Hearst Television

Hearst Television, Inc.
Subsidiary
Industry Broadcast Television
Television Production
Founded 1997, by a merger of Hearst Broadcasting and Argyle Television Holdings II
Headquarters New York City, New York, United States
Area served
United States (Nationwide)
Key people
Jordan Wertlieb
(President)
Products Broadcast television
Revenue Increase US$ 785.4 million (2006)
Increase US$ 228.8 million (2006)
Increase US$ 98.7 million (2006)
Number of employees
approx. 3000 (full-time)
Parent Hearst Corporation
Website www.hearst.com/broadcasting

Hearst Television, Inc. (formerly Hearst-Argyle Television) is a broadcasting company in the United States, owned by the New York City-based Hearst Corporation. It holds joint ventures in television production with NBCUniversal Television Distribution (although most of the stations it owns are affiliated with ABC). From 1998 to mid-2009, the company traded its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HTV."

Hearst-Argyle was formed in 1997 with the merger of Hearst Corporation's broadcasting division and stations owned by Argyle Television Holdings II,[1] which is partially related to the company of the same name who (in 1994) sold its stations to New World Communications, stations that eventually became Fox-owned stations. Hearst's involvement in broadcasting dates to the 1920s.

In terms of audience reach, Hearst is the largest group owner of ABC-affiliated stations, and the second-largest group owner of NBC affiliates. Hearst-owned ABC affiliates in National Football League markets simulcast Monday Night Football games from ESPN that involve these teams - ESPN is 20% owned by Hearst, the rest being owned by ABC's parent, The Walt Disney Company. Other Hearst-owned stations also carry ESPN-aired NFL games, even though they are affiliated with other networks (like WBAL-TV, Baltimore's NBC affiliate).

In June 2009, the Hearst Corporation announced that it would purchase substantially all of the stock not held by Hearst. Hearst-Argyle Television then dropped "Argyle" from its name and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation.[2]

Digital television

In February 2009 Hearst-Argyle announced that its stations (except for KITV and its satellites in Hawaii, which had already completed their transition to digital, and WPTZ in Plattsburgh, New York and WNNE in Hartford, Vermont, which followed the other Champlain Valley in transitioning on February 17, 2009) would comply with the new DTV transition date of June 12, 2009.

Hearst-owned stations

Hearst-Argyle Television logo, 2007-2009

Currently, Hearst owns a total of 32 television stations: twelve NBC affiliates, fourteen ABC affiliates, two CBS affiliates, two CW affiliates, one MyNetworkTV affiliate, and one independent station. Through digital multicasts, Hearst also operates one additional ABC affiliate and two additional CW affiliates; most of the company's other subchannels broadcast either Weigel Broadcasting's Me-TV or Tribune Broadcasting's This TV through national affiliation deals, along with being charter carriers of Weigel's two newest concepts, Heroes & Icons and Movies!. On December 1, 2014 Hearst's KCCI added MyNetworkTV programming in primetime for their new DT3 subchannel; H&I programming airs throughout the day.

Hearst also owns two radio stations in Baltimore, the last remaining from the company divesting most of their radio assets after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 went into effect.

Candy Altman at the 68th Annual Peabody Awards for Hearst-Argyle Television-Commitment 2008

All Hearst-owned stations uses "Project Economy" during most business segments. In addition, all Hearst-owned stations also use the "Commitment" banner for all political news coverage leading up to the local, national, and statewide elections in lieu of a localized version of the network's political segment. Hearst also maintains a Washington, D.C. bureau for their stations customized to each of their brandings, with Sally Kidd as the on-air reporter for the bureau. "Operation High School" is Hearst's branding in most markets for coverage of local high school sports.

Until 2009, three of Hearst's television stations (KCWE, WMOR-TV, and WPBF) and its two radio stations (WBAL radio and WIYY) were owned by Hearst Broadcasting, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation through which Hearst ultimately controlled Hearst-Argyle Television, as opposed to Hearst-Argyle itself; Hearst-Argyle still operated these stations under a management services agreement. These stations were transferred to Hearst Television shortly after its privatization.[3][4]

On August 20, 2014, it was announced that Hearst Television would acquire WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama and WJCL in Savannah, Georgia from Media General, who must divest the stations to proceed with their acquisition of LIN Media.[5][6]

Television stations

Stations are listed alphabetically by state and city of license.

Note:

