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, Smith bought three smaller television stations from publishing company Times Mirror Company."Changing hands: Proposed." Broadcasting, September 30, 1985, pg. 109. In 2002, Sunrise sold six of the stations to LIN Television.
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.Boston Ventures and Smith Television Group Complete Recapitalization. | North America > United States from AllBusiness.com 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.Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License , Federal Communications Commission, October 21, 2013 The sale was completed on March 20, 2014.Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Notice, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved March 21, 2014.
Former 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:
Media market State Station Acquired Sold Notes Anchorage Alaska KIMO 1995 2010 Fairbanks KATN 2001 2010 Juneau KJUD 2001 2010 Santa BarbaraCalifornia KEYT-TV 1987 2012 KSBY 1995 1996 Monterey–Santa Cruz KSBW 1995 1998 Dodge City Kansas KBSD-TV 1989 1992 Goodland KBSL-TV 1989 1992 Hays KBSH-TV 1989 1992 Wichita KWCH-TV 1989 1992 Flint Michigan WEYI-TV 1997 2002 Reno Nevada KOLO-TV 2000 2002 Binghamton New York WBGH-LP 1997 2000 Buffalo WGRZ-TV 1986 1988 Elmira WETM-TV 1986 2004 Rochester WROC-TV 1996 1999 Utica WKTV 1993 2014Watertown WWTI-TV 1990 2000 WNYF-LP 1995 2002 Bismarck North Dakota KFYR-TV 1997 2002 Dickinson KQCD-TV 1997 2002 Minot KMOT 1997 2002 Williston KUMV-TV 1997 2002 Fargo KVLY-TV 1997 2002 Dayton Ohio WDTN 1998 2002 Steubenville WTOV-TV 1996 2000 Toledo WUPW 1999 2002 Harrisburg Pennsylvania WHTM-TV 1986 1994 Johnstown WJAC-TV 1996 2000 Providence Rhode Island WPRI-TV 2001 2002 WNAC-TV 1997 2001 Abilene Texas KRBC-TV 1998 2002 San Angelo KACB-TV 1998 2002 Burlington Vermont WPTZ 1998 1998 WFFF-TV 1999 2013 WVNY 2005 2013 Hartford WNNE 1998 1998
References
External links Smith Media via Boston Ventures site Smith Media