Tweet

The Top 25 TV Station Groups

By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/6/2003 8:00:00 PM

How To Read the Top 25

The Top 25 Station Groups are ranked according to the percentage of the 106.7 million U.S. TV homes they reach as calculated for compliance with the FCC ownership rules (coverage, FCC). The FCC method discounts the reach of UHF stations (ch. 14 and above) by half. The ranking also shows reach without the UHF discount (coverage, total). If a group owns or manages other stations in a market, those stations are not counted in the group's total. Sources: BROADCASTING & CABLE, The BIA Financial Network, Nielsen Media Research.

1 Viacom / VIA
(includes former CBS and UPN station groups)
38.81% coverage (FCC)
39 stations
44.82% coverage (total)
524 W. 57th St., New York, NY 1009
Phone: (212) 975-4321
Fax: (212) 975-6910
Web site:cbs.com
Sumner M. Redstone, chairman/CEO
Mel Karmazin, president-COO
Leslie Moonves, president/CEO, CBS
Fred Reynolds, president, CEO Viacom TV Stations Group
Dennis Swanson, executive vice president, COO

Other media interests: CBS Television Network and United Paramount Network (UPN); CBS Enterprises (CBS Broadcast International and King World Productions); Paramount Television (Paramount Network Television, Viacom Productions, Spelling Television, Big Ticket Television, Paramount Domestic Television, and Paramount International Television); Infinity Broadcasting Corp. (operates more than 180 radio stations); equity position in Westwood One (radio syndicator); Viacom Outdoor. Cable channels: MTV Networks (MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TNN: The National Network, MTV2, Nick at Nite, TV Land, Country Music Television, and The Digital Suite from MTV Networks); Showtime Networks Inc.; 50% of Comedy Central (co-owned with AOL Time Warner Inc.); BET (including BET on Jazz and BET.com); Paramount Pictures; Paramount Home Entertainment; book publisher Simon & Schuster Inc., Famous Music Publishing; about 80% of Blockbuster Inc.; Famous Players, United Cinemas International, United International Pictures (film distribution); Paramount Parks. Online interests: MTV.com, CBS.com, CBSNews.com, Nickelodeon Online, VH1.com, Viacom Interactive Ventures (CBS MarketWatch.com, CBS SportsLine.com, Hollywood.com)
2 Fox TV Stations / FOX
(subsidiary of News Corp. Ltd.)
37.82% coverage (FCC)
37 stations
44.44% coverage (total)
1999 S. Bundy Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 584-2000
Fax: (310) 584-2087
Web site:fox.com
K. Rupert Murdoch, chairman, News Corp.
Mitchell Stern, chairman, Fox TV Stations
Thomas Herwitz, president, station operations

Other media interests: Fox only: Fox Television Network; Fox Television Entertainment Group (Fox Entertainment, Fox Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television, Twentieth Television); cable channels Fox News Channel, Health Network, FX, 34% of Outdoor Life, 33% of Golf Channel; Fox-Liberty (sports). Networks (including Fox Sports Net): 49.5% of Fox Family Worldwide (Fox Family Channel, Fox Kids Network). Online interests: Fox.com. News Corp. is a partner in In Flight Network (airline audio, video and information service)
3 NBC / GE
(subsidiary of General Electric Co.)
33.55% coverage (FCC)
29 stations
38.27% coverage (total)
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10112
Phone: (212) 664-4444
Fax: (212) 664-4085
Web site:nbc.com
Jeff Immelt, president/CEO, GE
Bob Wright, chairman/CEO, NBC
Jay Ireland, president, NBC Television Stations Group

Other media interests: NBC TV Network; Spanish-language Telemundo net; NBC Enterprises; cable channels Bravo, CNBC and MSNBC (with Microsoft Inc.), A&E TV Networks (joint venture with ABC Inc. and Hearst-Argyle), Telemundo cable channels Mun2 and Telemundo International, CNBC Europe; 32.5% of Paxson Communications (with option to take control); 15% of ShopNBC (formerly home shopping ValueVision International Network). Online interests: MSNBC.com
4 Paxson / PAX
(NBC Inc. 32.5%)
30.91% coverage (FCC)
61 stations
61.83% coverage (total)
601 Clearwater Park Rd., West Palm Beach, Fla. 33401
Phone: (561) 659-412
Fax: (561) 659-4754
Web site:www.pax.tv
Lowell W. "Bud" Paxson, chairman/CEO, Paxson Communication Corp.
Dean Goodman, COO/president, Paxson Communications Corp.

