Benedek Broadcasting
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Benedek Broadcasting is a former television broadcaster, who owned and operated 22 network-affiliated television stations throughout the United States, all affiliated with major television networks, serving mainly small and medium-size markets. The company was founded in the late 1970s by A. Richard Benedek but grew in the 1990s with buyouts of Brisette Broadcasting and Stauffer Communications. The company was based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Throughout its existence, namesake Benedek served as chairman and chief executive officer.
Benedek also owned U.S. Virgin Islands station WBNB-TV starting in 1986. Benedek was forced to surrender the station's broadcast license in 1995; WBNB went dark in 1989 after its facilities were damaged by Hurricane Hugo, and Benedek essentially chose to abandon the station.
Benedek Broadcasting filed for bankruptcy in 2002, and sold off its 22 stations to different owners, many of them to Gray Television with the balance (all small or struggling stations) going to Chelsey Broadcasting. Barrington Broadcasting which began operations in 2004 with former Benedek president and COO K. James Yager as CEO, currently occupies what had been Benedek's headquarters and purchased two of the former Benedek stations which had been purchased by Chelsey.
Benedek Broadcasting had also operated Benedek Interactive Media, an industry leading 'Internet newsroom' that extended web-only coverage and editorial capabilities to its stations.
List of stations formerly owned by Benedek
| City of license/Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) | Years Owned | Current affiliation/owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan, Alabama | WTVY | 4 (36) | 1995-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo, California | KCOY-TV | 12 (19) | 1996-1999 | CBS affiliate owned by Cowles Publishing Company |
| Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colorado | KKTV | 11 (10) | 1999-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Peoria, Illinois | WHOI | 19 (19) | 1996-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Barrington Broadcasting (Operated through JSA / SSA by Granite Broadcasting) |
| Rockford, Illinois | WIFR | 23 (41) | 1986-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Topeka, Kansas | WIBW-TV | 13 (13) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Wichita, Kansas | KAKE-TV | 10 (10) | 2000-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Bowling Green, Kentucky | WBKO | 13 (13) | 1983-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts | WWLP | 22 (11) | 1996-2000 | NBC affiliate owned by LIN TV Corporation |
| Lansing, Michigan | WILX-TV | 10 (10) | 1996-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Duluth, Minnesota | KDLH | 3 (33) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Malara Broadcasting (Operated under LMA by Granite Broadcasting) |
| Meridian, Mississippi | WTOK-TV | 11 (11) | 1988-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri | KMIZ | 17 (17) | 1996-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company |
| Hannibal, Missouri-Quincy, Illinois | KHQA-TV | 7 (7) | 1986-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Barrington Broadcasting |
| Omaha, Nebraska | WOWT-TV | 6 (22) | 2000-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Youngstown, Ohio | WYTV | 33 (36) | 1994-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Vaughan Media (Operated through SSA by LIN TV Corporation) |
| Odessa-Midland, Texas | KOSA-TV | 7 (7) | 1996-2000 | CBS affiliate owned by ICA Broadcasting |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | KAUZ-TV | 6 (22) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Hoak Media Corporation (Operated through JSA / SSA by Drewry Communications Group) |
| Harrisonburg, Virginia | WHSV-TV | 3 (49) | 1976-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Parkersburg, West Virginia | WTAP-TV | 15 (49) | 1979-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Wheeling, West Virginia-Steubenville, Ohio | WTRF-TV | 7 (7) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by West Virginia Media Holdings |
| Madison, Wisconsin | WMTV | 15 (19) | 1996-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin | WSAW-TV | 7 (7) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Casper, Wyoming | KGWC-TV | 14 (14) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Mark III Media |
| Cheyenne, Wyoming | KGWN-TV | 5 (30) | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting |