American media company
Smith Media, LLC , successor to Smith Television aka Sunrise 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. In 1986, it bought the three smaller television stations from publishing company Times Mirror Company .[ 1] In 2002, Sunrise sold six of the stations to LIN Television .[ 2]
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. [ 3] [ 4] 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.[ 5] [ 6] The sale was completed on March 20, 2014. [ 7]
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
Years owned
Current status
Anchorage, AK
KIMO
13
1995–2010
ABC affiliate KYUR , owned by Vision Alaska, LLC
Fairbanks, AK
KATN [ A]
2
2001–2010
ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC
Juneau, AK
KJUD [ A]
8
2001–2010
ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC
Salinas –Monterey –Santa Cruz, CA
KSBW
8
1995–1998
NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television
Santa Barbara –San Luis Obispo, CA
KEYT-TV
3
1987–2012
ABC affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company
KSBY
6
1995–1996[ a]
NBC affiliate owned by the E. W. Scripps Company
Hutchinson –Wichita, KS
KWCH-TV
12
1989–1992
CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Ensign –Dodge City, KS
KBSD-TV [ B]
6
1989–1992
CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Goodland, KS
KBSL-TV [ B]
10
1989–1992
CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Hays, KS
KBSH-TV [ B]
7
1989–1992
CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Flint, MI
WEYI-TV
25
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Howard Stirk Holdings [ b]
Reno, NV
KOLO-TV
8
2000–2002
ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Binghamton, NY
WBGH-LP
20[ c]
1997–2000
NBC affiliate WBGH-CD , owned by Nexstar Media Group
Buffalo, NY
WGRZ-TV
2
1986–1988
NBC affiliate owned by Tegna Inc.
Elmira, NY
WETM-TV
18
1986–2004[ d]
NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Rochester, NY
WROC-TV
8
1996–1999
CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Utica, NY
WKTV
2
1993–2014
NBC affiliate owned by Heartland Media
Watertown, NY
WWTI-TV
50
1990–2000
ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
W25AB/ WNYF-LP
28[ e]
1995–2002[ f]
Fox affiliate WNYF-CD , owned by Gray Television
Bismarck, ND
KFYR-TV
5
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Dickinson, ND
KQCD-TV [ C]
7
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Minot, ND
KMOT [ C]
10
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Williston, ND
KUMV-TV [ C]
8
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Fargo, ND
KVLY-TV
11
1997–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Dayton, OH
WDTN
2
1998–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Steubenville, OH
WTOV-TV
9
1996–2000
NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group
Toledo, OH
WUPW
36
1999–2002
Fox affiliate owned by American Spirit Media [ g]
Harrisburg, PA
WHTM-TV
27
1986–1994
ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Johnstown, PA
WJAC-TV
6
1996–2000
NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group
Providence, RI
WPRI-TV
12
2001–2002
CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
WNAC-TV
64
1997–2001
Fox affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting[ h]
Abilene, TX
KRBC-TV
9
1998–2002
NBC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting
San Angelo, TX
KACB-TV
3
1998–2002
NBC affiliate KSAN-TV , owned by Mission Broadcasting
Burlington, VT –Plattsburgh, NY
WPTZ
5
1998
NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television
WFFF-TV
44
1999–2013[ j]
Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
WVNY
22
2005–2013[ k]
ABC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting
Hartford, VT –Hanover, NH
WNNE [ D]
31
1998
The CW affiliate owned by Hearst Television[ l]
^ a b Semi-satellite of KIMO.
^ a b c Satellite of KWCH-TV.
^ a b c Satellite of KFYR-TV.
^ Semi-satellite of WPTZ.
^ Acquired along with KSBW but divested almost immediately due to Smith's ownership of KEYT.
^ Operated through an SSA by Sinclair Broadcast Group .
^ Operated on channel 8 under Smith's ownership.
^ From 2000-2004, The Ackerley Group , and later Clear Channel Communications would operate this station through a LMA .
^ Operated on channel 25 until 2001.
^ Operated by United Communications under a LMA from 2001 to 2002.
^ Operated through an SSA by Tegna Inc.
^ Operated through an LMA by Nexstar Media Group.
^ From 1998 to 1999, Smith operated WFFF through an LMA until purchasing it outright in 1999.
^ Owned by Lambert Broadcasting, operated by Smith through an LMA .
^ Relicensed to Montpelier, Vermont .
References
^ "Changing hands: Proposed." Broadcasting , September 30, 1985, pg. 109.
^ Meikle, Brad (May 13, 2002). "LIN TV Tunes In To Public Market -" . Buyouts . Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021 .
^ Boston Ventures and Smith Television Group Complete Recapitalization. | North America > United States from AllBusiness.com
^ "News" .
^ 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 , October 21, 2013
^ Consummation Notice , CDBS Public Notice , Federal Communications Commission , Retrieved March 21, 2014.
External links