Editing WSVN (section)

=== The Miami network affiliation dispute ===
{{Main|1989 South Florida television affiliation switch}}
WSVN became the central figure in a complicated dispute between Sunbeam, NBC and CBS that lasted nearly two years.{{r|MiamN880809p1|Miam890101a}} WTVJ's founding owner, [[Wometco]], was acquired in 1983 by [[merchant bank]]er [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.]] (KKR) in a $1&nbsp;billion [[leveraged buyout]] (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|1000000000|1983}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref name="Miam830922">{{Cite news|last=Merzer|first=Martin|date=September 22, 1983|title=Wometco price tag is $1 billion|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396555/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion-p2/ 3A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396502/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion/|url-status=live|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396502/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion/|archive-date=April 16, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> KKR also took over Storer Communications in 1985.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lyons|first=David|date=April 29, 1985|title=Storer shareholders wait for the best offer|page=7:Business Monday|newspaper=The Miami Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431827/storer-shareholders-wait-for-the-best/|url-status=live|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055450/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431827/storer-shareholders-wait-for-the-best/|archive-date=February 19, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The FCC directed KKR to divest either Storer's cable systems in Miami and Wometco's cable systems in Atlanta—or WTVJ and Storer's [[WAGA-TV]]—within 18 months to satisfy then-existing cross-ownership rules.{{efn|While Wometco and Storer were legally separate entities, the FCC considered KKR the primary owner of both companies.}}<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 6, 1985|title=Storer Communications now part of SCI Holdings|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431657/storer-communications-now-part-of-sci/|url-status=live|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055454/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431657/storer-communications-now-part-of-sci/|archive-date=February 19, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Mary|last2=Jicha|first2=Tom|date=April 28, 1986|title=Channel 4: Wometco cites FCC divestiture rules|page=1A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75507694/channel-4-wometco-cites-fcc/|url-status=live|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012857/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75507694/channel-4-wometco-cites-fcc/|archive-date=April 11, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> KKR initially sold WTVJ and Storer's station group to [[Lorimar-Telepictures]] for $1.85&nbsp;billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|1850000000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}) on April 25, 1986,<ref name="Miam860521">{{Cite news|date=May 21, 1986|title=Lorimar Corp. buying WTVJ in deal with Wometco firm|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457035/lorimar-corp-buying-wtvj-in-deal-with/|access-date=April 10, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012859/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457035/lorimar-corp-buying-wtvj-in-deal-with/|url-status=live}}</ref> with WTVJ alone selling for $405&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|405000000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=July 1, 1986|title=Lorimar agrees to buy WTVJ, 6 other stations for $1.85 billion|page=6D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456940/lorimar-agrees-to-buy-wtvj-6-other/|access-date=April 10, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012859/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456940/lorimar-agrees-to-buy-wtvj-6-other/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the Lorimar deal collapsed after CBS inquired with [[Taft Broadcasting]] about purchasing WCIX, an independent affiliated with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], for approximately $125&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|125000000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}). Such a deal would have moved all CBS programming from WTVJ to WCIX, and in turn, reduced the value of WTVJ by hundreds of millions of dollars.<ref name="MiamN861023p8A">{{Cite news|last=Sigale|first=Merwin|date=October 23, 1986|title=WTVJ ownership uncertain after Lorimar exclusion|page=8A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75438298/wtvj-ownership-uncertain-after-lorimar/|access-date=April 11, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051521/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75438298/wtvj-ownership-uncertain-after-lorimar/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Miam861030">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=October 30, 1986|title=Is CBS behind collapse of WTVJ sale?|pages=7D–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443461/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale-p2/ 8D]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443437/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale/|url-status=live|access-date=April 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051519/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443437/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale/|archive-date=April 11, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

