Northwest Broadcasting
Northwest Broadcasting was a television broadcasting company based in Okemos, Michigan, a suburb of Lansing. The broadcasting group owns or operates twelve television stations in six markets, through subsidiaries such as Broadcasting Communications, Mountain Communications, Stainless Broadcasting, and Bristlecone Broadcasting.[1]
Private | |
Fate | Acquired by Cox Media Group |
Founded | 1995 |
Defunct | 2019 |
Headquarters | Okemos, MI |
Key people | Brian Brady (President & CEO) |
Northwest Broadcasting was founded in 1995 by Brian Brady to acquire the television stations of Salmon River Communications, including KAYU-TV in Spokane, Washington, K68EB in Yakima, Washington, KBWU-LP in the Tri-Cities (Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Washington), and KMVU in Medford, Oregon.[2] In 1997, Northwest purchased Stainless, Inc. for $17 million; while Stainless was primarily a manufacturer of broadcasting towers, the purchase also added WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York and KTVZ in Bend, Oregon to Northwest's station group.[3][4] Stainless had owned broadcast stations since purchasing WICZ (then known as WINR-TV) in 1971.[5] Though Northwest would sell the Stainless tower company to SpectraSite Holdings in 1999[6] and KTVZ to News-Press & Gazette Company in 2002,[7] it still owns WICZ-TV under the Stainless Broadcasting Company name.
Brian Brady expanded his broadcast holdings in 2002, when he teamed up with Alta Communications to acquire the K-Six Television stations under the name Eagle Creek Broadcasting;[8] Alta had also invested in Northwest Broadcasting in 1996.[9] Alta divested its interest in Northwest Broadcasting in 2007[10] and in Eagle Creek Broadcasting in 2013.[11] During the 2010s, Brady acquired additional stations through companies such as Blackhawk Broadcasting,[12] Bristlecone Broadcasting,[13] and Cedar Creek Broadcasting.[14] These companies have occasionally made joint filings with Northwest Broadcasting in Federal Communications Commission proceedings under the name "The TV Station Group."[15]
In February 2019, Reuters reported that Apollo Global Management had agreed to acquire the entirety of Brian Brady's television portfolio, which it intends to merge with Cox Television (which Apollo is acquiring at the same time) and stations spun off from Nexstar Media Group's purchase of Tribune Broadcasting, once the purchases are approved by the FCC.[16] In March 2019 filings with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Apollo confirmed that its newly-formed broadcasting group, Terrier Media, would acquire Northwest Broadcasting, with Brian Brady holding an unspecified minority interest in Terrier.[17] In June 2019, it was announced that Terrier Media would instead operate as Cox Media Group, as Apollo had reached a deal to also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses.[18] The transaction was completed on December 17.[19]
Stations formerly owned by Northwest
Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
City of license / Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) |
Years owned | Current ownership status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yuma, Arizona - El Centro, California | KYMA-DT | 11 (11) | 2014–2019 1 | defunct, license surrendered in 2020. (Intellectual unit and NBC programming moved to a subchannel of Cox Media Group-owned license and renamed KYMA-DT.) |
KSWT | 13 (13) | 2014–2019 1 | CBS affiliate, KYMA-DT, owned by Cox Media Group (Operated through a SSA by News-Press & Gazette Company) | |
Eureka, California | KIEM-TV | 3 (3) | 2017–2019 | NBC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
KVIQ | 17 (17) | 2016–2017 | Dark station, KJRW, owned by Prime Cities Broadcasting, Inc. Went dark in 2018.[20][21] (Intellectual unit and CBS programming transferred to a Northwest Broadcasting-owned license and renamed KVIQ-LD.[22]) | |
KVIQ-LD | 14 (14) | 2016–2019 | CBS affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Pocatello - Idaho Falls, Idaho | KPVI-DT | 6 (23) | 2016–2019 | NBC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
Twin Falls, Idaho | KXTF | 35 (34) | 2016–2017 | Tri-State Christian Television owned-and-operated station (O&O) |
Bowling Green, Kentucky | WKNT/WNKY | 40 (16) | 1997–2003 2 | NBC affiliate owned by Marquee Broadcasting |
Alexandria, Louisiana | KLAX-TV | 31 (31) | 2018–2019 | ABC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
KWCE-LP | 27 | 2018–2019 | MeTV affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Greenville - Greenwood, Mississippi | WABG-TV | 6 (32) | 2016–2019 | ABC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
WFXW | 15 (15) | 2016–2019 3 | Tri-State Christian Television owned-and-operated station (O&O) | |
WNBD-LD | 33 (33) | 2016–2019 | NBC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
WXVT-LD | 17 (17) | 2017–2019 | CBS affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Binghamton, New York | WICZ-TV | 40 (8) | 1997–2019 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
WBPN-LP | 10 (40.2) | 2000–2019 | MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Syracuse, New York | WSYT | 68 (19) | 2013–2019 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
WNYS-TV | 43 (44) | 2013–2019 4 | defunct, license surrendered in 2020. (Intellectual unit and MyNetworkTV programming moved to a subchannel of WSYT.) | |
