:Northwest Broadcasting

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}

{{Short description|American television broadcasting company (1995–2019)}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Northwest Broadcasting, Inc.

| logo = Northwest Broadcasting logo.png

| type = Private

| founded = {{start date and age|1995}}

| defunct = {{end date and age|2019|12|17}}

| fate = Acquired by Cox Media Group

| successor = Cox Media Group

| key_people = Brian Brady (president & CEO)

| location_city = Okemos, Michigan, U.S.

}}

Northwest Broadcasting, Inc. was a television broadcasting company based in Okemos, Michigan, United States, a suburb of Lansing. The broadcasting group owned or operated twelve television stations in six markets, through subsidiaries such as Broadcasting Communications, Mountain Communications, Stainless Broadcasting, and Bristlecone Broadcasting.{{cite web|title=Organizational Chart for Northwest Broadcasting, Inc.|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101691692&qnum=5040©num=1&exhcnum=2|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=December 20, 2015|format=PDF|date=November 25, 2015}}

History

Northwest Broadcasting was founded in 1995 by Brian Brady to acquire the television stations of Salmon River Communications, including KAYU-TV in Spokane, Washington, K68EB in Yakima, Washington, KBWU-LP in the Tri-Cities (Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Washington), and KMVU in Medford, Oregon.{{cite news|title=Michigan investor buys KAYU TV|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/aug/02/michigan-investor-acquires-kayu-tv/|access-date=December 3, 2015|work=The Spokesman-Review|date=August 2, 1995}} In 1997, Northwest purchased Stainless, Inc. for $17 million; while Stainless was primarily a manufacturer of broadcasting towers, the purchase also added WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York and KTVZ in Bend, Oregon to Northwest's station group.{{cite news|last1=Kanaley|first1=Reid|title=Digital TV: It's A High-Tower Act|url=http://articles.philly.com/1997-05-18/business/25564732_1_analog-tv-sets-digital-broadcasts-new-towers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919152520/http://articles.philly.com/1997-05-18/business/25564732_1_analog-tv-sets-digital-broadcasts-new-towers|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 19, 2015|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=May 18, 1997|quote=…Stainless, which owns UHF stations in Binghamton, N.Y., and Bend, Ore., is being sold to a Detroit-based partnership, Northwest Broadcasting, said Stainless counsel James J. Heffernan of Plymouth Meeting. He said the deal is worth $17 million.}}{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1997/BC-1997-05-19.pdf|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=May 19, 1997|page=38|format=PDF}} Stainless had owned broadcast stations since purchasing WICZ (then known as WINR-TV) in 1971.{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-03-08-BC.pdf|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Broadcasting|date=March 8, 1971|page=37|format=PDF}} Though Northwest would sell the Stainless tower company to SpectraSite Holdings in 1999{{cite web|title=SpectraSite Holdings, Inc. Form 8-K|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1072048/0001010192-00-000009.txt|publisher=Securities and Exchange Commission|access-date=December 4, 2015|format=TXT|date=January 21, 2000}} and KTVZ to News-Press & Gazette Company in 2002,{{cite news|author1=BIA Financial Networks|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/changing-hands/75575|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=March 24, 2002}} it still owns WICZ-TV under the Stainless Broadcasting Company name.

Brian Brady expanded his broadcast holdings in 2002, when he teamed up with Alta Communications to acquire the K-Six Television stations under the name Eagle Creek Broadcasting;{{cite news|author1=BIA Financial Networks|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/changing-hands/71176|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=February 3, 2002}} Alta had also invested in Northwest Broadcasting in 1996.{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1996/BC-1996-01-29.pdf|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=January 29, 1996|pages=32–3|format=PDF}} Alta divested its interest in Northwest Broadcasting in 2007{{cite news|title=Transactions: 08-29-07|url=http://rbr.com/transactions-08-29-07-2/|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Television Business Report|date=August 29, 2007}} and in Eagle Creek Broadcasting in 2013.{{cite news|title=Station Trading Roundup: 5 Deals, $23 Million|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/71756/station-trading-roundup-5-deals-23-million|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=TVNewsCheck|date=November 5, 2013}} During the 2010s, Brady acquired additional stations through companies such as Blackhawk Broadcasting,{{cite news|title=Brady doubles down in Yuma|url=http://rbr.com/brady-doubles-down-in-yuma/|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=Television Business Report|date=July 24, 2013}} Bristlecone Broadcasting,{{cite news|last1=Herbert|first1=Geoff|title=Ownership changes at Syracuse TV stations approved by FCC|url=http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/syracuse_tv_stations_ownership_changes_fcc.html|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=The Post-Standard|date=November 19, 2013}} and Cedar Creek Broadcasting.{{cite news|title=Cedar Creek Buying WRBU, WZRB For $6M|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/82718/cedar-creek-buying-wrbu-wzrb-for-6m|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=TVNewsCheck|date=February 3, 2015}} These companies have occasionally made joint filings with Northwest Broadcasting in Federal Communications Commission proceedings under the name "The TV Station Group."{{cite web|title=Informal Objection and Request to Hold Applications in Abeyance|url=http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=60001079673|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=December 4, 2015|format=PDF|date=June 12, 2015}}