CBS's subsequent $170&nbsp;million offer to KKR for WTVJ was deemed unacceptable by the banker,{{r|Miam870210}} which offered WTVJ to [[Capital Cities/ABC]] and NBC parent [[General Electric]] (GE){{r|Miam890101a}} under the belief neither ABC or NBC would be intimidated by a threat from CBS to disaffiliate WTVJ.<ref name="Miam870210">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=February 10, 1987|title=Sale turns local market topsy-turvy|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073789/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy-p2/ 4B]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073636/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073636/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="ap">{{Cite news|date=October 23, 2017|title=Alan Perris|url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/alan-perris|access-date=April 11, 2021|website=Television Academy Interviews|language=en|archive-date=February 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055448/https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/alan-perris|url-status=live}}</ref> After months of rumors,{{r|Miam861030}}{{r|Miam890101a}} KKR agreed to sell WTVJ to the General Electric Property Management Co., a [[holding company]] within GE, for $270&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|270000000|1987}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}) on January 16, 1987.<ref name="Miam870117a">{{Cite news|last1=Owens|first1=Dory|last2=Chrissos|first2=Joan|date=January 17, 1987|title=NBC buying Miami's Channel 4; CBS must find new spot on dial|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064167/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/ 18A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064120/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163750/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064120/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/|archive-date=April 16, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> It was universally accepted in the media and the industry that NBC was the pending owner:<ref name="Palm870117">{{Cite news|last=Michals|first=Bob|date=January 17, 1987|title=Miami's CBS affiliate gets new owner—NBC|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064469/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/ 12A]|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064445/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034341/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064445/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> for the first time in the history of North American television, a broadcast network purchased an affiliate of a competing network.<ref name="Miam870525">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=May 25, 1987|title=A private man goes public|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053365/a-private-man-goes-public-p2/ 12]–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053454/a-private-man-goes-public-p3/ 13]:Business Monday|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053173/a-private-man-goes-public/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034337/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053173/a-private-man-goes-public/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Miam870117b">{{Cite news|last1=Croghan|first1=Lore|last2=Walker|first2=Deborah|date=January 17, 1987|title=Channel 4 sale seen triggering shuffles at Miami TV stations|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064239/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/ 6A]|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064211/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034333/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064211/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> NBC's purchase of WTVJ came 15 days after NBC signed a two-year contract renewal with WSVN{{r|Miam890101a}} and came as the network, now rated number-one, was initiating multiple affiliation switches across the country.<ref name="EM850805">{{Cite news |last=Mermigas |first=Diane |date=August 5, 1985 |title=Affiliate raids: NBC targets markets for station swaps |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1985-08-05_4_32/mode/2up |work=[[Electronic Media]] |pages=1, 32}}</ref><ref name="EM860317">{{Cite news |last=Mermigas |first=Diane |date=March 17, 1986 |title=Affiliate switch to NBC seen as first of several |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1986-03-17_5_11_0/page/n1/mode/2up?q=%22affiliation+switch%22 |work=Electronic Media |pages=3, 65}}</ref>

Ansin later described his reaction to the WTVJ purchase as "bewilderment", telling NBC executives who visited the station it was "bizarre and certainly unprecedented".{{r|Sout870316}} Ansin cursed at the executives,{{r|Miam870525}}<ref name="Miam890101a">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=January 1, 1989|title=Swaps' plot twists outdid Dallas|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463265/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas-p2/ 24A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463145/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas/|url-status=live|access-date=April 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034334/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463145/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> pointed at a [[satellite dish]] used to receive NBC programming, and asked them, "why don't you take it home on the airplane?"{{r|Miam870525}} No formal announcement was made to WSVN's staff that day beyond a terse internal memo,<ref name="Miam870117">{{Cite news|last1=Wilker|first1=Deborah|last2=Walker|first2=Adrian|date=January 17, 1987|title=WSVN employees take news in stride|page=6A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064260/wsvn-employees-take-news-in-stride/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034348/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064260/wsvn-employees-take-news-in-stride/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> with some staffers admitting to checking job openings in ''Broadcasting'' magazine amid a combination of anxiety and [[gallows humor]].