Arrow (2 episodes) 3AM: Cheyenne 4AM: Daniel Boone Sunday 5AM: Daniel Boone 6AM: Branded 6:30: The Guns of Will Sonnett 7AM: Daniel Boone (2 episodes) 9AM: Cheyenne 10AM: The Rebel (2 episodes) 11AM: Trackdown (2 episodes) 12Noon: Thunderbirds 1pm: Fireball XL5 1:30: Joe 90 2PM: Stingray 2:30: Supercar 3PM: Highlander The Series (2 episodes) 5PM: Mission Impossible (2 episodes) 7PM: Sunday Night Cartoons (Probably a repeat of the Saturday morning block) 10PM: The Wild Wild West (2 episodes) 12Midnight: The Big Valley 1AM: Cheyenne (2 episodes) 3AM: Iron Horse 4AM: The Cisco Kid (2 episodes) __________________

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