Hearst Television Explained

Hearst Television, Inc.
Type:Subsidiary
Area Served:United States (Nationwide)
Products:Broadcast television
Num Employees:approx. 3000 (full-time)
Parent:Hearst Communications
Divisions:Hearst Media Production Group
Founded: (as Hearst Broadcasting)
Hq Location City:New York City, New York
Hq Location Country:United States

Hearst Television, Inc. (formerly Hearst-Argyle Television) is a broadcasting company in the United States owned by Hearst Communications, made up of a group of television and radio stations, and Hearst Media Production Group, a distributor of programming in broadcast syndication.

History

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 itself, unusual for any American broadcast group, has never held a Fox affiliation on any of its stations). Hearst's involvement in broadcasting dates to the 1920s.

In 1980, Hearst Broadcasting purchased WDTN in Dayton, Ohio, from Grinnell College for a price estimated to be $45–48 million.[2]

Hearst-Argyle announced its purchase of the nine television stations and two radio stations owned by Pulitzer Publishing Company in May 1998, in a deal worth $1.15 billion in stock.[3] The acquisition was completed in March 1999.[4]

In terms of audience reach, Hearst is the third-largest group owner of ABC-affiliated stations, behind the E. W. Scripps Company and Sinclair Broadcast Group, and ahead of Tegna Inc., and the second-largest group owner of NBC affiliates, behind Tegna.

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). Hearst also holds some joint ventures for syndicated programming with NBCUniversal Syndication Studios.

On June 3, 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.[5]

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 stations in transitioning on February 17, 2009) would comply with the new DTV transition date of June 12, 2009.Currently, Hearst owns a total of 34 overall television stations but considers two groups of four stations and an NBC station with an ABC digital subchannel joint operations, bringing its count down to 31 under that consideration: eleven NBC affiliates, fifteen ABC affiliates (one as a subchannel of an NBC affiliate, and one which acts as a two-station simulcast), two CBS affiliates, six CW affiliates (two traditional, two subchannel (which are part of a two-station simulcast), and two channel shares), one MyNetworkTV affiliate, and one independent station. Most of the company's subchannel stations broadcast either Weigel Broadcasting's MeTV or NBC's Cozi TV through national affiliation deals, along with being charter carriers of Weigel's two newest concepts, Heroes & Icons, and Story Television. Since December 1, 2014, Des Moines CBS affiliate KCCI has used its third subchannel as an H&I affiliate carrying MyNetworkTV programming in primetime. 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. As already mentioned above, none of Hearst's stations have ever held a Fox affiliation, with the exception of two WMUR translators in the northern part of New Hampshire dis-affiliating with the network upon Hearst's assumption of ownership of WMUR.

Some Hearst-owned stations use the "Commitment (Year)" banner for all political news coverage leading up to the local, national, and statewide elections in lieu of a localized version of their associated network's political branding. This started in 2000. Hearst also maintains a Washington, D.C. bureau to assist its stations in coverage of national politics, including on-air reporters and facilities and equipment assistance for local stations. Many Hearst stations license the "Operation High School" branding for coverage of local high school sports. In 2007, Hearst-Argyle became one of the first television broadcasting groups to post its news stories on YouTube. WCVB-TV, KCRA-TV, WTAE-TV, WBAL-TV and WMUR-TV were the first stations in Hearst-Argyle's station group to do this.

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.[6] [7] Hearst's television and radio cluster in Baltimore additionally serves as the flagship stations and operation bases for the Baltimore Ravens radio and television networks, and as the flagship/operations base for the Baltimore Orioles Radio Network.

On August 20, 2014, it was announced that Hearst Television would acquire WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama, and WJCL in Savannah, Georgia, from Media General, which divested those stations under FCC advisement as part of its acquisition of LIN Media.[8] [9]

In 2021, Hearst began to carry the home shopping network Shop LC on several its stations under a revenue-sharing agreement with that network's owners. In most markets, Hearst did not pursue cable or satellite carriage for Shop LC, as the network already pays providers nationwide to carry its network on several channel slots per system.

On September 20, 2021, Hearst launched Very Local, an over-the-top media service which consists of news programming from its television stations as well as nationally produced content such as Chronicle and Matter of Fact.[10] [11]

Television production

Hearst Television also produces the weekly public-affairs program Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien. Outside of the Hearst stations and A&E, the show is distributed in national broadcast syndication by Sony Pictures Television.

