Nielsen Media Research is changing Granite Broadcasting-owned kntv(tv)'s designation in the Monterey-Salinas market, DMA 119, to San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, DMA 5. "Nielsen took the step in recognition of kntv's upcoming change to NBC," said Bob Franklin, president and general manager of kntv/kbwb. The change will take place Sept. 1, according to kntv, which dropped its ABC affiliation last month and will remain independent until 2002.
Don Cornwell, CEO of Granite Broadcasting, said the new market designation "is further proof of the industry's recognition of the solid partnership between kntv and NBC. kntv said it has doubled its signal to reach from the South Bay as far north as Sonoma County, and will add "extensive Bay Area cable carriage within a matter of months."
In fact, kntv is already acting like an NBC affiliate. It has agreed to allow Pax-owned KKPX(TV) San Francisco to rebroadcast its local news as part of a deal that also involves Paxson's kpxf (tv) Fresno, which is an NBC affiliate.
Previously, Paxson secured joint sales agreements with those Granite stations (deals that began after NBC took an ownership stake in the Pax).