City of license / Market Station Channel
TV (RF)
Owned Since Network Affiliation
Birmingham - Tuscaloosa - Anniston, AL WVTM-TV 13 (13) 2014 NBC
Fort Smith - Fayetteville - Rogers, AR KHBS 40 (21) 1996 ABC
The CW (DT2)
KHOG-TV
(satellite of KHBS)
29 (15) 1996 ABC
The CW (DT2)
Sacramento - Stockton - Modesto KCRA-TV 3 (35) 1999 NBC
KQCA 58 (46) 2000 MyNetworkTV
Salinas - Monterey - Santa Cruz, CA KSBW 8 (8) 1998 NBC
ABC (DT2)
Daytona Beach - Orlando - Clermont, FL WESH ¤¤ 2 (11) 1999 NBC
WKCF 18 (17) 2006 The CW
Lakeland - Tampa - St. Petersburg, FL WMOR-TV 32 (19) 1996 Independent
Tequesta - West Palm Beach, FL WPBF 25 (16) 1997 ABC
Savannah, Georgia WJCL 22 (22) 2014 ABC
Des Moines KCCI ¤¤ 8 (8) 1999 CBS
Louisville WLKY ¤¤ 32 (26) 1999 CBS
New Orleans WDSU ¤¤ 6 (43) 1999 NBC
Poland Spring - Portland, ME WMTW 8 (8) 2004 ABC
Baltimore WBAL-TV ** 11 (11) 1948 NBC
Boston WCVB-TV 5 (20) 1986 ABC
Jackson, Mississippi WAPT 16 (21) 1995 ABC
Kansas City, Missouri KMBC-TV 9 (29) 1982 ABC
KCWE 29 (31) 2006 1 The CW
Omaha KETV ¤¤ 7 (20) 1999 ABC
Manchester, New Hampshire WMUR-TV 9 (9) 2001 ABC
Albuquerque - Santa Fe KOAT-TV ¤¤ 7 (7) 1999 ABC
Plattsburgh, N.Y. - Burlington, VT WPTZ 5 (14) 1998 NBC
The CW (DT2)
Winston-Salem - Greensboro -
High Point
WXII-TV ¤¤ 12 (31) 1999 NBC
Cincinnati WLWT 5 (35) 1997 NBC
Oklahoma City KOCO-TV 5 (7) 1997 ABC
Lancaster - Harrisburg -
York - Lebanon
WGAL ¤¤ 8 (8) 1999 NBC
Pittsburgh WTAE-TV ** 4 (51) 1958 ABC
Greenville - Spartanburg - Asheville - Anderson WYFF ¤¤ 4 (36) 1999 NBC
Hartford, VT - Hanover, N.H. WNNE
(semi-satellite of WPTZ)
31 (25) 1998 NBC
Milwaukee WISN-TV 12 (34) 1955 ABC

Other Notes:

Radio stations

AM Station FM Station
City of License/Market Station Owned Since Current Format
Baltimore WBAL-1090 1935 News-Talk
WIYY-97.9 1960 Active rock/Alternative rock/Classic rock

Stations formerly owned by Hearst and/or Argyle II

Television stations

City of license / Market Station Channel TV (RF) Years Owned Current Ownership Status
Honolulu KITV 4 (40) 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by SJL Broadcasting
Hilo, Hawaii KHVO
(satellite of KITV)
4 (18) 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by SJL Broadcasting
Wailuku, Hawaii KMAU
(satellite of KITV)
4 (29) 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by SJL Broadcasting
Grand Rapids - Kalamazoo -
Battle Creek, MI
WZZM 4 (13) 1995–1997 ABC affiliate owned by Tegna
Buffalo, New York WGRZ 2 (33) 1995–1997 NBC affiliate owned by Tegna
Dayton, Ohio WDTN 1 2 (50) 1981–1998 NBC affiliate owned by Media General
Providence, R.I.-New Bedford, MA WNAC-TV 2 64 (12) 1995–1998 Fox affiliate owned by Super Towers, Inc.
(operated under LMA by Media General)
Clarksburg - Weston, W.V. WBOY-TV 12 (12) 2001 NBC affiliate owned by West Virginia Media Holdings
New England Region NECN various 1992-2009 Cable-only regional news channel owned by NBCUniversal
First Hearst-Argyle Television logo from 1997 to 2007.

Notes:

In addition to the above, Hearst-Argyle never owned WZZM or WGRZ. Those two stations were divested by one of the company's predecessors, Argyle Television Holdings II, several months prior to the merger with Hearst Broadcasting. The "years owned" information reflects the years of ownership by Argyle Television Holdings II. And WDTN was the only formerly owned television station that was owned directly by Hearst prior to the merger.

Radio stations

(a partial listing)

AM Stations FM Stations
Market Station Years Owned Current Ownership
Phoenix KTAR-620 1999–2001 owned by Bonneville International
KMVP-860 1999–2001 owned by Bonneville International
KKLT-98.7
(now KMVP-FM)
1999–2001 owned by Bonneville International
Los Angeles KEHE-780
(now KABC-790)
1935–1939 owned by Cumulus Media
San Francisco KYA-1260
(now KSFB)
1934–1942 owned by IHR Educational Broadcasting
Louisville WLKY-970
(now WGTK)
1999–2000 owned by Salem Communications
New York City WGBS/WINS-1010 1931–1946 owned by CBS Radio
Kernersville - Winston-Salem -
Greensboro - High Point
WXII-830
(now WTRU)
1999–2000 owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation
Oklahoma City KOMA-1480
(now KOKC-1520)
1936–1939 owned by Tyler Media Group
Pittsburgh WCAE/WRYT/WTAE-1250
(now WPGP)
1931–1997 owned by Salem Media Group
WCAE-FM/WRYT-FM/WTAE-FM/WXKX/WHTX/WVTY-96.1 **
(now WKST-FM)
1960–1997 owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.
Austin KNOW-1500
(now KTAE-1490)
1936–1939 owned by REO Radio Group
San Antonio KTSA-550 1936–1939 owned by BMP Radio
Waco WACO-1420
(now KCLE-1460)
1936–1939 owned by M&M Broadcasters
Milwaukee WISN-1130 1928–1997 owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.
WISN-FM/WLPX/WBTT/WLTQ-97.3 **
(now WRNW)
1961–1997 owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.

References

  1. Rathbun, Elizabeth A. "Hearst stocks up on Argyles; merged TV group with 14 stations, 11.6% coverage is valued at $1.8 billion., Broadcasting & Cable. March 31, 1997. HighBeam Research. (February 17, 2011).
  2. Hearst Moves On Merger, Broadcasting & Cable, June 3, 2009
  3. "Explanation to FCC of Hearst-Argyle privatization" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. May 18, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  4. "Explanation to FCC of Hearst reorganization" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. July 29, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  5. "Media General, LIN Sell Stations In 5 Markets". TVNewsCheck. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  6. Malone, Michael (August 20, 2014). "Media General, LIN Divest Stations in Five Markets". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
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