# Network affiliation changes - Raleigh Market



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Beginning Feb 29, WRAL will switch to NBC and WNCN will switch to CBS.


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## 63thk (Feb 11, 2010)

I wonder if this will affect the programming on the sub-channels?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I shouldn't think so.

BTW - here's the link from WRAL's website on the switch -
http://www.wral.com/wral-shifting-affiliation-to-nbc/15239067/

And from WNCN's website -
http://wncn.com/2016/01/15/wncn-to-switch-to-cbs-affiliation-feb-29/


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Sub-channels shouldn't be affected because I'm not aware of either station carrying a network-mandated sub-channel. Like when NBC used to have that sports sub-channel or when ABC had the "Living Well" subchannel that its owned affiliates carry.

This was a big surprise to me... and on the surface seems like a BAD move for WRAL and another HUGE opportunity for WNCN. Long-time Raleigh DMA viewers might remember back in the day when WPTF (now WRDC) 28 was the local NBC affiliate when the ice storm took down the tower and most of our local stations back in the 1990s... WNCN back then was a very raw/new indy channel that was VERY easy to ignore... but they didn't lose transmission when that ice storm hit, and NBC managed to get them to carry their feed while the tower work was being completed... and that ultimately led to 28 losing the network and WNCN getting into the big boy game with NBC.

Flash ahead to now, and WNCN will be going from last to first in terms of OTA network ratings by switching to CBS. This is a big deal for WNCN... and strange for WRAL. I can't for the life of me figure out why they would want this, so I have to think something got screwed up and they didn't have a choice but to make the best of it.

A curious thing, as a result of this switch... WRAL will soon become a local affiliate who has been with all three original networks. They were the local ABC affiliate until 1985 when they switched with WTVD and became the CBS affiliate. Now going to NBC they will have been with all three... also, their sister station WRAZ was originally the local WB station before becoming the local FOX years ago.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I should add... or rather correct... WRAL was originally an NBC station apparently back in the 1950s... but since I wasn't alive back then  I was only thinking of their different affiliations during my lifetime, which will soon be for all three original major networks.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Here's a thought that popped into my head...

Saw a commercial earlier that WRAL and WRAZ (currently CBS and FOX) are in dispute with DirecTV... might get dropped like what happened with Dish during the last negotiations... so this got me to thinking. IF DirecTV waits a month, they'll get CBS back (via WNCN) and lose NBC instead... might not be a good time for a dispute with WRAL!

Meanwhile... I wonder when the WNCN carriage is up... wouldn't it be weird if they negotiate to keep CBS, then after the swap it goes into dispute again!


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## RBA (Apr 14, 2013)

Maybe WRAL has some inside information about future CBS programming and/or NBC? CBS is losing some of their "hits" such as CSI and NCIS is getting long in the tooth


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

That's always possible... but even so... NBC has been on the bottom so long, it seems doubtful that the swap will be good in the near future. Ultimately it's actually going to be a plus for me, because I watch far more CBS than I do NBC, and WRAL often pre-empts during college basketball season which means I have to get creative with late night DVRing (like tonight for example) to catch the CBS-delayed programming. This problem will go away after the swap because WRAL will be pre-empting NBC programming that I wasn't going to miss!


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

That's one thing I can agree with you on !!


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## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

http://www.fayobserver.com/news/business/wncn-viewership-enjoys-significant-rise-with-switch-to-cbs/article_d911736b-157b-568a-88ac-c1174f8a9435.html

WNCN has seen a viewership increase already since the affiliation change.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

That reflects what I felt was going to happen, at least in the short term. CBS has more going for it than NBC right now. That could change in the future... but for right now, this has to be a big deal for WNCN and IF they use this properly, they can take in some new profits and improve their local infrastructure to expand their local news and other local programming efforts in a way that they might not have been able to previously afford.


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