{{r|Miam870210}} One unidentified WSVN manager described it as a difficult day because they also had to report the story on the evening newscasts.{{r|Miam870117}} During their coverage of the sale, Ansin revealed GE executives previously offered to purchase WSVN, which he rejected under the belief that they would not buy a competitor.<ref name="Sout870122">{{Cite news|last=Kelley|first=Bill|date=January 22, 1987|title=Local market turning into alphabet soup|page=E1|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75075537/local-market-turning-into-alphabet-soup/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034334/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75075537/local-market-turning-into-alphabet-soup/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Likewise, one NBC executive told the ''News'' NBC had preferred to buy WSVN, but the station was not available.{{r|Miam870117}} WSVN's NBC contract ran until January 1989{{r|Miam890101a}} while WTVJ's CBS contract ran through April 1988.{{r|Sout870122}} Industry speculation centered over what station in Miami would pick up CBS programming, or if NBC would be contractually obligated to operate WTVJ as a CBS affiliate until their WSVN contract expired.{{r|Miam870210}}{{r|Miam870117b}}<ref name="Sout870311">{{Cite news|last=Stieghorst|first=Tom|date=March 11, 1987|title=Channel 7 fights sale of rival|page=D1|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548791/channel-7-fights-sale-of-rival/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548791/channel-7-fights-sale-of-rival/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> NBC pledged to honor WSVN's contract, while CBS showed renewed interest in WCIX, itself in the process of being sold to [[TVX Broadcast Group]].<ref name="Miam870225">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=February 25, 1987|title=CBS execs cast appraising eye on Channel 6|page=5B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75075141/cbs-execs-cast-appraising-eye-on/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75075141/cbs-execs-cast-appraising-eye-on/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In an interview on WSVN's 6&nbsp;p.m. newscast on March 10, 1987, Ansin announced Sunbeam would challenge the WTVJ sale before the FCC,{{r|Miam870525}} citing "anti-competitive overtones&nbsp;... adverse" to the public interest.{{r|Sout870311}} With former channel&nbsp;7 operations manager Allen Sternberg as legal counsel,{{r|Miam870525}} Ansin retained former FCC commissioner [[Charles D. Ferris]] as his lead representation.<ref name="Sout870316">{{Cite news|last=Steighorst|first=Tom|date=March 16, 1987|title=Family-owned station WSVN battles network|page=4|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel Weekly Business|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545382/family-owned-station-wsvn-battles/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545382/family-owned-station-wsvn-battles/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Ansin also reached out to [[United States congressional delegations from Florida|Florida's congressional delegation]] for additional lobbying,<ref name="Miam870311">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=March 11, 1987|title=WSVN's owner seeks to block sale of WTVJ|page=4B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548743/wsvns-owner-seeks-to-block-sale-of/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181439/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548743/wsvns-owner-seeks-to-block-sale-of/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> including Rep. [[Dante Fascell]]{{r|Sout870316}} and Sen. [[Lawton Chiles]].{{r|Miam890101a}} The petition to deny claimed WSVN's status among programmers and advertisers was damaged to WTVJ's benefit{{r|Sout870316}} and that an NBC-owned CBS affiliate threatened to disenfranchise Miami television viewers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ames|first=Joe|date=March 24, 1987|title=WSVN filing says viewers lose out if Channel 4 sold|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548870/wsvn-filing-says-viewers-lose-out-if/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181457/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548870/wsvn-filing-says-viewers-lose-out-if/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In a statement Ansin submitted to various Washington agencies, he likened the nature of the sale to the extortion-driven [[Westinghouse Broadcasting#The 1956 trade with NBC|1956 asset swap between NBC and Group W]] for stations in [[Cleveland]] and Philadelphia the commission eventually overturned nine years later.<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 16, 1987|title=WSVN owner contests NBC purchase of WTVJ Miami|volume=112|pages=43, [https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-03-16-OCR-Page-0044.pdf 44]|work=Broadcasting|issue=11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-03-16-OCR-Page-0043.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=April 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181427/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-03-16-OCR-Page-0043.pdf|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=World Radio History}}</ref> In a subsequent interview, Ansin explained that his bitterness with NBC was the result of the network simply discarding decades of loyalty, especially when the network was mired in third place in the late 1970s.<ref name="Miam870312">{{Cite news|last=Fields|first=Gregg|date=March 12, 1987|title=Channel 7's owner attacks NBC's plans|page=9D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545308/channel-7s-owner-attacks-nbcs/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181456/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545308/channel-7s-owner-attacks-nbcs/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Ansin's visibility protesting the sale was also a marked departure from his reputation as a modest, conservative owner that rarely sought public attention and who barely knew his own station personnel.{{r|Boston19930822p362}}

