TVNewsCheck today named Fox Television Stations as its Station Group of the Year for 2018, citing its desire to expand into additional markets, its prominent role in the development of first-run syndicated programming and its growing commitment to local news and sports.
Led by CEO Jack Abernethy, the station group along with the Fox broadcast network will also become the centerpiece of the Murdochs TV holdings after they sell off most of their Hollywood, regional sports, national cable entertainment and international assets to Disney or Comcast, which are now vying for them.
“Rupert Murdoch turned broadcasting upside down 30 years ago when he did what they said couldn’t be done — create a viable fourth broadcast network with a robust lineup of news-producing O&Os and affiliates,” said Harry A. Jessell, editor of TVNewsCheck and co-founder of its parent company, NewsCheckMedia LLC.
“Through its dealing with Tribune and Sinclair over the past year and a half, Fox has shown its interest in acquiring more stations in mid-sized markets and doubling down on the original Murdoch vision.
“At the station level, Abernethy has ably executed the broadcast strategy in recent years, leveraging locally Fox’s national NFL TV rights, increasing news production and spurring first-run syndication. We look forward to what he and the Murdochs make of a new broadcast-centric New Fox.”
Fox is the fifth company to receive the Station Group of the Year honor. In 2014, it went to Sinclair Broadcast Group; in 2015 the recipient was Raycom Media; in 2016 Gray Television was honored; and Scripps was the winner in 2017.
The Station Group of the Year Award will be presented on Oct. 17 at the TV2020: Monetizing the Future, a TVNewsCheck conference held in conjunction with NAB Show New York.
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