Famous People Who've Owned TV Stations

[Gregg]

In another thread, it was mentioned that Jack Paar for a time owned (or was co-owner) of WMTW ABC 8 Poland Spring-Portland ME. He was the Tonight Show host, so he was seen on competitor WCSH NBC 6 Portland.

I also remember for a time Johnny Carson owned Las Vegas Independent Channel 5, even though as host of the Tonight Show, he was seen on the local NBC station.

Gene Autry, star of movie Westerns, owned Independent KTTV 11 in Los Angeles and several other TV and radio stations in the West. The stations eventually produced more money for him than his movies did. His widow sold the stations off for 100's of millions of dollars.

Of course, televangelists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, owned TV stations. Robertson is estimated as a multi-millionaire, making more money from his broadcasting interests than his church.



Gregg
[email protected]

 

[cd637299]

Didn't/doesn't Pat Boone own KDOC 56 Anaheim?

cd

 

[Stanislav]

I also remember for a time Johnny Carson owned Las Vegas Independent Channel 5...

As did Howard Hughes in his recluse years -- we've discussed how he would often phone them when he didn't like their late movies and order them to put something else on (often "Ice Station Zebra," said to be his favorite).

Didn't Bill Cosby have at least part ownership in a TV station at one time? That sticks in my memory for some reason.

 

[Met10013]

Howard Hughes owned KLAS-TV, Channel 8. Gene Autry actually owned KTLA, Channel 5.

 

[Mike Stroud]

In another thread, it was mentioned that Jack Paar for a time owned (or was co-owner) of WMTW ABC 8 Poland Spring-Portland ME. He was the Tonight Show host, so he was seen on competitor WCSH NBC 6 Portland.

I also remember for a time Johnny Carson owned Las Vegas Independent Channel 5, even though as host of the Tonight Show, he was seen on the local NBC station.

Gene Autry, star of movie Westerns, owned Independent KTTV 11 in Los Angeles and several other TV and radio stations in the West. The stations eventually produced more money for him than his movies did. His widow sold the stations off for 100's of millions of dollars.

Of course, televangelists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, owned TV stations. Robertson is estimated as a multi-millionaire, making more money from his broadcasting interests than his church.



Gregg
[email protected]

Gregg, sorry to point out errors here, but you've got a couple at least. Autry owned KTLA, channel 5, not KTTV, from 1964 to 1982. Autry also owned KMPC radio and what is now the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim baseball team, whose games were, of course, carried by KTLA. There is further no evidence that he owned TV stations outside the L.A. market--it likely wouldn't have been worth his while, given the massive size of the KTLA operation and his other business interests. You may have gotten confused on this because both KTLA and KTTV were independents back in those days, and both eventually put their signals up on the satellite in the 1970s for carriage on cable in the western U.S., a la WGN and TBS.

As for Pat Robertson, although he obtained ordination from his local Baptist association in Virginia (Southern Baptist-affiliated), he himself never held a pastorate. His primary interest in the early part of his career was broadcasting, beginning with WYAH, channel 27, in Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads. By comparison, Jerry Falwell took a more conventional route, becoming a prominent Lynchburg, Virginia preacher who began syndicating taped broadcasts of his worship services. Also, to my knowledge, Falwell did not himself own and/or operate a broadcast station, though he did operate the cable Liberty Broadcasting Network for a couple of years in the 1980s (now in the hands of Charles Stanley, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta).

Just to set the record straight, not to embarrass you ...

 

[Mike Stroud]

Howard Hughes owned KLAS-TV, Channel 8. Gene Autry actually owned KTLA, Channel 5.

Sorry if my reply above butted in. Also, sorry about missing the KVVU/Hughes mistake.

 

[cdsull502]

Jack Paar did not own WMTW-TV until after his weekly Friday night NBC program was canceled

 

[cdsull502]

Without doubt, the most famous TV station owner of all time was one Lyndon B. Johnson, who owned KTBC-TV in Austin, TX along with a few other TV stations in Texas. Officially, they were owned by Mrs. Johnson.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

Gregg, sorry to point out errors here, but you've got a couple at least. Autry owned KTLA, channel 5, not KTTV, from 1964 to 1982. Autry also owned KMPC radio and what is now the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim baseball team, whose games were, of course, carried by KTLA. There is further no evidence that he owned TV stations outside the L.A. market--it likely wouldn't have been worth his while, given the massive size of the KTLA operation and his other business interests. You may have gotten confused on this because both KTLA and KTTV were independents back in those days, and both eventually put their signals up on the satellite in the 1970s for carriage on cable in the western U.S., a la WGN and TBS.

In addition to KTLA, Autry owned (or co-owned, quite likely) KOOL-10-Phoenix (now Fox-owned KSAZ), KOLD-13-Tuscon and a station in Oklahoma according to http://www.tvla.com/autry.htm

 

[pqgeorge]

Gregg, sorry to point out errors here, but you've got a couple at least. Autry owned KTLA, channel 5, not KTTV, from 1964 to 1982. Autry also owned KMPC radio and what is now the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim baseball team, whose games were, of course, carried by KTLA. There is further no evidence that he owned TV stations outside the L.A. market--it likely wouldn't have been worth his while, given the massive size of the KTLA operation and his other business interests. You may have gotten confused on this because both KTLA and KTTV were independents back in those days, and both eventually put their signals up on the satellite in the 1970s for carriage on cable in the western U.S., a la WGN and TBS.