Other media interests: Pax TV network
5 Tribune / TRB
29.98% coverage (FCC)
27 stations
40.11% coverage (total)
435 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1800, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 222-3333
Fax: (312) 329-0611
Web site:tribune.com
John W. Madigan, chairman, Tribune Co. Dennis J. FitzSimons, president/CEO, Tribune Co. Patrick J. Mullen, president, Tribune Broadcasting Co.

Other media interests: Tribune Entertainment, The WB Television Network (22%) and TV Food Network (31%), CLTV Chicago and News 13 (partnership with Time Warner), WGN-AM Chicago, Tribune Interactive; 12 English-language daily newspapers, three Spanish-language weeklies, 50% of Los Angeles Spanish-language daily La Opinion.
6 ABC / DIS
(subsidiary of Walt Disney Co.)
23.56% coverage (FCC)
10 stations
23.80% coverage (total)
77 W. 66th St., New York, NY 10023
Phone: (212) 456-7777
Fax: (212) 456-6850
Web site:abc.com
Robert Iger, president-COO, Disney
Alex Wallau, president, ABC Network
Walter Liss, president, Stations Group

Other media interests: ABC TV Network; 68 radio stations; ABC Radio Networks; ABC Entertainment TV Group (production and prime time development): Disney/ABC Cable Networks Disney Channel, Toon Disney, 80% of ESPN, 50% of Lifetime Television (joint partner with Hearst Corp.), 39.5% of E! Entertainment Television, A&E Television Networks (joint venture with NBC and Hearst); Walt Disney Television International. Online interests ABC Multimedia Group, ABC.com, ABCNews.com, ESPN.com
7 Univision / UVN
21.73% coverage (FCC)
36 stations
41.79% coverage (total)
5999 Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: (310) 216-3434
Fax: (310) 348-3459
Web site:univision.com
A. Jerrold Perenchio, chairman/CEO
Ray Rodriguez, president/COO, Univision Networks
Thomas Arnost, Michael Wortsman, co-presidents, Television Group

Other media interests: Spanish-language network Univision; Spanish-language network TeleFutura; cable network Galavision; 31% of TV-radio group Entravision Communications, Univision Music Group and Univision Online
8 Gannett / GCI
17.51% coverage (FCC)
22 stations
17.68% coverage (total)
7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22107
Phone: (703) 854-6000
Fax: (703) 854-2002
Web site:gannett.com
Douglas H. McCorkindale, chairman, Gannett Co. Inc.
Craig A. Dubow, president/CEO, broadcasting

Other media interests: 29.31% of Entravision; 100 daily U.S. newspapers, including USA Today, USA Weekend, and 400 non-daily publications. Online interests: usatoday.com, more than 100 Web sites in the US linked to TV and newspapers; Partner in iBlast
9 Hearst-Argyle / HTV
16.00% coverage (FCC)
34 stations
17.64% coverage (total)
888 7th Ave., New York, NY 10106
Phone: (212) 887-6800
Fax: (212) 887-6875
Web site: hearstargyle.com
Victor Ganzi, president/CEO, Hearst Corp. (66% owner)
David Barrett, president, Hearst-Argyle Television

Other media interests: Two radio stations; program and syndication partner with NBC Enterprises. Online interests: ProAct Technologies Corp. (personal-financehuman-resources Web site); about 24% of Internet Broadcasting Systems Inc. (site developer). Parent Hearst owns Hearst Entertainment and Syndication, 50% of Lifetime Television (joint partner with ABC Inc.), New England Cable News (with MediaOne), TVA (Brazilian pay-TV company, with ABC), 20% of ESPN, AE Television Networks (joint venture with NBC and ABC), newspapers, monthly consumer magazines including Esquire, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Harpers' Bazaar
10 Trinity Broadcasting / Private
15.68% coverage (FCC)
23 stations
31.29% coverage (total)
2442 Michelle Dr., Tustin, Calif., 92780
Phone: (714) 832-2950
Fax: (714) 730-0657
Web site: www.tbn.org
Paul F. Crouch, president
Al Brown, chief financial officer

