More stations sign with CW

from broadcasting and cable

The CW Adds Five Affils
By Allison Romano

Hearst-Argyle’s UPN affiliate in Kansas City, Mo., will become a CW
outlet when the network debuts in September. Hearst-Argyle runs KCWE
under a local marketing agreement and operates the station as part of
a duopoly with the company’s local ABC station KMBC.

KCWE beat out two other local stations – Meredith’s WB affiliate KSMO
and E.W. Scripps’ independent KMCI – for the affiliation. Kansas City
is Nielsen’s 31st-largest TV market.

“We appreciate the confidence that CW management has demonstrated in
KCWE and Hearst-Argyle Television in awarding this affiliation,” KCWE
General Manager Wayne Godsey said in a statement. “The people at CBS
and Warner Bros. have assembled a great team at The CW Network. Their
new fall schedule will include the best of both the UPN and the WB
Networks. We look forward to our partnership with the new CW as we
offer a strong showcase for this programming in Kansas City."

Hearst-Argyle lost out on The CW affiliation in Sacramento, Calif.,
where it owns The WB affiliate KQCA. CBS-owned UPN outlet, KMAX, will
be the market’s CW station.

The CW also Tuesday signed four other affiliates in midsize and small
markets. WRWB Rochester, New York, owned by the WB and Time Warner
Cable; and WFLI Chattanooga, Tenn., part of Meredith Broadcasting,
will be CW affiliates. Both are over-the-air stations.

Additionally, two digital broadcast stations will carry the new
network: KVIA El Paso, Texas, owned by News-Press & Gazette; and WBCB
Youngstown, Ohio, owned by Vindicator.

The deals bring The CW’s distribution to more than 54% of the U.S.

Ian J. Ball...

This is all part of some evil plot to bring "Reba" into every household
in America, isn't it?

Ian (Still 54% coverage is nothing to crow about, and I suspect that
Murdoch's evil (and probably doomed) "FOX2" scheme will probably stall
The CW short of the 90% mark...)

"As we build The CW's affiliate line-up station-by-station and
market-by-market, it's an exciting opportunity to partner with a
variety of companies, all of whom share our enthusiasm and optimism
about America's fifth broadcast network," said John Maatta, COO, The
CW, said in a statement. "Each new affiliate brings its individual
strengths to The CW. We look forward to working with these four
stations as we maximize the value of our new business relationship."