The Marks Group Explained

The Marks Group is a Maryland-based operator of radio and television stations in small markets in the United States. Founded by Stephen A. Marks (1950–2022), the company holds 14 radio stations and five television properties.

History

Marks entered the broadcast ownership business in 1983 when he acquired 51 percent of Thunder Bay Broadcasting, which owned WBKB-TV, the only television station in Alpena, Michigan. Marks, a native of Maryland, had previously worked as a copywriter at WINX in Rockville, Maryland, before being employed by the Mutual Broadcasting System.[1]

Marks acquired KXGN radio and television in Glendive, Montana, in 1990. KXGN-TV, like WBKB-TV in Alpena, was the only TV station in its town, a fact Marks liked as it could then command all television advertising revenue in the market.[2] [3] This transaction, as well as the purchase of Glendive FM station KDZN in 1995, required waivers on account of the financial condition of the small-market stations.[4] Further Montana broadcast properties were added with the 1995 purchase of KYUS-TV in Miles City[5] and the 1996 acquisition of KIKC-AM-FM in Forsyth.[6]

In 2003 Marks acquired WBKP and WBUP, together serving the Marquette, Michigan, television market.[7] Added in 2015 were four stations owned by Heartland Communications in Iron River, Michigan, and Park Falls, Wisconsin.[8]

Stephen Marks died on May 11, 2022, at the age of 72.[9] His widow Mary and family began selling the broadcast properties in 2023. GSB Broadcasting acquired WOWZ-FM in Accomac, Virginia, which it already was programming, in April,[10] while the Park Falls stations went to Civic Media in a deal announced in June.[11] In September, Morgan Murphy Media acquired the Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million.[12]

Stations

At the time of Marks's death in 2022, the company owned these stations:

Television

Radio

Michigan

Montana

North Dakota

Virginia

Wisconsin

Notes and References

  1. News: May 16, 2022 . Marks Media Group President Stephen Marks Passes Away. . en . Inside Radio . 2023-01-20.
  2. News: Adam. Buckman. A tiny television transaction. Electronic Media. 8. July 3, 1989.
  3. One-to-a-market waived in Montana. Broadcasting. May 14, 1990. 44.
  4. Web site: Memorandum Opinion and Order. Federal Communications Commission. April 17, 2017. March 7, 1995. April 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170418090245/https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-95-61A1.pdf. live.
  5. Web site: Caton. William F.. In re Application of Big Horn Communications, Inc. (Assignor) and KYUS Broadcasting Corporation (Assignee) For Consent to Assign the License for Station KYUS-TV, Channel 3 Miles City, Montana. PDF. Federal Communications Commission. September 26, 2015. February 27, 1995.
  6. News: 8. April 5, 1996. Radio & Records. Transactions.
  7. News: Broadcasting & Cable. Changing Hands. 38. September 8, 2003. .
  8. News: Station Sales Week Of 4/17. RadioInsight. April 17, 2015. Lance. Venta.
  9. Web site: 2022-05-20 . TV, Radio Station Owner Stephen Marks Dies . 2022-05-21 . NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting . en-US.
  10. News: Venta . Lance . 2023-04-21 . Station Sales Week Of 4/21 . en-US . RadioInsight . 2023-09-15.
  11. News: Venta . Lance . 2023-06-07 . Civic Media Acquires Two More In Wisconsin . en-US . RadioInsight . 2023-09-15.
  12. News: Venta . Lance . 2023-09-14 . Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo . en-US . RadioInsight . 2023-09-15.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Marks Group".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.