Latest from Next TV in Sunbeam-tv

Andy Ansin Steps into CEO Role at Sunbeam

michael.malone@futurenet.com (Michael Malone) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 21:10:47 +0000

Sunbeam Television Corporation announced a change in leadership following the death of Ed Ansin, who was owner and president. Ansin’s eldest son Andy assumes the role of CEO. Ansin’s son James and Sunbeam veteran Paul Magnes were named co-presidents. Ownership remains in the Ansin family.

Related: Ed Ansin died late last month.

Andy Ansin interned at WSVN in high school. After college, he “was instrumental in the development of Miramar Park of Commerce,” said Sunbeam.

James Ansin (Image credit: Sunbeam TV)

“James and Paul will lead the experienced management team that Dad trusted to run Sunbeam’s television stations,” said Andy Ansin. “7 NEWS will continue to provide the best news coverage in both South Florida and Boston and continue to maintain its standard for journalistic excellence.”

James has been VP and station manager at WSVN since 2004. He joined the station in 1993. “I am humbled, prepared and committed to carry my father’s legacy into the future,” said James Ansin. “My dad was always very open and clear that he wanted Sunbeam Television to continue as an ongoing corporation for future generations. We are lucky that he left us the tools to ensure that his plan will become a reality.”

Paul Magnes (Image credit: Sunbeam TV)

Magnes has been executive VP and general manager of WSVN since 2018. He has been with the company for 14 years. “I’m committed to furthering Ed Ansin’s vision for his television stations and honored to be doing so with his sons,” said Magnes.

Sunbeam Television Corporation owns WSVN Miami and WHDH-WLVI Boston.

Sunbeam TV Chief Ansin Dead at 84

michael.malone@futurenet.com (Michael Malone) — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 23:35:35 +0000

Ed Ansin, chief of Sunbeam Television, has died. He was 84. Sunbeam has WSVN Miami and WHDH-WLVI Boston.

“Besides his family, Ed loved nothing more than owning and operating his television stations,” said Paul Magnes, executive VP and general manager, WSVN. “We are all so fortunate to have worked for a man who truly cared about his employees and the industry.”

Ansin’s childhood was split between Massachusetts, where he was born, and Miami, where he was raised. He has been in the ownership game since he and his father acquired what was then WCKT Miami in 1962.

Ansin had some high-profile battles in the television business, including a spat with NBC over airing the primetime Jay Leno show a decade ago, and a lawsuit against Nielsen. “I’m pretty mild-mannered,” Ansin told B&C. “But if I see something we have to stand up and contest, I don’t mind doing it.”

At the start of 2017, WHDH went independent after NBC gave the affiliation in Boston to its own station. WHDH hired a few dozen staffers and stocked up on local news. “We have the opportunity to build a powerhouse news station, we have a lot more inventory to sell and hopefully we will,” Ansin told B&C at the time.

Ansin was also a major player in real estate. “We will all miss Ed tremendously, but WSVN, WHDH, WLVI and Sunbeam Real Estate are in all good hands,” said Magnes.

Sunbeam Goes Dark on DirecTV, Dish Could Be Next

Mike Farrell — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 21:21:00 +0000

Sunbeam Television stations in Boston and Miami went dark to DirecTV customers in those areas July 15 after the parties could not reach a retransmission consent agreement, the broadcaster said in a statement, adding that the same fate could hold for Dish Network customers in Boston later this week.

Sunbeam stations WHDH and WLVI (the Boston NBC and The CW affiliates, respectively) and WSVN (its Fox affiliate in Miami) went dark to DirecTV customers on July 15. DirecTV has said the stations are asking for exorbitant rate increases. Sunbeam claims it is only asking for fair market value for its content.

This isn’t the first go-round for DirecTV and Sunbeam. In 2012, the stations went dark to DirecTV customers for about 13 days.

“We want to get these three stations back into our customers’ line-ups and share their frustration. The stations' owner, Sunbeam Television, is prohibiting WHDH and WLVI in Boston and WSVN in Miami from reaching their homes unless they receive a significant increase in their current fees just to let the same families keep watching shows that remain available for free over-the-air and often online,” DirecTV parent AT&T said in a statement. “Sunbeam has kept its stations from our customers several times before, so we appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to get them back and attempt to resolve this matter with the least possible inconvenience.”

Comcast’s NBC Universal has said WHDH will lose its NBC affiliation at the end of the year. The station filed suit in March to try to block that move.

In a brief statement on its Boston affiliate web site, Sunbeam notified DirecTV customers they could still access the channels over-the-air via an antenna or on other video providers. In the same statement, Sunbeam said Dish customers could suffer the same fate if a retrans deal isn’t reached by July 22.

In a statement, Dish said it hopes an agreement can be reached.

“Only Sunbeam Television Corporation can force a blackout of its channels,” Dish said in a statement. “Dish is actively working to reach a deal before the contract expires.”

“Dish has successfully negotiated agreements representing hundreds of stations in recent months that benefit all parties, including our viewers,” the satellite TV service provider continued. “We are unsure why Sunbeam decided to involve customers in the contract negotiation process at a point when there is still time for the two parties to reach a mutually beneficial deal.”