In addition to KTLA, Autry owned (or co-owned, quite likely) KOOL-10-Phoenix (now Fox-owned KSAZ), KOLD-13-Tuscon and a station in Oklahoma according to http://www.tvla.com/autry.htm

Yes, Gene Autry owned KTLA/5, KOOL/10 and KOLD/13. But, did you know that Mr. Autry also owned KAUT/43 from Oklahoma City? That's right. At the time, back in the 80's, it was a part-time Indy. during the daytime hours and went to subscription TV during the evening hours. Eventually, when subscription TV went belly up, the station returned to conventional operation, full-time. Mr. Autry sold the station sometime later.

 

[wbhist]

Gene Autry, star of movie Westerns, owned Independent KTTV 11 in Los Angeles and several other TV and radio stations in the West. The stations eventually produced more money for him than his movies did. His widow sold the stations off for 100's of millions of dollars.

Gregg, sorry to point out errors here, but you've got a couple at least. Autry owned KTLA, channel 5, not KTTV, from 1964 to 1982. Autry also owned KMPC radio and what is now the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim baseball team, whose games were, of course, carried by KTLA. There is further no evidence that he owned TV stations outside the L.A. market--it likely wouldn't have been worth his while, given the massive size of the KTLA operation and his other business interests. You may have gotten confused on this because both KTLA and KTTV were independents back in those days, and both eventually put their signals up on the satellite in the 1970s for carriage on cable in the western U.S., a la WGN and TBS.

Besides . . . a year before Gene Autry acquired KTLA, KTTV was bought by what was then called the Metropolitan Broadcasting division of Metromedia, which was how that station became the cornerstone of the Fox network come 1986.

 

[mleach]

Falwell did not himself own and/or operate a broadcast station, though he did operate the cable Liberty Broadcasting Network for a couple of years in the 1980s (now in the hands of Charles Stanley, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta).

Just to set the record straight, not to embarrass you ...

I am pretty sure at one point in the early 70's ( maybe even the sixties ), Falwell was considering buying Lynchburg's then WLVA-TV channel 13 ( today WSET ) at least that is what I have been told over the years anyway. Dont know why that never happened but my guess is that WLVA's long time contract with ABC-TV could be the reason why. Being the ABC affiliate for the market, on VHF and the only TV station in Lynchburg and add to the fact that Falwell himself really wasn't all that popular in the region ( city-data.com has some posts there about that ), I would imagine the red tape alone could be a big reason too.

Another "almost" Virginia TV ownership was Harrisonburg's WSVA-TV channel 3. In 1976 when then owner James Gilmore had put the station up the sale, one of those interested parties in picking up WSVA-TV was the country music group The Statler Brothers. I was only 8 back then and I still remember my dad who was such a big fan of the Statlers being very exicted about this. Anyway that never happened either as Gilmore went on to sell WSVA-TV to Benedex who in turn would change the calls to WHSV. Years later when I was working in that market, one of my co-workers was an employee at WSVA radio at the time of the sale and I can remember him telling me this was simply a case of the owner Gilmore not being a fan of the Statlers as to why he didn't sell to them. Another story I have also heard was that Benedex had offered more money, alas I tend to believe that angle though. But still it would had been interesting to see how WSVA-TV/WHSV would had turned out had the Statlers did end up buying Harrisonburg's channel 3. Would they pump money into the station or would they be the owners from hell...we will never know.

 

[LynnW]

Bob Hope was a major shareholder of Metropolitan TV Company. NBC sold KOA Radio to Metropolitan in June, 1953. Metropolitan was issued a tv license in September of that year, and KOA-TV went on the air on Christmas eve. Metropolitan sold its Denver holdings to GE in August 1968.

 

[Pinegroves]

Didn't Don Meredith of Dallas Cowboy and Monday nite football fame own a station in Doylestown, PA? Is he famous enough?

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

Didn't Bill Cosby have at least part ownership in a TV station at one time? That sticks in my memory for some reason.

Bill Cosby was a partner in Queen City Broadcasting, a African-American-owned group that purchased WKBW-TV in Buffalo, N.Y., from Capital Cities Communications in 1986 (WKBW-TV was sold as a condition of CapCities' merger with ABC). NBA legend Julius (Dr. J) Erving the other well-known investor in Queen City.

Source: http://books.google.com/books?id=nV8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=Bill+Cosby+WKBW-TV&source=bl&ots=LmP6WLSFnm&sig=MxP1IesXp3FP3B5XN5uwE4muMUc&hl=en&ei=K8W_S5WmDMP68AbkhYj4CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false

And, I offer one more: Quincy Jones, the music legend, was the man behind Qwest Broadcasting, which owned stations in New Orleans (WNOL-TV) and Atlanta (WATL) before selling both to Tribune about a decade ago or so.

