A question that crossed my mind yesterday: What radio and TV stations in the U.S. can still claim to be controlled by their original owners (or corporate successors) after fifty years? I really had to scratch my head, but I could come up with a handful: WABI-TV, Bangor, ME (Community Broadcasting); WCAX-TV, Burlington, VT (Mt. Mansfield Television); KDKA, WBZ, and --- despite three relocations --- KYW (Westinghouse/CBS); WABC-TV (ABC); WBAL-TV (Hearst); WCBS-TV, WBBM-TV, and KCBS (CBS); WNBC, WMAQ, and (I think) KNBC (NBC). I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of any. WGN and WTMJ have been owned by their parent newspapers since the 1920s, but are not original to them.
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TV, radio stations under original ownership
- Thread starter DougD
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DougD said:
WGN-TV has been owned by the Chicago Tribune since Day One in 1948. WTMJ-TV's ownership by the Milwaukee Journal and its corporate successors goes back to its experimental TV days in the '30s. Their co-owned radio stations may be another story, but that's for another thread.
Most of the AM public radio stations. WKAR, KUOM, WSUI, WOI. (but not WHA, which changed hands to a different state agency for a few weeks before the governorship changed hands & it got transfered back) I'm pretty sure the original WPR FM stations WERN, WHAD, WHRM, etc. have not changed hands since they signed on in the late 40s/early 50s. Most state-owned public radio stations have never been sold, but most of them aren't 50 years old yet.
WISC-TV in Madison has never changed hands.
KRMA-TV Denver? WUNC-TV?
WISC-TV in Madison has never changed hands.
KRMA-TV Denver? WUNC-TV?
I'm thinking WHIZ/WHIZ-TV in Zanesville, Ohio are still under some version of their original ownership, which is mighty impressive.
WATR in Waterbury, Connecticut is still owned by the grandsons of its founder, going back to 1934.
Up until just a few years ago, WCAP in Lowell, Mass. (my alma mater!) was still owned by the Cohen brothers, who'd put it on the air in 1951.
WCLO in Janesville, Wisconsin has been in the hands of the Janesville Gazette since 1930, but it had started under other ownership a few years earlier, elsewhere in Wisconsin. But WCLO-FM, today's WJVL 99.9, counts - it's been owned by the Gazette since day one in 1947.
WATR in Waterbury, Connecticut is still owned by the grandsons of its founder, going back to 1934.
Up until just a few years ago, WCAP in Lowell, Mass. (my alma mater!) was still owned by the Cohen brothers, who'd put it on the air in 1951.
WCLO in Janesville, Wisconsin has been in the hands of the Janesville Gazette since 1930, but it had started under other ownership a few years earlier, elsewhere in Wisconsin. But WCLO-FM, today's WJVL 99.9, counts - it's been owned by the Gazette since day one in 1947.
WSBT-TV in South Bend Indiana has been owned by Schurz Communications since it signed on in 1952, & had CBS as the primary affiliation the entire time they've been on the air. I however don't know if WSBT-AM has been owned by Schurz since it signed on in 1922, or if they acquired it in 1925. I haven't been able to find out about the ownership of WNSN 101.5 FM South Bend throughout the years.
Also in South Bend Indiana, Michiana Public Broadcasting has owned WNIT TV since its sign on in 1974.
For Chicago, I'll mention WCIU. Weigel Broadcasting has owned WCIU-TV since its signon in 1964, & continues to own the station today, but expanded nationally with This TV & MeTV diginetworks. All other stations have changed owners at some point in history, with the exception of WGN-TV, WTTW, & WYIN on the TV side. WYIN has been owned by Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting since its signon in 1987 on 56, but they originally had planned to acquire the WCAE license instead, which that license was for channel 50, & the original non-commercial license, & station off the air. Had Newsweb not changed the non-commercial allocation to the WGMI license, which was for channel 56, channel 56 would not have seen the light of day in Northwest Indiana. So other than a license change, as WYIN, it's been under the same owner since it's sign on.
Also in South Bend Indiana, Michiana Public Broadcasting has owned WNIT TV since its sign on in 1974.
For Chicago, I'll mention WCIU. Weigel Broadcasting has owned WCIU-TV since its signon in 1964, & continues to own the station today, but expanded nationally with This TV & MeTV diginetworks. All other stations have changed owners at some point in history, with the exception of WGN-TV, WTTW, & WYIN on the TV side. WYIN has been owned by Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting since its signon in 1987 on 56, but they originally had planned to acquire the WCAE license instead, which that license was for channel 50, & the original non-commercial license, & station off the air. Had Newsweb not changed the non-commercial allocation to the WGMI license, which was for channel 56, channel 56 would not have seen the light of day in Northwest Indiana. So other than a license change, as WYIN, it's been under the same owner since it's sign on.
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Re: TV, radio stations under original ownership more 50 y/o
WSB AM and FM and TV in Atlanta Ga has been in the Cox family since 1922 AM 1946 FM and 1949 TV ,WABE FM and WETV now WPBA 30 all owened by the City Of Atlanta Board of ed,WGTV Ch 8 owned by the State of Georgia Ed
WSB AM and FM and TV in Atlanta Ga has been in the Cox family since 1922 AM 1946 FM and 1949 TV ,WABE FM and WETV now WPBA 30 all owened by the City Of Atlanta Board of ed,WGTV Ch 8 owned by the State of Georgia Ed
LibertyNT said:
That's a good point. It should be noted, however, that the city sold WRR 1310 in 1978 (which became KAAM, then switched to sports as KTCK in the 90's) but WRR-FM Classical 101.1 has been on the air continuously since 1948. The -FM suffix was dropped soon after the AM was sold.
January 23, 1923 KFDJ-AM Corvallis OR signed on from the Oregon Agricultural College,
now Oregon State University.
Changed calls to KOAC in '25.
In 1932 Oregon State Board of Higher Education took control.
now Oregon State University.
Changed calls to KOAC in '25.
In 1932 Oregon State Board of Higher Education took control.
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