In 2019, former Today consumer affairs reporter Jeff Rossen joined Hearst as a multi-platform consumer affairs reporter, whose reports (which as of April 2020, include COVID-19 pandemic consumer issue Q&A segments) are syndicated throughout the chain, in addition to full-scale semi-annual consumer specials that are also carried by Hearst Television stations.[12]

Hearst once owned Hearst-Argyle Television Productions, a producer and distributor of syndicated programming. As part of Hearst-Argyle's acquisition of KCRA-TV in Sacramento, the company also acquired Kelly News & Entertainment, which was merged into Hearst-Argyle Television Productions.[13] In January 2001, NBC Enterprises and Hearst-Argyle agreed to merge their production and distribution operations into a joint venture majority-owned by NBC; this followed a December 2000 deal between the NBC-owned stations, Gannett, and Hearst-Argyle to develop programming.[14] NBC Enterprises continued to produce some programming from a Hearst-Argyle facility near Boston until June 2003.[15]

On January 6, 2017, Hearst acquired majority control of Charleston, South Carolina-based syndicator Litton Entertainment, which has control of four of the five E/I-compliant Saturday morning blocks on the five major broadcast networks, along with being a syndicator of traditional programming. The deal closed on February 1.[16] Hearst acquired the remaining interest in Litton in 2021; in January 2022, it rebranded the entity—which, in addition to Litton's existing programming, had also taken over production of Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien— as Hearst Media Production Group.[17]

Current stations

Television

Stations are listed alphabetically by state and city of license.

(**) – Indicates a station that was built and signed-on by Hearst.

City of license / MarketStationChannelOwned sinceAffiliation
BirminghamTuscaloosaAnniston, ALWVTM-TV13 2014 NBC
Fort Smith–FayettevilleRogers, ARKHBS40 1996
KHOG-TV29 1996
Sacramento–StocktonModesto, CAKCRA-TV3 1999 NBC
KQCA58 2000 The CW (primary)/MyNetworkTV (secondary)
SalinasMontereySanta Cruz, CAKSBW8 1998
Daytona Beach–Orlando–Clermont, FLWESH2 1999 NBC
WKCF18 2006 The CW
Fort MyersCape CoralNaples, FLWBBH-TV20 2023 NBC
WZVN-TV26 ABC
LakelandTampaSt. Petersburg, FLWMOR-TV32 1996 Independent
TequestaWest Palm Beach, FLWPBF25 1997 ABC
Savannah, GAWJCL22 2014 ABC
Des Moines, IAKCCI8 1999 CBS
Louisville, KYWLKY32 1999 CBS
New Orleans, LAWDSU6 1999 NBC
Poland SpringPortland, MEWMTW8 2004 ABC
WPXT51 2018 The CW
Baltimore, MDWBAL-TV11 1948 NBC
Boston, MAWCVB-TV5 1986 ABC
Jackson, MSWAPT16 1995 ABC
Kansas City, MOKMBC-TV9 1982 ABC
29 2001 The CW
Omaha, NEKETV7 1999 ABC
Manchester, NHWMUR-TV9 2001 ABC
AlbuquerqueSanta Fe, NMKOAT-TV7 1999 ABC
Plattsburgh, NYBurlington, VTWPTZ5 1998 NBC
WNNE31 1998 The CW
Winston-SalemGreensboroHigh Point, NCWXII-TV12 1999 NBC
WCWG20 2018 The CW
Cincinnati, OHWLWT5 1997 NBC
Oklahoma City, OKKOCO-TV5 1997 ABC
LancasterHarrisburgYorkLebanon, PAWGAL8 1999 NBC
Pittsburgh, PAWTAE-TV4 1958 ABC
GreenvilleSpartanburgAnderson, SCAsheville, NCWYFF4 1999 NBC
Milwaukee, WIWISN-TV12 1955 ABC

Radio

AM Station FM Station
City of license / MarketStationOwned sinceCurrent format
Baltimore, MDWBAL 10901935 Newstalk
WIYY 97.91960 Mainstream rock

Former stations

Television

City of license / MarketStationChannelYears ownedCurrent status
Honolulu, HIKITV4 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by Allen Media Broadcasting
Hilo, HIKHVO4 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by Allen Media Broadcasting
Wailuku, HIKMAU4 1995–2015 ABC affiliate owned by Allen Media Broadcasting
Grand RapidsKalamazooBattle Creek, MIWZZM13 1995–1997 ABC affiliate owned by Tegna Inc.
Buffalo, NYWGRZ2 1995–1997 NBC affiliate owned by Tegna Inc.
Dayton, OHWDTN2 1981–1998 NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Providence, RINew Bedford, MAWNAC-TV64 1995–1998 Fox affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting
ClarksburgWeston, WVWBOY-TV12 2001 NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
New EnglandNECNN/A 1992–2009 Cable-only regional news channel owned by NBCUniversal