In February 2019, Reuters reported that Apollo Global Management had agreed to acquire the entirety of Brian Brady's television portfolio, which it intends to merge with Cox Media Group (which Apollo is acquiring at the same time) and stations spun off from Nexstar Media Group's purchase of Tribune Broadcasting, once the purchases are approved by the FCC.[https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/10/reuters-america-exclusive-apollo-nears-3-billion-deal-to-buy-cox-tv-stations-sources.html "EXCLUSIVE-Apollo nears $3 billion deal to buy Cox TV stations -sources"] from CNBC (February 10, 2019) In March 2019 filings with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Apollo confirmed that its newly-formed broadcasting group, Terrier Media, would acquire Northwest Broadcasting, with Brian Brady holding an unspecified minority interest in Terrier.{{cite news |last1=Jessell |first1=Harry A. |title=Cox TV Valued At $3.1 Billion In Apollo Acquisition |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/231448/cox-tv-valued-3-1-billion-apollo-acquisition/ |access-date=March 6, 2019 |work=TV News Check |date=March 6, 2019}} In June 2019, it was announced that Terrier Media would instead operate as Cox Media Group, as Apollo had reached a deal to also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses.{{cite news |last1=Jacobson |first1=Adam |title=It's Official: Cox Radio, Gamut, CoxReps Going To Apollo |url=https://www.rbr.com/cox-media-group-radio-apollo/ |access-date=June 26, 2019 |work=Radio & Television Business Report |date=June 26, 2019}} The transaction was completed on December 17.[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cox-enterprises-announces-close-of-cox-media-group-sale-to-affiliates-of-apollo-global-management-300976507.html "Cox Enterprises Announces Close of Cox Media Group Sale to Affiliates of Apollo Global Management"], prnewswire.com, December 17, 2019, Retrieved December 17, 2019.

Former stations

  • Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Stations owned by Northwest Broadcasting

! scope="col" | Media market

! scope="col" | State

! scope="col" | Station

! scope="col" | Purchased

! scope="col" | Sold

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

rowspan="2" | Yumarowspan="2" | Arizona

! scope="row" | KSWT

| 2014

2019{{efn|name=KYMA}}
scope="row" | KYMA-DT

| 2014 || 2019 || {{efn|name=KYMA|Operated by News-Press & Gazette Company.}}

rowspan="3" | Eurekarowspan="3" | California

! scope="row" | KIEM-TV

| 2017

2019
scope="row" | KVIQ

| 2016 || 2017 ||

scope="row" | KVIQ-LD

| 2016 || 2019 ||

PocatelloIdaho Fallsrowspan="2" | Idaho

! scope="row" | KPVI-DT

| 2016

2019
Twin Falls

! scope="row" | KXTF

| 2016

2017
Bowling GreenKentucky

! scope="row" | WNKY

| 1997

2003{{efn|Known as WKNT prior to 2001.}}
rowspan="2" | Alexandriarowspan="2" | Louisiana

! scope="row" | KLAX-TV

| 2018

2019
scope="row" | KWCE-LP

| 2018 || 2019 ||

rowspan="4" | GreenvilleGreenwoodrowspan="4" | Mississippi

! scope="row" | WABG-TV

| 2016

2019
scope="row" | WFXW

| 2016 || 2019 || {{efn|name=3rdP|Owned by a third party and operated by Northwest Broadcasting.}}

scope="row" | WNBD-LD

| 2016 || 2019 ||

scope="row" | WXVT-LD

| 2017 || 2019 ||

rowspan="2" | Binghamtonrowspan="4" | New York

! scope="row" | WBPN-LP

| 2000

2019
scope="row" | WICZ-TV

| 1997 || 2019 ||

rowspan="2" | Syracuse

! scope="row" | WNYS-TV

| 2013

2019{{efn|Solely operated by Northwest Broadcasting from 2013 until 2018.}}
scope="row" | WSYT

| 2013 || 2019 ||

Bendrowspan="4" | Oregon

! scope="row" | KTVZ

| 1997

2002
rowspan="3" | Medford

! scope="row" | KFBI-LD

| 2013

2019
scope="row" | KMCW-LP

| 2013 || 2016 ||

scope="row" | KMVU-DT

| 1995 || 2019 ||

Corpus Christirowspan="3" | Texas

! scope="row" | KZTV

| 2002

2010
rowspan="2" | Laredo

! scope="row" | KNEX-LP

| 2012

2015
scope="row" | KVTV

| 2002 || 2015 ||

Spokanerowspan="4" | Washington

! scope="row" | KAYU-TV

| 1996

2019
rowspan="2" | Tri-CitiesYakima

! scope="row" | KCYU-LD

| 1996

2019{{efn-ua|Semi-satellite of KFFX-TV.}}
scope="row" | KFFX-TV

| 1999 || 2019 || {{efn|Solely operated by Northwest Broadcasting from 1999 until 2003.}}

Walla Walla

! scope="row" | KBKI

| 2001

2002

Notes

{{notelist-ua}}

{{notelist}}

References