After Salt Lake City NBC affiliate KSL passed on airing the NBC series “Hannibal,” saying it was too graphic, one local competitor stands to profit from that decision while another is poking fun at the Mormon owned station.
When KSL announced it wasn’t going to air “Hannibal,” CW affiliate KUCW stepped in and added the show to its programming just as it did last Fall with NBC’s “The New Normal” and “Saturday Night Live” years ago.
TVSpy asked KUCW general manager Richard Doutre’Jones about the move. “Our relationship is with NBC,” said Doutre’Jones, who is also general manager of ABC affiliate KTVX. “I believe we have a real benefit airing the NBC programming not cleared by KSL on Utah’s CW30…it raises the profile and viewer awareness for the station and they also provide additional revenue opportunities.”
Doutre’Jones also told the Salt Lake City Tribune about his station’s plans to air “Hannibal,” “We’ll be airing it after ‘Saturday Night Live’ through June 20. We’re happy to air all of the NBC shows KSL doesn’t.”
KSL is owned by Bonneville International which is owned by Deseret Management Corporation which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, 62.2 percent of Salt Lake City residents are Mormon.
And if shows like “Hannibal” or “The New Normal” are viewed as unfit for KSL’s viewers, does the same apply to KUCW’s viewers or Salt Lake City viewers as a whole? Doutre Jones told TVSpy, “We have not had complaints about The New Normal, SNL nor do we expect to hear any about Hannibal which we will start airing this week.”
While KUCW is happy to profit from KSL’s decision, FOX affiliate KSTU chose to have a little fun with it, posting a spoof of KSL’s announcement to its facebook page. Compare the two:
Here’s the KSTU posting,
PROGRAMMING NOTE: After viewing the past few weeks, as well as receiving numerous calls from viewers, KSTU TV will continue airing our regularly scheduled primetime programming.
This decision was made due to the extensive awesome nature of our shows. No time slots will be replaced and as always, following our primetime programming, you can see your late local news first on Fox 13. We trust Fox 13 viewers know what’s best for themselves and their family. And they will exercise their free will to choose the on or off button, or change the channel.
Fox Television remains a valued partner to KSTU. KSTU is confident that with the proliferation of digital media, those who wish to catch up on any of our shows can easily do so. But as always, news is a dish best served fresh.
And here is the note from KSL posted Monday:
PROGRAMMING NOTE: After viewing the past few episodes, as well as receiving numerous complaints from viewers, KSL TV will cancel the airing of the NBC show “Hannibal” on Thursday evenings.
This decision was made due to the extensive graphic nature of this show. The time slot will be replaced with a special edition of KSL 5 News at 9 p.m.
NBC remains a valued partner to KSL TV. KSL is confident that with the proliferation of digital media, those who wish to view the program can easily do so.