Pappas Telecasting Companies

Pappas Telecasting Companies was a diversely organized broadcasting company headquartered in Visalia, California, United States. Founded in 1971, it was one of the largest privately held broadcasting companies in the country, with its stations reaching over 15% of all U.S. households and over 32% of Hispanic households. Apart from owning and/or operating many television stations, the company also had two radio stations in its possession, KTRB AM 860 and KMPH-AM 840 -- changed from KPMP in June 2006 to reflect its nearby sister/flagship television station, Fox affiliate KMPH-TV, both in Fresno, California.

Bankruptcy

On May 10, 2008, thirteen of Pappas' stations filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. Pappas cited "the extremely difficult business climate for television stations across the country" in papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. The company reported in court filings that it has more than $536 million in debt and $460 million in assets. Problems that led to bankruptcy included poor performance of The CW network, its now-former involvement with Azteca America, and preparations for the 2009 analog shutdown. Stations involved in the bankruptcy are KMPH-TV, KFRE-TV, KPTM, KXVO, WCWG, KPTH, KMEG, KTNC-TV, KAZH, KDBC-TV, KREN-TV, KAZR-CA and KCWK. It was later ordered on September 10, 2008 that the affected stations must be sold off by February 15, 2009. [1] Its other stations, and the corporation itself, is not part of the bankruptcy. [2]^{[citation needed]}

On May 14, 2008, company founder Harry J. Pappas filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy at the Delaware court, where a judge could order his personal assets sold to pay off creditors. [3]

On May 27, 2008, KCWK in Walla Walla, Washington (in the Yakima, Washington television market) ceased operations as a result of the bankruptcy. [4]

On September 17, 2008, bankruptcy trustee E. Roger Williams put KREN and its repeaters under contract to Entravision Communications for $4 million, which would double as a minimum bid for the station as it goes up for auction in late October. [5]

On December 17, 2008, New World TV Group agreed to acquire the remaining Pappas stations involved in the bankruptcy filing.[6] [7] The sale was approved by the United States bankruptcy court on January 16, 2009.

KMPH Radio ceased operations September 1, 2010 due to lack of revenue. Two weeks later, KTRB went into receivership with Comerica Bank, under license from KTRB Trust. This marked the end of Pappas era.

Television Stations By Market

Market	Station	Affiliation	Notes
Avalon - Los Angeles	KAZA-TV 54	Azteca America	75% owned by Pappas; 25% owned by TV Azteca
Austin	KXLK-CA 40	HSN
Fond du Lac - Green Bay - Appleton	WWAZ-TV 44		Off air.
Ames - Des Moines	KCWI-TV 23	The CW	Was KPWB-TV until September 18, 2006, which was previously held by CBS-owned CW network affiliate KMAX-TV Sacramento, California from 1994 to 1998.
	KDMI 56	This TV	Carries This TV as a primary and The CW (as a secondary). The station took to the air on August 28, 2006.
Superior - Grand Island - Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney	KFXL-TV 51 / KTVG 17	Fox	At one point the stations also had WSWS-CA as its North Platte repeater before 2005. Originally, KSNB was an NTV satellite before joining Fox in the late 1990s. Operated under separate Local Marketing Agreements -- KTVG owned by Hill Broadcasting Company, Inc. and KSNB owned by Colins Broadcasting Company -- which also owns repeater stations, K17CI 17 Beatrice and K18CD Lincoln, while Pappas owns K42FV 42 McCook and KOAZ-LP 48 O'Neill -- all located in the state of Nebraska.
	KHGI-TV 13	ABC	Known on-air as Nebraska Television or NTV. At one point also had KSNB as another satellite station before the late 1990s. Parts of the market is also served by satellite station KWNB-TV 6.
Bakersfield	KBBV-CA 19	Estrella TV
Opelika - Auburn - Columbus	WLGA 66		Off air.
Yuma - El Centro	KSWT 13	CBS / Estrella TV / Universal Sports	Carries Universal Sports and Estrella TV on digital subchannels.
Hayes Center - North Platte	KWNB-TV 6 / KHGI-CA 13	ABC	Low-power translator of the Nebraska Television Network. KHGI-CA was a Fox affiliate and was a KTVG/KSNB repeater before sometime in 2005. KWNB also serves parts of the Lincoln market.

Station formerly owned by Pappas

Market	Station	Years Owned	Currently
Sacramento - Stockton - Modesto	KRBK / KPWB 31	1994-1998	The CW network affiliate KMAX-TV, owned and operated by CBS Corporation.
Fresno - Visalia	KMPH 26	1971-2008	Fox network affiliate, owned and operated by Titan Television.
Fresno	KFRE 59	2002-2008	WB network affiliate 2002-2006 CW Affiliate since 2006, owned and operated by Titan Television.
Greenville - Spartanburg - Asheville - Anderson	WHNS 21	1984-1988	Fox network affiliate, owned and operated by Meredith Corporation.
	WASV-TV 62	1995-2000	The CW network affiliate WYCW, owned and operated by Media General.
Walla Walla - Yakima - Pasco - Richland - Kennewick	KCWK 9 / KCWK-LP 27	2002-2008	Station ceased operations in May 2008, due to the bankruptcy.
Reno - Sparks	KREN-TV 27	1995-2009	Univision network affiliate, owned and operated by Entravision Communications.
	KAZR-CA 46	1995-2009	The CW Plus network affiliate KRNS-CA, owned and operated by Entravision Communications.
Bakersfield	KBFX-LP 58	1990-2005	Fox network affiliate KBFX-CA, owned and operated by Fisher Communications.
El Paso	KDBC-TV 4	1999-2009	CBS network affiliate, owned and operated by New World TV Group/Titan Television.
Fort Bragg	KUNO-TV 8	1997-2010	Retro Television Network network affiliate KQSL, owned and operated by Jeff Chang.

External links

• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Broadcast Television Ownership Information for #50085: Pappas Telecasting Companies
• TV Newsday: "Pappas Saga Turning Into Tragedy" (9/24/2008)
• Broadcasting and Cable: "Judge Approves Sale Of Pappas Stations" (1/16/09)