Most local market agreements involve outlets in the same medium. What makes the deal signed by Liberty Financial’s WQXI-AM, also known as Sports Radio 790 The Zone unique is that it will puts its specialty to work for Meredith’s local CBS television affiliate, WGCL-TV.
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Zone will handle all of WGCL’s local news sportscasts, as well as additional sports programming, including “…Sportsline, the SEC Wrap-Up Show and the CBS Atlanta Dawg Show.”
WGCL ND Steve Schwaid said his station will be able to focus its attention on hard news and have the best sports in the market on top of that. Here’s his statement as reported in the Chronicle: “This new relationship will make CBS Atlanta and Sports Radio 790 The Zone Atlanta’s best source for sports information. It will allow CBS Atlanta to answer our viewers’ tough questions and deliver on our promise of providing the very latest news and information every night.”
RBR-TVBR observation: Hey, why not? This amounts to primo exposure for WQXI, and erases a few lines on the expense side of Meredith’s ledger. It’s not hard news, so journalistic watchdogs shouldn’t have any legitimate gripes. It looks like a good deal all the way around.
