Benedek Broadcasting
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Benedek Broadcasting is a former television broadcaster, who owned and operated 22 network-affiliated television stations throughout the United States, all affiliated with major television networks, serving mainly small and medium-size markets. The company began operations in the early 1990s and was largely formed by their buyouts of Brisette Broadcasting and Stauffer Communications. The company was based in Hoffman Estates, IL the company was led by A. Richard Benedek, chairman and chief executive officer.
Benedek Broadcasting filed for bankruptcy in 2002, and sold off its 22 stations to different owners, many of them to Gray Television with the balance (all small or struggling stations) going to Chelsey Broadcasting. Barrington Broadcasting which began operations in 2004 with former Benedek president and COO K. James Yager as CEO, currently occupies what had been Benedek's headquarters and purchased two of the former Benedek stations which had been purchased by Chelsey.
Benedek was also notable in cancelling the license of U.S. Virgin Islands station WBNB-TV soon after their purchase of Brisette Broadcasting. WBNB went dark in 1989 when Brisette could not afford to replace the facilities damaged by Hurricane Hugo.
Also, Benedek Broadcasting had operated Benedek Interactive Media, an industry leading 'Internet newsroom' that extended web-only coverage and editorial capabilities to its stations.
[edit] List of stations formerly owned by Benedek
| DMA# | City of license/Market | Station | TV / DT | Years Owned | Current affiliation/owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69. | Wichita, Kansas | KAKE-TV | 10 / 21 | 2000-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 75. | Omaha, Nebraska | WOWT-TV | 6 / 22 | 2000-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 85. | Madison, Wisconsin | WMTV | 15 / 19 | 1996-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 93. | Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colorado | KKTV | 11 / 10 | 1999-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 106. | Youngstown, Ohio | WYTV | 33 / 36 | 1994-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Parkin Broadcasting (Operated under SSA by New Vision Television) |
| 109. | Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts | WWLP | 22 / 11 | 1996-2000 | NBC affiliate owned by LIN Television |
| 112. | Lansing, Michigan | WILX-TV | 10 / 57 | 1996-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 117. | Peoria, Illinois | WHOI | 19 / 40 | 1996-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Barrington Broadcasting |
| 122. | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo, California | KCOY-TV | 12 / 19 | 1996-1999 | CBS affiliate owned by Cowles Publishing Company |
| 132. | Rockford, Illinois | WIFR | 23 / 41 | 1986-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 134. | Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin | WSAW-TV | 7 / 40 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 137. | Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri | KMIZ | 17 / 22 | 1996-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by JW Broadcasting |
| 138. | Duluth, Minnesota | KDLH | 3 / 33 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Malara Broadcasting (Operated under LMA by Granite Broadcasting) |
| 139. | Topeka, Kansas | WIBW-TV | 13 / 44 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 157. | Odessa-Midland, Texas | KOSA-TV | 7 / 31 | 1996-2000 | CBS affiliate owned by ICA Broadcasting |
| 159. | Wheeling, West Virginia-Steubenville, Ohio | WTRF-TV | 7 / 32 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by West Virginia Media Holdings |
| 171. | Hannibal, Missouri-Quincy, Illinois | KHQA-TV | 7 / 29 | 1986-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Barrington Broadcasting |
| 172. | Dothan, Alabama | WTVY | 4 / 36 | 1995-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 178. | Harrisonburg, Virginia | WHSV-TV | 3 / 49 | 1976-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 183. | Bowling Green, Kentucky | WBKO | 13 / 33 | 1983-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 186. | Meridian, Mississippi | WTOK-TV | 11 / 49 | 1988-2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 190. | Parkersburg, West Virginia | WTAP-TV | 15 / 49 | 1979-2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television |
| 196. | Cheyenne, Wyoming | KGWN-TV | 5 / 30 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting |
| 198. | Casper, Wyoming | KGWC-TV | 14 / 15 | 1996-2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Mark III Media |
