Possible channel realignments in the future in Iowa?

In central Iowa. with Tegna buying Nexstar's WOI-5 and KCWI-23, how long might it be until Tegna swaps programming and possibly calls between the two channels? Granted OTA isn't a big deal but it would seem like higher rated ABC programming would be a better fit for what's probably a superior signal on RF 23.

In eastern Iowa, another swap that isn't as likely given the FCC's near freeze on TV modifications would be the swap of RF 4 from Rock Island in exchange for RF 12 at Iowa City. With most of IPTVs coverage on 12 duplicated by 32 in Waterloo and 36 in the Quad Cities, not that many people would be impacted by having PBS programming move to channel 4 at Iowa City.
(The economics of transmitter and antenna modifications might not warrant it, even if the FCC were to approve such a plan...)

WOI had already requested to change channel from 5 to 34, which was turned down by the FCC because it was filed at a time when such applications were not being accepted. I wouldn't be surprised to see Tegna refile that at a later date when it is permitted to be filed.

WHBF barely fails on 12 at its current ERP; a slight decrease would likely make it pass, so it probably works from that perspective. But I'm just not sure IPTV would want to go for such a downgrade. I'm not sure I can envision IPTV going for that exchange.

- Trip

I keep thinking about this, and if I were in IPTV's shoes, I would vacate channel 12 only if three conditions were met:

1) A power increase for KRIN were arranged.

2) KQIN's facilities were rebuilt on the WHBF tower and maximized, designed to minimize loss area for KIIN in places like Preston and Columbus City.

3) KIIN were moved to a high-VHF or UHF channel (18?) on the KYOU tower or on a new tower somewhere near the KYOU tower. This would allow some of the translators IPTV uses down that way to be retired.

I can't really imagine Tegna paying out for all of that.

- Trip

Actually, in the Quad Cities market Tegna is buying WQAD-8 Moline from Tribune. Nexstar will retain WHBF-4. With all of the mergers over the past year, it's hard to keep track with who owns what. (For the record and since it's germane, Nexstar will be owning former Tribune station WHO-13 in Des Moines. Sorry for the bad pun on that classic, irritating Abbott and Costello routine

No matter the ownership, I'm with you, I doubt that WHBF and KIIN will ever leave their current channels. Too much expense for what it's worth. If OTA viewing were a bigger segment of the population it might be different.

According to w9wi.com's Iowa TV page, there's a KLJB 18.3 and it's affiliated with My Network TV. However, no other website (not even Wikipedia) has confirmed this, which makes suspect that this is probably an error...