Southern Broadcasting has announced that it is pulling ABC WKDH-TV from the airwaves and going out of business by the end of August 2012. It brings to an end an LMA with NBC WTVA in the DMA.
According to WTVA, “…Southern Broadcasting says it will end broadcasting at11:59 p.m.on August 31 after more than a decade on the air. ABC plans to continue airing programming locally, but the network has not said how it will do that. Viewers are being advised to call visit ABC’s website, www.abc.com, and click on the contact us link to let the network know they still want to continue watching their favorite ABC programs.”
The WKDH exit from the airwaves will actually break up an unusual three-headed LMA – in addition to its LMA with Southern, WTVA Inc. has one with Lingard Communications for its Fox WLOV.
Southern Broadcasting principals include Warren Spain, President; and Kyle Spain, Secretary/Treasurer/Director.
Spainfamily members also are behind WTVA: Jane Spain is President and Margaret Spain is VP.
John Lingard is the principal of Lingard Communications.
A Journal Inc. report suggested that an ABC affiliate could possibly appropriated from a different DMA, of whichMemphisTNand Jackson TN are the closest. RBR-TVBR notes that ABC could also be carried on a digital side-channel on either WTVA or WLOV.
Stay tuned.
