Taft Broadcasting

The Taft family's involvement in broadcasting began in 1939 as Radio Cincinnati, Inc., when the Cincinnati Times-Star purchased WKRC radio from CBS.{{Cite magazine|title=Times-Star buys WKRC, Cincinnati|magazine=Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising|date=September 1, 1939|page=34}}{{Cite magazine|title=WKRC's transfer approved by FCC|magazine=Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising|date=December 1, 1939|page=36}}

In April 1949, Taft's first TV station, WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, began broadcasting.{{Cite web|url=http://local12.com/news/local/wkrc-celebrates-70th-anniversary-local12-local-12-1949-birthday-history-cincinnati-news-channel|title=WKRC celebrates 70th anniversary|last=WKRC|date=2019-04-03|website=WKRC|access-date=2020-01-29}}

In 1951, in its first expansion outside Ohio, Radio Cincinnati acquired a 20 percent interest in WBIR-AM-FM in Knoxville, Tennessee from father-and-son owners J. Lindsay and Gilmore Nunn.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft gets WBIR interest|magazine=Broadcasting - Telecasting|date=September 17, 1951|page=4}} A year-and-a-half later, the Taft family increased its stake to 30 percent when the Nunns sold additional shares in that station to Martha and Robert Ashe, John P. Hart, and Radio Cincinnati.{{Cite magazine|title=FCC okays ownership shifts for KTHT, WBIR|magazine=Broadcasting - Telecasting|date=April 13, 1953|page=52}}

In 1953, Radio Cincinnati purchased WTVN-TV (now WSYX) in Columbus, Ohio, from Picture-Waves, Inc., controlled by Toledo attorney and broadcaster Edward Lamb.{{Cite news|title=TV station is purchased|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 13, 1953|page=32}}{{Cite magazine|title=Taft buys WTVN for $1.5 million|magazine=Broadcasting|date=January 19, 1953|page=56}}{{Cite magazine|title=FCC approves WTVN (TV) sale from Lamb to Taft family|magazine=Broadcasting|date=March 2, 1953|page=54}}

In 1954, the company bought WHKC radio in Columbus from United Broadcasting, then-owners of WHK in Cleveland; WHKC is renamed WTVN.{{Cite magazine|title=WHKC bought by WTVN (TV), WKRC interests for $158,000|magazine=Broadcasting - Telecasting|date=April 19, 1954|page=7}}

In August 1956 WBIR-TV in Knoxville began broadcasting, under the same ownership structure as the WBIR radio stations.{{Cite web|url=https://casetext.com/case/radio-station-wbir-inc-v-commr-of-internal-revenue|title=Radio Station WBIR, Inc. v. Commissioner, 31 T.C. 803 {{!}} Casetext|website=casetext.com|access-date=2020-01-29}}{{Better source needed|date=January 2020}}

In 1957, Radio Cincinnati purchased WBRC-AM-FM-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, from Storer Broadcasting.{{Cite magazine|title=This week's receipts: $26 million|magazine=Broadcasting - Telecasting|date=April 8, 1957|pages=31–32}}

In 1958, the Cincinnati Times-Star was merged into the Cincinnati Post, published by the E.W. Scripps Company. Radio Cincinnati also purchased WKXP-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, from local interests and changed its call letters to WKYT-TV.{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 19, 1958|pages=88, 90}}

In 1959, the company acquired the remaining 70 percent of WBIR-AM-FM-TV in Knoxville.{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=October 12, 1959|page=54}} Also in 1959, the Taft family merged its broadcasting subsidiaries into one, using the Taft Broadcasting Company name.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft files with SEC to sell common stock|magazine=Broadcasting|date=June 15, 1959|page=66}} Subsidiaries WBRC, Inc. (WBRC-AM-FM-TV), WTVN, Inc. (WTVN-TV), Radio Cincinnati, Inc. (WKRC-AM-FM-TV and WKYT-TV), and Radio Columbus, Inc. (WTVN-AM-FM) were merged on June 23, 1959{{Cite magazine|title=For the record|magazine=Broadcasting|date=June 29, 1959|page=92}} and WBIR, Inc. (WBIR-AM-FM-TV) was merged on February 1, 1960.{{Cite magazine|title=For the record|magazine=Broadcasting|date=February 8, 1960|page=98}}

