Ch. 30 could get new owner

HOLLYWOOD — KUWB-Ch. 30 isn't exactly for sale. But then it isn't exactly not for sale.

In comments to a group of TV critics, WB chairman and CEO Jamie Kellner — who also heads Acme Communications, which owns Ch. 30 — certainly sounded as if he was expecting a lot of WB affiliates to be sold in the coming months as the result of recent changes in FCC regulations.

"The WB affiliates will be a hot commodity," Kellner said. "Interesting opportunities are going to arise from the rules changes."

The changes allow one company to own two TV stations in a market with five or more, provided that at least one of those is not among the top four. And in Utah, KUWB is not among the top four.

KUTV-Ch. 2 couldn't buy KTVX-Ch. 4. And KSL-Ch. 5 couldn't buy KSTU-Ch. 13. Or any of those four in any combination.

But under the Federal Communications Commission's new rules, Ch. 2, Ch. 4, Ch. 5 and Ch. 13 are each eligible to buy Ch. 30.

KUPX-Ch. 16 and KPNZ-Ch. 24 could also potentially be sold to one of Salt Lake's big-four stations, although the PAX and UPN affiliates are seen as less attractive than Ch. 30.

However, Kellner doesn't necessarily expect any of this to happen anytime soon. Efforts are under way in Congress to override at least part of the FCC's sweeping changes — most notably the one that allows companies to own stations that reach up to 45 percent of the country, an increase from the old cap of 35 percent.

Those efforts are being fought, however, and no clear outcome is in sight. (Both CBS, which owns Ch. 2, and Fox, which owns Ch. 13, are over the old 35 percent cap already, so a congressional override — assuming it's signed by the president — could cause problems for those groups.)

There has not, however, been as much noise about reversing the relaxed rules on duopolies (owning two stations in one market). And buying a second station in the same market doesn't affect the 45 or 35 percent cap because the two stations are reaching the same households.

"Until it's all cleared up, you're not going to see" a lot of stations being bought and sold. But Kellner figures that once whatever happens happens — and if the duopoly rule is not rescinded — a lot of WB stations are going to be sold to larger stations in their markets. "Once it gets going, the stations are going to go quick."