Other media interests: Trinity Broadcast Network, Trinity Music City, USA; International Production Center in Dallas, and TBN Films
11 Sinclair / SBGI
14.19% coverage (FCC)
63 stations
24.07% coverage (total)
10706 Beaver Dam Rd., Hunt Valley, MD 21030
Phone: (410) 568-1500
Fax: (410) 568-1588
Web site:sbgi.net
David D. Smith, president/CEO
David B. Amy, EVP/CFO

Other media interests: Sinclair Ventures (makes Internet-related investments); Acrodyne Industries Inc.
12 Belo Corp. / BL
12.97% coverage (FCC)
19 stations
13.69% coverage (total)
P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265
Phone: (214) 977-6606
Fax: (214) 977-6603
Web site:belo.com
Robert W. Decherd, chairman/president/CEO
John L. "Jack" Sander, EVP, media operations/president, television group

Other media interests: Two AMs; local-regional cable news channels Northwest Cable News, Texas Cable News, Arizona News Channel (joint venture with Cox Communications Inc.), Local News on Cable and NewsWatch on Channel 15, Virginia; eight daily newspapers, including Dallas Morning News, Providence Journal, Riverside, Calif., Press-Enterprise. Online interests: dallasnews.com, AdOne LLC
13 Cox / Private
10.07% coverage (FCC)
15 stations
10.20% coverage (total)
6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: (678) 645-0000
Fax: (678) 678-5290
Web site:www.coxtenterprises.com
Andrew S. Fisher, president, Cox Television

Other media interests: Cox Newspapers, Cox Radio Inc.; Cox Communications, 25% Discovery Communications, partner in iBlast
14 Entravision / EVC
(31% owned by Univision)
9.24% coverage (FCC)
21 stations
17.58% coverage (total)
2425 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 6000W, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 447-3870
Fax: (310) 447-3899
Web site:entravision.com
Walter Ulloa, chairman/CEO (owns 9.12%)
Philips Wilkinson, president (owns 9.12%)

Other media interests: 58 radio stations;, Spanish-language radio network; El Diario-La Pensa (New York) newspaper; and 11,200 outdoor billboards. Walter Ulloa personally owns KJLA(TV) Ventura-Los Angeles.
15 Clear Channel / CCU
8.69% coverage (FCC)
36 stations
12.61% coverage (total)
200 East Basse Rd., San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822 2828
Web site:www.clearchannel.com
L. Lowry Mays, chairman/CEO
William G. Moll, president, Clear Channel Television

Other media interests: Clear Channel Entertainment (TV production and event promotions), Music Music Entertainment (joint venture with RLR Productions to develop music-based TV properties) and 1,184 radio stations; Clear Channel Outdoor (billboards)
16 E.W. Scripps / SSP
8.01% coverage (FCC)
10 stations
9.88% coverage (total)
312 Walnut St., Ste. 2300, Cincinnati, OH 45201
Phone: (513) 977-3000
Fax: (513) 977-3728
Web site:scripps.com
William R. Burleigh, chairman
Ken Lowe, president/CEO-COO
John Lansing, senior VP, television, Scripps Howard Broadcasting

Other media interests: national television networks Home Garden Television, Food Network , DIYDo It Yourself and Fine Living plus stake in Sports South; television retailer Shop At Home Network; United Media; 21 daily newspapers; Scripps Howard News Service. Online interests: 27 local portals, hgtv.com, foodtv.com, diynet.com, fineliving.com, comics.com.
17 Raycom / Private
7.72% coverage (FCC)
34 stations
10.08% coverage (total)
RSA Tower, 201 Monroe St., Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 206-1400
Fax: (334) 206-1555
Web site:raycommedia.com
Paul McTear, president/CEO
Wayne Daugherty, Marty Edelman, Jeff Rosser, vice presidents, TV group

Other media interests: Two radio stations; Raycom Sports (production, marketing, events management)
18 Pappas Telecasting / Private
7.57% coverage (FCC)
20 stations
12.29% coverage (total)
500 S. Chinowth Rd., Visalia, CA 93277
Phone: (559) 733-7800
Fax: (559) 733-7878
Harry J. Pappas, president/CEO
Howard Shrier, senior EVP/COO

Other media interests: Two radio stations
19 Meredith / MDP
7.27% coverage (FCC)
11 stations
8.59% coverage (total)
1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 284-3000
Fax: (515) 284-2393 or -2700
Web site:meredith.com
William T. Kerr, chairman, Meredith Corp.
Kevin O'Brien, president, Broadcasting Group

