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Journal Communications Purchase WGBA-TV In Green Bay
by Bob
Lowe
November 4, 2004
Journal Communications Inc. recently completed the purchase
of WGBA-TV Channel 26, an NBC affiliate in Green Bay, from
Aries Telecommunications Corp., a subsidiary of DP&K.
The purchase price of $43.25 million will be paid with proceeds
from the sale of 6 million shares of Journal stock, a company
spokesman said. The transaction has been in the works for
more than a year.
The
Milwaukee-based media and communications company also will
assume an existing local marketing agreement between WGBA
and UPN affiliate, WACY-TV Channel 32, which is licensed to
serve Appleton. The marketing agreement runs through 2005.
WGBA sells advertising time and handles programming for WACY,
which is owned by Ace TV. As part of the agreement, Journal
Communications would purchase WACY if the Federal Communications
Commission changes its rules approving such common ownership.
"We
are very pleased with the prospect of serving the viewers
of Green Bay and Appleton through our purchase of WGBA-TV
and the local marketing agreement with WACY-TV," Steven
J. Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Journal
Communications, said in a statement. "This is an excellent
television market, in a vibrant part of our state. The acquisition
meets our disciplined financial criteria as well as our strategy
of growth through the purchase of broadcast stations in mid-sized
markets with diversified, growing economies. We are eager
to begin leveraging the mutual benefits that will accrue from
the partnerships that will certainly develop among our Journal
Communications businesses throughout Wisconsin."
The
sale gives Journal Communications a second NBC affiliate in
Wisconsin. The company owns WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) in Milwaukee
and radio stations WTMJ-AM 620 and WKTI-FM 94.5. The media
company, which publishes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper,
also owns 36 radio stations and five more television stations
in 10 other states.
"The
acquisition will provide us with two NBC affiliates in adjacent
television markets located in the same region of Wisconsin
where we also currently own two radio stations, "said
Douglas Kiel, president of Journal Communications and chief
executive officer of Journal Broadcast Group. "Our company
will have a tremendous opportunity to work with an excellent
staff at WGBA and WACY while also leveraging the resources
and strengths of our Milwaukee broadcast operations to grow
our business and provide even better service to the viewers
and advertisers in the Green Bay and Appleton areas."
The
Green Bay-Appleton television market is the 68th largest in
the country, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Still unresolved is how the sale will affect the partnership
of WFRV-TV Channel 5, a CBS affiliate in Green Bay, and WTMJ-TV
regarding Green Bay Packers programming. WTMJ is the Milwaukee
affiliate for the Packers preseason games, whose rights are
owned by Viacom, WFRV’s owner. WTMJ and WFRV share a
broadcast booth from the balcony of the Lambeau Field atrium.
WGBA started broadcasting in 1980 as WLRE-TV. It operated
as an independent station until 1988, when it became a Fox
affiliate after WXGZ-TV in Appleton ended operations. It retained
the Fox affiliation through 1995, when it switched to the
NBC network after Fox switched affiliations to WLUK-TV.
COMEDY SHOW CANCELLED – Both the 6
and 9 p.m. performance Thursday of the Tim Conway & Harvey
Korman "Together Again" show have been cancelled
due to illness. The Weidner ticket office is in the process
of contacting all current ticket holders regarding a refund
or exchange. Patrons have the option of exchanging their tickets
for one of the two upcoming Broadway shows at the Weidner,
"Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
(7:30 p.m. Nov. 9) and "The King and I" (7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30). Those choosing this option also will receive an
equal number of complimentary tickets to one of six other
upcoming shows. These shows include the Vienna Boys Choir
(Nov. 22), Michael Martin Murphy: Cowboy Christmas (Nov. 27),
"Barrage – Vagabond Tales" (Nov. 28), "Leahy"
(Jan. 27, 2005), "Steel Magnolias" (April 22, 2005)
and "Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo" (April
23, 2005).
For more information about these shows, log onto www.weidnercenter.com.
A rescheduled performance for the Conway-Korman show is under
discussion for 2005, but a date has not yet been selected.
RAY CHARLES MOVIE – Jamie Foxx is being
mentioned as a sure candidate for a Best Actor Oscar for his
compelling performance as R&B/gospel/country singer Ray
Charles in the movie, "Ray," which opened in northeast
Wisconsin last weekend. The movie contained some of Charles’
biggest hits, including "Hit the Road Jack," "I
Can’t Stop Loving You," "I’ve Got A
Woman," "Unchain My Heart," "You Don’t
Know Me" and his signature tune, "Georgia on My
Mind."
Although
Foxx lip synched the bulk of the vocalizations, this doesn’t
mean he is without musical skills. He is a classically trained
pianist who spent several hours rehearsing with Charles prior
to the singer's death. As a result, Foxx got many of Charles
mannerisms down pat and in many scenes he bears a striking
resemblance to the 12-time Grammy award winner. The film follows
Charles from the late 1940s through the mid-1960s as he devotes
himself to his first and primary love, music.
It
is regrettable that the movie didn’t cover many aspects
of Charles' life and musical accomplishments between the years
1966 and his death earlier this year. The scriptwriter, James
L. White, apparently concluded that to cover those years would
have made the 2 1/2-hour movie excessively long. During his
latter years, Charles broadened his musical appeal and collaborated
with so many different artists of nearly every musical genre.
Many of these artists are featured in "Genius Loves Company,"
his best-selling last album released after his death. Among
the tracks are such pop classics like "Fever," "Somewhere
Over the Rainbow," "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest
Word" and "Crazy Love." His
duet partners in this venture include established vocalists
like Willie Nelson, Elton John, Johnny Mathis, Bonnie Raitt
and James Taylor to newcomers like Norah Jones and Diana Krall.
One shortcoming of the movie is that it concentrated too heavily
on Charles drug use and his womanizing. Although his heroin
addiction was well-known and he was married and divorced twice,
fathered 12 children and had a long list of paramours, "Ray"
gives the impression that nothing significant happened in
his life once he stopped heroin and ceased his involvement
with multiple partners. In spite of these lapses, "Ray"
is an emotionally captivating drama of how a poor blind boy
from Albany, Georgia overcame multiple obstacles to become
one of the greatest musicians ever.
JAZZ
CELEBRATION WEEKEND – This year’s Jazz
Celebration Weekend at Lawrence University will kick off at
7:30 p.m. Friday Nov. 12, with a concert by jazz pianist,
vocalist and composer Eliane Elias at the Lawrence Memorial
Chapel. Saturday night’s 7:30 p.m. concert features
trumpeter Tim Hagans, with the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble,
Lawrence University Faculty Jazz Group and Lawrence Jazz Quartet.
Tickets are $15 to $22 and can be purchased at the Lawrence
Box Office (832-6749).
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