KDKA has launched 2.2; WPXI to launch 11.3
March 19, 2015
KDKA-TV (2) has turned on it’s 2.2 channel for a soft launch of DECADES. The new channel is not set to officially start for another two months, but has been on the air with a stunt of sorts called “The Binge – The Countdown to Decades”. As the name implies, a viewer can binge watch consecutive episodes of a series hour after hour until the series is exhausted. There are 36 series that are being featured until the official launch – including The Rogues and Naked City. DECADES is described as allowing viewers to experience a different year, trend, event each day. It is only available over the air, and O-T-A viewers will need to re-scan their receivers to pick up the new channel.
Meanwhile, WPXI-TV (11) is set to launch 11.3 with LAFF – the first-ever, over-the-air broadcast network dedicated to comedy – on April 15. The channel has also been picked up by WPXI’s Cox sister stations and ABC O&Os. LAFF will carry off-network sit-coms and motion pictures. They have scored the rights to air sit-coms like The Drew Carey Show, Night Court, Ellen, Empty Nest, and Grace Under Fire.
(h/t Frank Gottlieb)
Interesting that I didn’t rescan. Just for the heck of it I punched in 2.2…. and there it was. It’s been programmed in the tuner ever since.
WPXI has had 11.3 dark for some time after the end of NBC Weather Plus. If LAFF is more associated with ABC, combined with Cox having a stronger partnership with ABC than NBC, I’m surprised that WPXI and WTAE haven’t swapped affiliations at this point. WTAE obviously is one of ABC’s stronger stations, but I wonder if Cox’s ties combined with Hearst’s ties to NBC Universal (as well as NBC’s stronger ratings as of late) could prompt an affiliation swap down the road. I’m sure Hearst having 20% ownership in ESPN is probably the only thing preventing a switch.
Hearst has 13 ABC stations and 10 NBC. There are a handful of CBS and CW stations. WTAE is one of Hearst’s and ABC’s strongest stations. It’s true that WPXI is now Cox’s only NBC outlet. But again the affiliation is so strong that I don’t see a change happening.