The day before WCIX's sale to TVX was completed, TVX president Tim McDonald told the ''News'' that WCIX was not only not for sale, but TVX was committed to owning the station, forcing CBS to negotiate with Ansin by default.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=March 30, 1987|title=Ch. 6's new owner says 'no sale'; CBS pushed toward Ch. 7|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548989/ch-6s-new-owner-says-no-sale/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181503/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548989/ch-6s-new-owner-says-no-sale/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In multiple interviews, Ansin expressed a hope to keep WSVN as a network affiliate and eventually pass control of Sunbeam to his children; when asked about WSVN possibly becoming an independent station, Ansin replied, "that's not good... I don't think it'll happen."{{r|Miam870312}} One Wall Street analyst suggested that Ansin's objections really centered around the risk of losing untold millions of dollars if WSVN failed to secure an affiliation.{{r|Miam870311}} The FCC approved the sale of WTVJ to GE on September 17, 1987,<ref name="Miam870918">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=September 17, 1987|title=Is the switch on? FCC approves Channel 4 sale|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548667/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/ 4A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548552/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/|url-status=live|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181428/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548552/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> despite Sen. Chiles introducing an amendment into an FCC [[Appropriations bill (United States)|appropriations bill]] that requested a full hearing on the sale.{{r|Miam890101a}} Ferris also acknowledged he held doubts from the beginning about the FCC being receptive to Ansin's challenge;{{r|Miam870312}} undeterred, Ansin pledged to appeal the FCC's approval.{{r|Miam870918}} NBC and CBS both agreed to extend WTVJ's CBS affiliation contract on a two-week basis after it expired in April 1988, allowing CBS to move their programming off WTVJ at any given date.<ref name="Miam881101">{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=November 1, 1988|title=FCC approves sale of Channel 6 to CBS|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74535532/fcc-approves-sale-of-channel-6-to-cbs/|url-status=live|access-date=April 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74535532/fcc-approves-sale-of-channel-6-to-cbs/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The temporary arrangement resulted in WTVJ—now run by NBC management<ref>{{Cite news|last=Welin|first=Joel|date=May 24, 1988|title=WTVJ president resigns to return to 'first love'|page=8E|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140888/wtvj-president-resigns-to-return-to/|url-status=live|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034439/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140888/wtvj-president-resigns-to-return-to/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Miam880524">{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=May 24, 1988|title=Perris 'resigns' top job at WTVJ; NBC brings in own management|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75156482/perris-resigns-top-job-at-wtvj-nbc/|url-status=live|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75156482/perris-resigns-top-job-at-wtvj-nbc/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>—refusing to carry significant portions of CBS's primetime schedule,<ref name="Miam880427">{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=April 27, 1988|title=CBS and WSVN are hassling over their wedding date|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463717/cbs-and-wsvn-are-hassling-over-their/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181446/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463717/cbs-and-wsvn-are-hassling-over-their/|archive-date=February 20, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=April 23, 1988|title=This week: April 23–30, 1988|page=3:TV/Cable|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140702/this-week-april-23-30-1988/|url-status=live|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034457/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140702/this-week-april-23-30-1988/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Coto|first=Juan Carlos|date=May 19, 1988|title=Hometown won't see what she did|page=11A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75146143/hometown-wont-see-what-she-did/|url-status=live|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75146143/hometown-wont-see-what-she-did/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> while CBS initially refused to invite WTVJ management to the network's 1988 affiliate convention.<ref name="Fort880619">{{Cite news|last=Kelley|first=Bill|date=June 19, 1988|title=CBS snubs WTVJ|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526884/cbs-snubs-wtvj-p2/ 10D]|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526774/cbs-snubs-wtvj/|url-status=live|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526774/cbs-snubs-wtvj/|archive-date=February 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>