Bend, Oregon | KTVZ | 21 (21) | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company |
Medford, Oregon | KMVU-DT | 26 (26) | 1995–2019 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
KMCW-LD | 14 | 2013–2019 | Sonlife affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
KFBI-LD | 48 (48) | 2013–2019 | MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Corpus Christi, Texas | KZTV | 10 (10) | 2002–2010 5 | CBS affiliate owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting (Operated through a SSA by the E. W. Scripps Company) |
Laredo, Texas | KVTV | 13 (13) | 2002–2015 5 | defunct, went dark in 2015 (Intellectual unit and CBS programming transferred to a Gray Television-owned license and renamed KYLX-LD.) |
KNEX-LP | 14 (14) | 2012–2015 5 | CBS affiliate, KYLX-LD channel 13, owned by Gray Television | |
Spokane, Washington | KAYU-TV | 28 (28) | 1995–2019 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
Tri-Cities - Yakima, Washington | KFFX-TV | 11 (11) | 1999–2019 6 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group |
KCYU-LD (Semi-satellite of KFFX-TV) |
41 (41) | 1995–2019 | Fox affiliate owned by Cox Media Group | |
Walla Walla, Washington | KBKI | 9 | 2001–2003 | defunct, went dark in 2008 (Station was known as KCWK when it ceased operations.) |
Notes:
- 1 KYMA-DT and KSWT were owned by Blackhawk Broadcasting, which was commonly owned with Northwest Broadcasting. Throughout Northwest's ownership, both stations were operated by News-Press & Gazette Company (owner of KECY-TV) under a shared services agreement.
- 2 WKNT was operated by Northwest Broadcasting under a local marketing agreement with Southeastern Communications from 1997 until Northwest bought the station outright in 2000.
- 3 WFXW is an unused channel owned by John Wagner; Northwest Broadcasting operates the station under a local marketing agreement.
- 4 WNYS-TV was operated by Northwest Broadcasting operates the station under a local marketing agreement with RKM Media & Syracuse Broadcasting, from 2013 until Northwest bought the station outright in 2018.
- 5 KZTV, KVTV, and KNEX-LP were owned by Eagle Creek Broadcasting, which was commonly owned with Northwest Broadcasting.
- 6 KFFX-TV was operated by Northwest Broadcasting under a local marketing agreement with Communication Properties from its 1999 sign-on until Northwest bought the station outright in 2003.
References
- "Organizational Chart for Northwest Broadcasting, Inc" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. November 25, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
- "Michigan investor buys KAYU TV". The Spokesman-Review. August 2, 1995. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- Kanaley, Reid (May 18, 1997). "Digital TV: It's A High-Tower Act". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
…Stainless, which owns UHF stations in Binghamton, N.Y., and Bend, Ore., is being sold to a Detroit-based partnership, Northwest Broadcasting, said Stainless counsel James J. Heffernan of Plymouth Meeting. He said the deal is worth $17 million.
- "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. May 19, 1997. p. 38. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 8, 1971. p. 37. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "SpectraSite Holdings, Inc. Form 8-K" (TXT). Securities and Exchange Commission. January 21, 2000. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- BIA Financial Networks (March 24, 2002). "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- BIA Financial Networks (February 3, 2002). "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. January 29, 1996. pp. 32–3. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Transactions: 08-29-07". Television Business Report. August 29, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Station Trading Roundup: 5 Deals, $23 Million". TVNewsCheck. November 5, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Brady doubles down in Yuma". Television Business Report. July 24, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- Herbert, Geoff (November 19, 2013). "Ownership changes at Syracuse TV stations approved by FCC". The Post-Standard. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Cedar Creek Buying WRBU, WZRB For $6M". TVNewsCheck. February 3, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "Informal Objection and Request to Hold Applications in Abeyance" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. June 12, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- "EXCLUSIVE-Apollo nears $3 billion deal to buy Cox TV stations -sources" from CNBC (February 10, 2019)
- Jessell, Harry A. (March 6, 2019). "Cox TV Valued At $3.1 Billion In Apollo Acquisition". TV News Check. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
- Jacobson, Adam (June 26, 2019). "It's Official: Cox Radio, Gamut, CoxReps Going To Apollo". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
- "Cox Enterprises Announces Close of Cox Media Group Sale to Affiliates of Apollo Global Management", prnewswire.com, 17 December 2019, Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- Suspension of Operations and Silent Authority of a DTV Station Application. Licensing and Management System, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 23 September 2018
- Station Search Details - KJRW CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- Redwood Television Closes On KIEM Buy, TVNewsCheck.com, 4 December 2017, Retrieved 16 September 2018