Smith Media
Smith Media, LLC, successor to Smith Television, was a broadcasting group co-based in Los Angeles, California and St. Petersburg, Florida, that formerly owned and operated several television stations across the United States.
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Smith Television became Smith Media, LLC in 2004 at the death of Bob Smith, head of the family run organization. The family decided to re-capitalize their stations and sold the stations to Boston Ventures, which created Smith Media. [1] [2] The similarities in names have created much confusion.
During the early 2010s, Smith Media sold off its stations; on October 1, 2013, Smith Media reached a deal to sell its last remaining station, WKTV in Utica, New York, to Heartland Media, a company owned by former Gray Television executive Bob Prather, pending FCC approval.[3] [4] The sale was completed on March 20, 2014. [5]
Formerly-owned Stations
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.
- With the exception of KATN, KEYT, KJUD, KYUR, WFFF, & WKTV, the second incarnation of Smith Media never owned these stations. Smith Media, LLC was successor to Smith Television, Inc. who owned the following:
City of license / Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) |
Years owned | Current ownership status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Anchorage, Alaska | KIMO | 13 (12) | 1995–2010 | ABC affiliate, KYUR, owned by Vision Alaska, LLC |
Fairbanks, Alaska | KATN (Semi-satellite of KIMO) |
2 (18) | 2001–2010 | ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC |
Juneau, Alaska | KJUD (Semi-satellite of KIMO) |
8 (11) | 2001–2010 | ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC |
Salinas - Monterey - Santa Cruz, California | KSBW | 8 (8) | 1995–1998 | NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television |
Santa Barbara - San Luis Obispo, California | KEYT-TV | 3 (27) | 1987–2012 | ABC affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company |
KSBY | 6 (15) | 1995–1996 1 | NBC affiliate owned by the E. W. Scripps Company | |
Hutchinson - Wichita, Kansas | KWCH-TV | 12 (19) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Ensign - Dodge City, Kansas | KBSD-TV (Satellite of KWCH-TV) |
6 (6) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Goodland, Kansas | KBSL-TV (Satellite of KWCH-TV) |
10 (10) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Hays, Kansas | KBSH-TV (Satellite of KWCH-TV) |
7 (7) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Flint, Michigan | WEYI-TV | 25 (30) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Howard Stirk Holdings (Operated through a SSA by Sinclair Broadcast Group) |
Reno, Nevada | KOLO-TV | 8 (8) | 2000–2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Binghamton, New York | WBGH-LP | 20 (20) 2 | 1997–2000 | NBC affiliate, WBGH-CD, owned by Nexstar Media Group |
Buffalo, New York | WGRZ-TV | 2 (33) | 1986–1988 | NBC affiliate owned by Tegna |
Elmira, New York | WETM-TV | 18 (18) | 1986–2004 3 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
Rochester, New York | WROC-TV | 8 (45) | 1996–1999 | CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
Utica, New York | WKTV | 2 (29) | 1993–2014 | NBC affiliate owned by Heartland Media |
Watertown, New York | WWTI-TV | 50 (21) | 1990–2000 | ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
W25AB/WNYF-LP | 28 (35) 4 | 1995–2002 5 | Fox affiliate, WNYF-CD, owned by Gray Television | |
Bismarck, North Dakota | KFYR-TV | 5 (31) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Dickinson, North Dakota | KQCD-TV (Satellite of KFYR-TV) |
7 (7) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Minot, North Dakota | KMOT (Satellite of KFYR-TV) |
10 (10) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Williston, North Dakota | KUMV-TV (Satellite of KFYR-TV) |
8 (8) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Fargo, North Dakota | KVLY-TV | 11 (44) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
Dayton, Ohio | WDTN | 2 (50) | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
Steubenville, Ohio | WTOV-TV | 9 (9) | 1996–2000 | NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
Toledo, Ohio | WUPW | 36 (46) | 1999–2002 | Fox affiliate owned by American Spirit Media (Operated through a SSA by Tegna Inc.) |
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | WHTM-TV | 27 (10) | 1986–1994 | ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
Johnstown, Pennsylvania | WJAC-TV | 6 (34) | 1996–2000 | NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
Providence, Rhode Island | WPRI-TV | 12 (13) | 2001–2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
WNAC-TV | 64 (12) | 1997–2001 | Fox affiliate to be owned by Mission Broadcasting (Operated through a LMA by Nexstar Media Group) | |
Abilene, Texas | KRBC-TV | 9 (29) | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting (Operated through a SSA by Nexstar Media Group) |
San Angelo, Texas | KACB-TV | 3 (16) | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate, KSAN-TV, owned by Mission Broadcasting (Operated through a SSA by Nexstar Media Group) |
Burlington, Vermont - Plattsburgh, New York | WPTZ | 5 (14) | 1998 | NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television |
WFFF-TV | 44 (43) | 1999–2013 6 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
WVNY | 22 (13) | 2005–2013 7 | ABC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting (Operated through a SSA by Nexstar Media Group) | |
Hartford, Vermont - Hanover, New Hampshire | WNNE (Semi-satellite of WPTZ) |
31 (25) | 1998 | The CW affiliate - Montpelier, Vermont - owned by Hearst Television |
Notes:
- 1 Acquired along with KSBW but divested almost immediately due to Smith's ownership of KEYT.
- 2 Operated on channel 8 under Smith's ownership.
- 3 From 2000-2004, The Ackerley Group, and later Clear Channel Communications would operate this station through a local marketing agreement (LMA).
- 4 Operated on channel 25 until 2001.
- 5 From 2001 to 2002, United Communications operated the station under a LMA.
- 6 From 1998 to 1999, Smith operated WFFF through an LMA, until Smith bought it outright in 1999.
- 7 Owned by Lambert Broadcasting, Smith operated WVNY through an LMA.
References
- Boston Ventures and Smith Television Group Complete Recapitalization. | North America > United States from AllBusiness.com
- http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041118005490/en/Boston-Ventures-Smith-Television-Group-Complete-Recapitalization
- Seyler, Dave (October 21, 2013). "Prather resurfaces in upstate New York". Television Business Report. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License , Federal Communications Commission, 21 October, 2013
- Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Notice, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 21 March, 2014.