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.
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) |
6 (6) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Goodland, Kansas | KBSL-TV (Satellite of KWCH) |
10 (10) | 1989–1994 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Hays, Kansas | KBSH-TV (Satellite of KWCH) |
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) |
7 (7) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Minot, North Dakota | KMOT (Satellite of KFYR) |
10 (10) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| Williston, North Dakota | KUMV-TV (Satellite of KFYR) |
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 owned by Super Towers, Inc. (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.