Smith Media, LLC, successor to Smith Television aka Sunrise Television, was a broadcasting group co-based in Los Angeles, California and St. Petersburg, Florida, that formerly owned and operated several television stations across the United States. In 1986, it bought the three smaller television stations from publishing company Times Mirror Company.[1] In 2002, Sunrise sold six of the stations to LIN Television.[2]
Smith Television became Smith Media, LLC in 2004 at the death of Bob Smith, head of the family run organization. The family decided to re-capitalize their stations and sold the stations to Boston Ventures, which created Smith Media. [3] [4] The similarities in names have created much confusion.
During the early 2010s, Smith Media sold off its stations; on October 1, 2013, Smith Media reached a deal to sell its last remaining station, WKTV in Utica, New York, to Heartland Media, a company owned by former Gray Television executive Bob Prather, pending FCC approval.[5] [6] The sale was completed on March 20, 2014. [7]
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.
| City of license / Market | Station | Channel | Years owned | Current status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | KIMO | 13 | 1995–2010 | ABC affiliate KYUR, owned by Vision Alaska, LLC | |
| Fairbanks, AK | KATN | 2 | 2001–2010 | ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC | |
| Juneau, AK | KJUD | 8 | 2001–2010 | ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska, LLC | |
| Salinas–Monterey–Santa Cruz, CA | KSBW | 8 | 1995–1998 | NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television | |
| Santa Barbara–San Luis Obispo, CA | KEYT-TV | 3 | 1987–2012 | ABC affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company | |
| KSBY | 6 | 1995–1996 | NBC affiliate owned by the E. W. Scripps Company | ||
| Hutchinson–Wichita, KS | 12 | 1989–1992 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television | ||
| Ensign–Dodge City, KS | KBSD-TV | 6 | 1989–1992 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Goodland, KS | KBSL-TV | 10 | 1989–1992 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Hays, KS | KBSH-TV | 7 | 1989–1992 | CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Flint, MI | WEYI-TV | 25 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Howard Stirk Holdings | |
| Reno, NV | KOLO-TV | 8 | 2000–2002 | ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Binghamton, NY | WBGH-LP | 20 | 1997–2000 | NBC affiliate WBGH-CD, owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| Buffalo, NY | WGRZ-TV | 2 | 1986–1988 | NBC affiliate owned by Tegna Inc. | |
| Elmira, NY | WETM-TV | 18 | 1986–2004 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| Rochester, NY | WROC-TV | 8 | 1996–1999 | CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| Utica, NY | WKTV | 2 | 1993–2014 | NBC affiliate owned by Heartland Media | |
| Watertown, NY | WWTI-TV | 50 | 1990–2000 | ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| W25AB/ WNYF-LP | 28 | 1995–2002 | Fox affiliate WNYF-CD, owned by Gray Television | ||
| Bismarck, ND | KFYR-TV | 5 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Dickinson, ND | KQCD-TV | 7 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Minot, ND | KMOT | 10 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Williston, ND | KUMV-TV | 8 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Fargo, ND | KVLY-TV | 11 | 1997–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television | |
| Dayton, OH | 2 | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | ||
| Steubenville, OH | WTOV-TV | 9 | 1996–2000 | NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group | |
| Toledo, OH | WUPW | 36 | 1999–2002 | Fox affiliate owned by American Spirit Media | |
| Harrisburg, PA | WHTM-TV | 27 | 1986–1994 | ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| Johnstown, PA | WJAC-TV | 6 | 1996–2000 | NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group | |
| Providence, RI | WPRI-TV | 12 | 2001–2002 | CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | |
| WNAC-TV | 64 | 1997–2001 | Fox affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting | ||
| Abilene, TX | KRBC-TV | 9 | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting | |
| San Angelo, TX | KACB-TV | 3 | 1998–2002 | NBC affiliate KSAN-TV, owned by Mission Broadcasting | |
| Burlington, VT–Plattsburgh, NY | WPTZ | 5 | 1998 | NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television | |
| WFFF-TV | 44 | 1999–2013 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group | ||
| WVNY | 22 | 2005–2013 | ABC affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting | ||
| Hartford, VT–Hanover, NH | WNNE | 31 | 1998 | The CW affiliate owned by Hearst Television |