WTSP, the Gannett-owned CBS affiliate in Tampa-St. Petersburg Florida (and future home of soon-to depart-from WFLD weather person Tammie Souza), decided not to carry the re-scheduled U.S. Open Men's Final where Roger Federer scored his fifth straight U.S Open Championship and the move angered the lob gods. It was moved instead to the station's digital weather channel.
Viewers slammed WTSP for the decision to stick with local news and the syndicated Dr. Phil.
Another Gannett CBS affiliate in Greensboro-High Point, N.C. (WFMY) also pre-empted the tennis match to stick with local news and The Andy Griffith Show (Yes, Andy Griffith. This is North Carolina we're talking about.) WFMY did move the match to its digital channel.
In fact, 10 percent of CBS affiliates declined to carry the match on Monday, shunting it to their secondary digital channels or online. In Milwaukee, CBS affiliate WDJT-TV moved the final to sister station WMLW-TV so the station can premiere The Doctors at 4 p.m.
If you've seen this headline before, you have - only with KSDK in the title instead of WTSP. Two months ago, KSDK cut away from a Wimbledon Men's Final to air a Cardinals game, angering tennis fans in St. Louis.
KSDK, like WTSP is owned by - you guessed it, Gannett.
If Gannett was smart, maybe they should stop angering the lob gods before tennis balls start raining down inside their McLean, Va. headquarters.
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