Sinclair's $33-million purchase of WNEQ-TV Buffalo, N.Y. from Western N.Y. Public Bcstg

Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, Nov 23, 1998

Sinclair's $33-million purchase of WNEQ-TV (Ch. 23, PBS) Buffalo, N.Y. from Western N.Y. Public Bcstg. (WNYPB) has run into opposition. In comments to FCC, which must approve designation swap between Ch. 23 -- noncommercial license -- and WNED-TV (Ch. 17, PBS), operated as PTV but designated commercial -- local citizen coalition and commercial competitors said move wouldn't be in public interest because it would leave area with just one PTV station.

Coalition for Noncommercial Media (CNM) said FCC should "expect a flood of requests by other public broadcasters seeking to sell off the public's birthright" if it approves swap. It said it was sympathetic to WNYPB's need to raise money to fund DTV conversion of WNED-TV, but WNYPB should "consider less extreme alternatives," such as selling to another noncommercial entity. WKBW-TV (Ch. 7, ABC) said licenses that become commercial must be put in auction pool rather than allowed to be sold to 3rd party of public station's choice. It said WNYPB has no right to collect "windfall" from sale at expense of taxpayers who funded WNEQ-TV's creation.