by Katie Mason

	CBS Atlanta (WGCL 46) Atlanta, GA		CBS 5 KPHO Phoenix, AZ
	FOX 12 Oregon (KPTV) Portland, OR		PDX TV (KPDX) Portland, Oregon
	WFSB Channel 3 Hartford/New Haven, CT		WSMV Channel 4 Nashville, TN
	KCTV Channel 5 Kansas City, MO		My KSMO TV Kansas City, MO
	FOX Carolina (WHNS 21) Greenville, SC – Asheville, NC		FOX 5 Vegas (KVVU) Las Vegas, NV
	WNEM Channel 5 Flint/Saginaw, MI		CBS 3 Springfield (WSHM) Springfield/Holyoke, MA

[4]

As part of Meredith’s Local Media Group, there is an entity known as OneService.  It has close local ties to Meredith’s affiliate stations.  Because local newspapers and newspapers in general were becoming obsolete,  Meredith came up with this service to help share time sensitive information, more specifically obituaries, on a bigger and more effective scale.  People were too tied down by the schedules of the newspapers that this important information could not be released properly.

The information that family members provided would be broadcast over the air on obituary websites in which Meredith has set up.  This information would also be available for up to 4 days including the day of service.  Along with the information and obituary would be the deceased’s name, picture and short bio. [5]

Paul Karpowicz, the President of Meredith Local Media Group, is the manager of all twelve affiliate Television stations.  This sector of Meredith Corporation accounts for over 25% of Meredith’s total revenue.  These twelve stations reach about 10% of the country’s population. [6]

[7]

Recent News in Meredith Local Media Group:

July/August: Meredith Corporation and Time Warner Cable were involved in  retransmission talks.  On July 25, 2012 Meredith’s channels, KCTV-CBS and KSMO-MyNetworkTV in Kansas City, WSHM-CBS in Springfield; and WSMV-NBC in Nashville, were going to be off air for Time Warner Cable customers.  Meredith Corporation gained an extension through July 31st so they can continue talks with Time Warner. [8]  They reached a deal on July 31, 2012 but information has not been disclosed. [9]

September:

September 10, 2012

Meredith Corporation CBS affiliate, KPHO 5, located in Phoenix, Arizona fights for viewers with KPNX Phoenix on the digital platform.  KPNX designed a “paid content model” [10] in which their users get a certain amount of stories for free per month and then they have to pay for an “all-digital pass,”  all on their website AZcentral.com.  Ed Munson, Vice President of Meredith’s KPHO, retaliated by making promotions and ads against their competitor KPNX and told their viewers that their website, CBS5AZ.com, remains free for all users. [10]

Munson states that he doesn’t believe KPNX’s motives are all true and about preserving good journalism.  He says, “But where I disconnect is that it’s not about saving journalism. This is about money.” [10]  All though break news and public safety alerts will remain free on KPNX’s website, Munson believes that Arizona residents, especially those in Phoenix, will remain loyal to his station because they don’t like being told what to do. [10]

October:

October 25, 2012

Meredith’s broadcast network revenue was up 26% from the previous year financial recordings. [11]  Revenue from advertising and this year’s election definitely had a great impact on their quarterly numbers.  “While $12 million of political advertising paced the local media group, broadcast’s core ad revenue grew 5% in the quarter.” [11] They reported increased revenue from all of their affiliate stations, all of which broke records.  The two leaders were their Las Vegas and Hartford stations.  In addition to political ad revenue, automotive ad sales increased to 12%.

Relationships with the viewers deemed valuable and profitable especially during this fiscal quarter.  Ratings for the morning shows in Phoenix, Portland and Greenville increased. [13]

 

Financials:

 Meredith Corporation crossed above its average “200 day moving average.”  As compared to a year ago, its stocks are worth more.  Their 52 week low is $26.89 a share and their 52 week high is $32.72. Their trades are up 4.5%. [14]

Meredith Corporation “reported fiscal 2013 first quarter earnings per share increased 15 percent to $0.55, compared to $0.48 in the year-ago period.  Revenues rose 8 percent to $354 million.  Total Company advertising revenues increased 12 percent to $207 million.” [13]

Meredith Corp. wants to begin expanding into the digital medium and create original content for its subscribers and viewers.  They made a deal with CelebTV, which fits their demographic of American women perfectly, to make and produce original daily HD content for Meredith’s Divine Caroline. [16]

J.R. McCabe, Meredith’s Vice President/ Chief Video Officer, talked about how CelebTV will provide content that will make women of all ages entertained and intrigued.  And that this new content will compliment what Meredith already has to offer. [16]

McCabe further stated that although this CelebTV content will only be available on Divine Caroline in its inception, Meredith in the future will consider expanding it to other platforms and other Meredith digital sites. [16]

 

Meredith renewed The Better Show for its sixth consecutive season. [13] It is a daily nationally-syndicated lifestyle show that reaches 80 percent of U.S. television households, including 9 of the Top 10 markets. [16]  This show “aims to make your life “Better” by focusing on Easy Recipes and Low Cost Meals, Beauty Breakthroughs, Money Matters, Health and Wellness, Sex, Decorating and all hot topics that affect your family and relationships.” [19]

Meredith announces they will present at the UBS 40th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference.  CEO Stephen Lacy and CFO Joseph Ceryanec will discuss  “key strategic initiatives” and their commitment to “Total Shareholder Return.” [20]

UBS 40th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference.  Lacy presents a powerpoint package.  Specifically for Meredith Local Media Group,  the presentation showed that non-politcal ad revenue was up on all affiliate stations, as well as professional services and automotive ads.  Also, the presentation showed when the affiliate stations will be renewed. [21]

[1] Meredith Corporation 

[2] Edwin Thomas Meredith 

[3] Meredith Corporation Company Information– NY Times

[4] Meredith Broadcast Television Affiliates

[5] ONE Service

[6] Paul Karpowicz 

[7] Paul Karpowicz YouTube video

[8] Time Warner Cable Nears Retrans Deal With Meredith

[9] Time Warner Cable/Meredith Reach Retrans Deal

[10] KPNX Puts Price Tag on Web Content

[11] Meredith TV Revenue Up 26%

[12] Stephen Lacy 

[13] Meredith’s Fiscal 2013 First Quarter

[14] Meredith (MDP) Shares Cross Above 200 DMA

[15] How Meredith Got More Awesome Last Quarter

[16] Meredith Expands Digital Video Content with Original Videos from CelebTV

[17] CelebTV

[18] Divine Caroline 

[19] The Better Show

[20] Meredith Corporation To Present At UBS Media Conference

[21] Meredith’s UBS presentation