Radio

(a partial listing)

AM Station FM Station
City of license / MarketStationYears ownedCurrent status
Phoenix, AZKTAR 6201999–2001 Owned by Bonneville International
KMVP 8601999–2001 KNAI, owned by Farmworker Educational Radio Network
KKLT 98.71999–2001 KMVP-FM, owned by Bonneville International
Los Angeles, CAKEHE 7801935–1939 KABC, owned by Cumulus Media
San Francisco, CAKYA 12601934–1942 KSFB, owned by Relevant Radio
Louisville, KYWLKY 9701999–2000 WGTK, owned by Salem Media Group
New York City, NYWGBS / WINS 10101931–1946 Owned by Audacy, Inc.
WXII 8301999–2000 WTRU, owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation
Oklahoma City, OKKOMA 14801936–1939 KOKC, owned by Tyler Media Group
Pittsburgh, PAWCAE / WRYT /
WTAE 1250
1931–1997 WPGP, owned by Salem Media Group
WCAE-FM / WRYT-FM /
WTAE-FM / WXKX /
WHTX / WVTY 96.1**
1960–1997 WKST-FM, owned by iHeartMedia
San Juan, PRWAPA 6801961–1991 WBQN, owned by Wifredo G. Blanco Pi
Austin, TXKNOW 15001936–1939 KJFK, owned by Township Media, LLC
San Antonio, TXKTSA 5501936–1939 Owned by Alpha Media
Waco, TXWACO 14201936–1939 KCLE, owned by M&M Broadcasters
Milwaukee, WIWISN 11301928–1997 Owned by iHeartMedia
1961–1997 WRNW, owned by iHeartMedia

Notes and References

  1. News: Rathbun . Elizabeth A. . March 31, 1997 . Hearst stocks up on Argyles; merged TV group with 14 stations, 11.6% coverage is valued at $1.8 billion. . Broadcasting & Cable.
  2. News: May 26, 1980. Hearst buys TV in Dayton, plans move into cable. Broadcasting. September 19, 2021.
  3. News: WESH adds a sparkle to Hearst-Argyle's star . July 1, 2023 . . May 29, 1998.
  4. News: Hearst completes acquisition of Pulitzer . July 1, 2023 . . March 15, 1999.
  5. Web site: Hearst Moves On Merger. Malone. Michael. June 3, 2009. Broadcasting & Cable. en-us. April 23, 2019.
  6. Web site: Explanation to FCC of Hearst-Argyle privatization. PDF. May 18, 2009. CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 31, 2012.
  7. Web site: Explanation to FCC of Hearst reorganization. PDF. July 29, 2009. CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 31, 2012.
  8. News: Media General, LIN Sell Stations In 5 Markets. August 20, 2014. TVNewsCheck. August 20, 2014.
  9. News: Media General, LIN Divest Stations in Five Markets. Malone. Michael. August 20, 2014. Broadcasting & Cable. August 20, 2014.
  10. Television . Hearst . Hearst Television Launches "Very Local" App Across Popular Streaming Platforms . April 8, 2022 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  11. Web site: Spangler . Todd . September 20, 2021 . Hearst TV Launches Free 'Very Local' Streaming Channels in 26 Markets . April 8, 2022 . Variety . en-US.
  12. Web site: December 5, 2019. Jeff Rossen joins Hearst Television as Chief National Consumer Correspondent. December 28, 2020. WPBF.
  13. Web site: Hearst-Argyle Television Productions to integrate Kelly News & Entertainment. December 12, 2021. Sacramento Business Journal.
  14. Web site: Grego. Melissa. January 25, 2001. NBC, Hearst-Argyle in programming alliance. December 12, 2021. Variety. en-US.
  15. News: NBC Enterprises: Bye, bye Beantown . July 1, 2023 . . June 6, 2003 . en.
  16. News: Hearst Acquires Majority Stake in Independent Distributor Litton Entertainment . Littleton. Cynthia. January 6, 2017. Variety. January 27, 2017.
  17. News: Albiniak . Paige . Hearst Media Production Group is Litton Entertainment's New Name . July 1, 2023 . . January 13, 2022 . en.