Other media interests: Parent owns more than 20 magazines, including Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies' Home Journal; publishes Meredith, Home Depot and Ortho book lines. Partner in iBlast (to be national datacasting network)
20 Post-Newsweek / WPO
(subsidiary of Washington Post Co.)
7.25% coverage (FCC)
6 stations
7.25% coverage (total)
550 W. Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226-3123
Phone: (313) 223-2260
Fax: (313) 223-2263
Web site:washpostco.com
Donald E. Graham, chairman, The Washington Post Co.
Alan Frank, president, Post-Newsweek Stations

Other media interests: Parent owns The Washington Post and other daily and weekly (community) newspapers; Newsweek magazine; Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine; Kaplan Inc. (educational and career services); Cable One Inc. (cable systems). Online interests: washingtonpost.com; newsweek.MSNBC.com; Internet Broadcasting Systems Inc.; iBlast
21 Media General / MEG-A
7.10% coverage (FCC)
26 stations
8.81% coverage (total)
111 N. Fourth St., Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 775-4600
Fax: (804) 775-4603
Web site:mediageneral.com
J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman, Media General Inc.
James A. Zimmerman, president, Broadcast Division

Other media interests: Parent owns 25 newspapers, including Tampa (Fla.) Tribune; about 100 other periodicals; 20% of Denver Post. Online interests include: mgfs.com, Boxerjam.com, investment in PowerOne Media, Inc. and partner in iBlast.
22 Summit America TV / SATH
(formerly Shop at Home)
6.75% coverage (FCC)
5 stations
13.63% coverage (total)
400 5th Avenue S., Ste. 205, Naples, FL 34102
Phone: (786) 206-0047
Fax: (239) 643-3682
Web site: www.summitamericatv.com
J.D. Clinton, chairman of the board
George R. Ditomassi, president/CEO
Charles W. Bone, chairman, executive committee/secretary

Other media interests: Internet shopping, 30% interest in Shop At Home Network LLC
23 Emmis / EMMS
6.03% coverage (FCC)
16 stations
6.88% coverage (total)
1 Emmis Plaza, 40 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 266-0100
Fax: (317) 684-2900
Web site:emmis.com
Jeffrey H. Smulyan, chairman
Randy Bongarten, president, TV Group

Other media interests: 18 FMs, 3 AMs, 6 city/regional magazines, other ancilliary businesses
24 Youngy / BTVA
6.01% coverage (FCC)
15 stations
6.14% coverage (total)
599 Lexington Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022
Phone: (212) 754-7070
Fax: (212) 758-1229
Web site: youngbroadcasting.com
J. Vincent Young, chairman/35.4% owner
Deborah A. McDermott, EVP, operations

25 LIN TV / Private
5.97% coverage (FCC)
26 stations
7.09% coverage (total)
4 Richmond Square, Ste. 200, Providence, RI 02906
Phone: (401) 454-2880
Fax: (401) 454-5286
Web site:lintv.com
Gary R. Chapman, president/CEO
Paul Karpowicz, vice president, television

Other media interests: Local weather cable stations; 50% of Banks Broadcasting (KWCV Wichita, KNIN(TV) Boise). WAND(TV) is managed by but only one-third owned by LIN. Also owns 20.38% of NBC's KXAS Dallas and KNSD San Diego

Key: B=being bought, *=operated under LMA, j=joint marketing and programming agreement, T= operated under time-brokerage agreement, S=satellite station, NR=not a Nielsen-rated market

Tweet

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

Post a comment

» View All Talkback Threads

Related Content

• Topics
• Author
• Most Popular Pages

No related content found.

Also by this author

• Technology Leadership Summit 2011

• WGA Announces TV Noms

• Cable Ratings: 'Top Chef' Finale Draws 3.4 Million

• Leo Wolinsky Named Editor of Daily Variety

• CAB: Cable Ad Spending Grows to $18.7B in '09

Also by Staff Staff

Most Popular Pages

No Top Articles

• Resource Center
• Browse Categories
• Browse Companies

Featured Company

• Digital Rapids

  

  Digital Rapids provides market-leading software and hardware solutions, technology and expertise for transforming live and on-demand video to reach wider audiences on the latest viewing platforms more efficiently, more effectively and more profitably. Empowering applications from..more

---

Most Recent Resources

• The New Normal for Promoting Tune-in
• Achieving Operational Freedom in Digital Media Workflows