David Lindquist

david.lindquist@indystar.com

CBS rocked the landscape of Indianapolis television on Monday, when it cut ties with local affiliate WISH-8 and made plans to air its programs on WTTV-4 beginning in 2015.

1. Why did this happen? Industry observers say CBS sent a message to all of the network's affiliates: Pay what we're asking for the right to broadcast "Big Bang Theory," "NCIS" and other popular shows. Lin Media, the company that owns WISH, had been renegotiating its affiliation contract with CBS but apparently was unwilling to ante up for "program fees," in the terminology of CBS President Leslie Moonves.

2. Is this historic? Network affiliations rarely shift in Indianapolis. WISH's alliance with CBS dates to 1956. In 1979, WTHR-13 and WRTV-6 traded NBC and ABC affiliations. WTHR has been an NBC station and WRTV has been an ABC station since then.

3. Will WXIN-59 remain a Fox affiliate? Tribune Broadcasting owns WTTV as well as WXIN-59. During a Monday interview, Tribune Broadcasting president Larry Wert said the CBS and Fox affiliates will coexist at the current Fox 59 headquarters, 6910 Network Place, near West 71st Street and I-465. "(Tribune has) a long-term agreement with Fox," Wert said.

4. What's next for WISH? Time will tell. On Monday, WISH news director Steve Bray declined to comment on the CBS shift. Options include finding another notable network with which to affiliate — an unlikely occurrence — or going independent. Lin could opt to sell the station, which would command much less in the market without a major network affiliation.

5. What's next for members of the WISH news team? With no one at WISH commenting on the CBS move, it's difficult to say. David Brunner, who oversees Pennsylvania-based news talent agency DB & Associates, said one issue is whether WISH continues with a news operation. "The contracts usually state that you have a certain job, and it's just assumed that the station is going to continue with a news operation," Brunner said. "In my 20 years, I've never had somebody working at a television station where all of a sudden they call everybody in and say, 'We're no longer going to be doing news.' " When asked if anchors and reporters from WISH might migrate to WTTV, Tribune executive Wert said, "That would only be speculative at this time. It's very early."

6. How strong is the WTTV signal? For viewers who rely on capturing over-the-air transmission through digital TV antennas, WTTV's signal originates near Trafalgar about 25 miles south of Indianapolis. If Indianapolis residents experience less-than-perfect reception on WTTV's UHF channel 48, they have the option of dialing in WTTV's simulcast station: WTTK, UHF channel 29. Steve Zanolini, a vice president of broadcast technology for Tribune Media Regional Operations, said the WTTK tower stands near the intersection of Michigan and Westlane roads on the Northwestside of Indianapolis.

7. Will local news on WTTV and WXIN be the same? Wert said a news organization will be built to accommodate local news and local programming on WTTV. "At this stage of planning, I can tell you that there will be a separate focus, news wise, for WTTV," he said. "But we certainly will be resourceful with the current news organization at Fox 59."

8. Where will the CW go? Through the end of the year, WTTV will be the home of CW network programming (which includes series such as "Arrow" and "The Vampire Diaries"). On Jan. 1, that programming will shift to a digital multicast channel — either WTTV 4.2 or WTTV 4.3, Zanolini said. The WTTV subchannels are available to viewers with digital TV antennas.

9. What about sports? Signature CBS events, such as The Masters and the NCAA men's basketball tournament, will be found at WTTV, starting in 2015. Looking to the 2015 Colts season, the Tribune properties of WXIN and WTTV will have much of the schedule covered. Fox carries NFC games and CBS carries AFC game (with NBC, ESPN, CBS and NFL Network airing night games on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays). "Under this rooftop, we'll have the most possible Colts games," Wert said.

10. What about Letterman? Indianapolis native David Letterman has announced that he's bringing his CBS series "Late Night with David Letterman" to a close in 2015. So add WTTV to the list of local TV homes for the iconic comedian (WISH since 1993, WTHR-13 during his morning and late-night NBC talk shows in the 1980s and '90s, and WLWI-13 during his weather forecasting days).

Call Star reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.