 

[Bob1370]

A couple of Buffalo, NY TV stations had celebrity co-owners.

WIVB (Ch. 4). the CBS affiliate, was co-owned for a time in the 1990s by Oprah Winfrey, in partnership with the King brothers of KingWorld; they sold it to LIN broadcasting, a long-established TV group.

WKBW-TV (Ch. 7), the ABC affiliate, went from one group with a celebrity partner to another. It was bought from original owner Clinton Churchill by Capital Cities Communications in 1961, and one of CapCities' founding partners was famed newscaster Lowell Thomas. After Thomas' passing, CapCities gobbled ABC in a leveraged buyout. Because of some complicated cross-ownership rules that came into play in the ABC acquisition, CapCities sold off WKBW-TV to the Queen City Broadcasting group which, BTW, included not only Bill Cosby and Julius Erving, but former Buffalo Bill O.J. Simpson. O.J. at one time reportedly considered buying Cosby and his other partners out and moving back to Buffalo, the home of his glory days in the NFL, to actively run the station--his life would undoubtedly have turned out a lot better if he'd left LA and gone ahead with that plan. The station might have turned out better as well Queen City ran the station well, but eventually sold it out to Granite Broadcasting, which has screwed up the station completely over the course of its ownership and management (and wrecked WTVH in Syracuse as well).

Lowell Thomas and his CapCities partners, Tom Murphy and Dan Burke, also built WTEN (ch. 10) in Albany and put it on the air in the late 1950s, and for a while in the 1970s also owned WTNH (ch. 8) in Hartford-New Haven and WPVI (ch. 6) in Philadelphia, as well as a fleet of radio stations including WPRO in Providence, WROW in Albany, WKBW in Buffalo, WJR in Detroit and WPAT in New York. Thomas used to visit those stations from time to time, although he never came to WKBW while I worked there in the late 1970s (he did come after I'd left to work crosstown at WBEN). All those stations except WJR radio and WPVI-TV were sold off to various owners when the ABC merger happened in 1986.

 

[Bob1370]

And how could we forget KTBC-TV in Austin, Texas?

The only VHF station in the Texas capital, KTBC-TV was owned and built by Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson, back in 1952 when he was Senate Democratic Leader. They continued to own it while LBJ was Vice-President and later President, and even in "retirement" Johnson owned and actively managed it--it would not be sold until after Lyndon Johnson's death in 1973. It passed to Times-Mirror Company and eventually to Rupert Murdoch's Fox organization, which runs it now.

Interestingly, while Johnson may have used his position to get the coveted Channel 7 license, he is said never to have abused his position as a broadcaster, but built a news operation with a reputation for high quality, thorough coverage and fairness. Whatever you may think of LBJ as President, he was a good TV station owner and operator.

 

[Ultimajock]

...at the time of its first sign-on, Danny Thomas was part-owner of KZAZ/11 Nogales, Arizona (now KMSB/v11 Tucson). And I'm positive that Bing Crosby was once co-owner of KCOP/13 Los Angeles...

 

[RadioDaze]

By comparison, Jerry Falwell took a more conventional route, becoming a prominent Lynchburg, Virginia preacher who began syndicating taped broadcasts of his worship services. Also, to my knowledge, Falwell did not himself own and/or operate a broadcast station, though he did operate the cable Liberty Broadcasting Network for a couple of years in the 1980s (now in the hands of Charles Stanley, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta).

Just to set the record straight, not to embarrass you ...

Before his death in 2007, Jerry Falwell and Liberty University were to buy WDRL-TV 24 in Danville, Virginia (in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market) but it fell through.

On an unrelated note, supposedly silent film actress Mary Pickford was one of the original owners of the former WSJS-TV, channel 12 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, when it signed on in 1953 (It's now WXII).

 

[Tim L]

Another "almost" Virginia TV ownership was Harrisonburg's WSVA-TV channel 3. In 1976 when then owner James Gilmore had put the station up the sale, one of those interested parties in picking up WSVA-TV was the country music group The Statler Brothers. I was only 8 back then and I still remember my dad who was such a big fan of the Statlers being very exicted about this. Anyway that never happened either as Gilmore went on to sell WSVA-TV to Benedex who in turn would change the calls to WHSV. Years later when I was working in that market, one of my co-workers was an employee at WSVA radio at the time of the sale and I can remember him telling me this was simply a case of the owner Gilmore not being a fan of the Statlers as to why he didn't sell to them. Another story I have also heard was that Benedex had offered more money, alas I tend to believe that angle though. But still it would had been interesting to see how WSVA-TV/WHSV would had turned out had the Statlers did end up buying Harrisonburg's channel 3. Would they pump money into the station or would they be the owners from hell...we will never know.

From what I know of the Statlers, and their universal respect in the music business, I highly doubt they'd be the "owners from hell"..They would probably have run the station with an eye towards being profitable, but also knowing you have to spend money to make money.  Plus, this is their home area..They probably know the audience and wouldnt necessarily just let go people that were popular in the area..

Another note:Former Statler Jimmy Fortune has been the TV/Radio spokesman for a certain car dealer in the Shenandoah Valley, whose commercials have run on WHSV-3 for years..