File:Taftlogo.jpg

In 1960, Taft launched WTVN-FM in Columbus (it is now WLVQ).{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=September 26, 1960|page=50}} A year later the company sold the WBIR stations in Knoxville to Multimedia Inc. of Greenville, South Carolina.{{Cite magazine|title=Principals complete WBIR-AM-TV transfer|magazine=Broadcasting|date=January 16, 1961|page=53}}

In 1961, Taft signed a group affiliation deal with ABC, converting all of the stations Taft had owned at that time, to the network. With WTVN-TV already an ABC affiliate, WBRC-TV, WKYT, and WKRC-TV switched to the network.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft stations switch to ABC-TV|magazine=Broadcasting|date=February 27, 1961|page=36}} This came after that network's founder Leonard Goldenson persuaded Taft president Hulbert Taft Jr., a longtime friend, to switch several of the company's stations to ABC.

In 1963, Taft purchased several stations from Transcontinent Television Corporation: WDAF-AM-FM-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, WGR-AM-FM-TV in Buffalo, New York, and WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania.{{Cite magazine|title=Transcontinent sale: Last of its kind?|magazine=Broadcasting|date=February 24, 1964|pages=27–28}}{{Cite news|title=Radio-TV concern to sell stations|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 3, 1963|page=21}}

In October 1966, Taft purchased the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio from its founders, Joseph Barbera, William Hanna and George Sidney.{{Cite magazine|title=Yogi and friends going to Taft|magazine=Broadcasting|date=October 31, 1966|page=78}} Several months later in April 1967, the firm sold WKYT-TV to a subsidiary of Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company.{{Cite magazine|title=Station sales total $10.7 million|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 1, 1967|page=58}}

On November 10, 1967, Taft Broadcasting president and chairman Hulbert Taft Jr. died in liquid propane gas-related explosion{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100695069/?terms=Hulbert%2BTaft%2C%2BJr|title=Gas Leak May Have Caused Blast Killing Hulbert Taft Jr.|date=November 12, 1967|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=1}} in a bomb shelter he had built on his property in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100693617/?terms=Hulbert%2BTaft%2C%2BJr|title=Hulbert Taft Jr. Killed as Blast Rips Shelter|date=November 11, 1967|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=1}} Days after his death, his son Dudley S. Taft replaced him on the firm's board of directors,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100703851/?terms=Hulbert%2BTaft%2C%2BJr|title=Dudley S. Taft Named to Board|date=November 14, 1967|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=29}} and he eventually became head of the company.

In 1969, Taft purchased WIBF-TV in Philadelphia and changed its call letters to WTAF-TV.{{Cite magazine|title=$20 million in TV sales approved|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 12, 1969|page=48}} The FCC initially granted Taft a waiver to keep both WTAF-TV and WNEP-TV, but later reversed itself in 1973 (four years later), and Taft sold the Scranton outlet to the station's management, who formed NEP Communications.{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=November 26, 1973|page=28}} Also that year, the broadcasting group formed The Sy Fischer Company to produce television programming.{{Cite news |date=September 8, 1980 |title=Under one roof |pages=38 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/80-OCR/1980-09-08-BC-OCR-Page-0038.pdf |access-date=October 8, 2023}}

In 1970, Taft formed Rhodes Productions, a television syndication arm for various independent TV programs, including those of Hanna-Barbera.{{Cite magazine|title=New syndication firm goes under Taft banner|magazine=Broadcasting|date=March 2, 1970|page=55}}{{Cite magazine|title=Jack Rhodes as Taft's New Syndie Bossman; Reeves Pilots Talkshow|date=March 11, 1970|magazine=Variety|page=52}}

In 1972, Taft opened its first theme park, Kings Island, outside of Cincinnati. Taft owned five other theme parks through its KECO Entertainment division. WBRC radio and WBRC-FM in Birmingham are sold to Mooney Broadcasting.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft's WBRC-AM-FM sold for $2 million|magazine=Broadcasting|date=January 24, 1972|page=29}} Taft's Rhodes Productions subsidiary has hired John Pearson International as international backer of its programming.{{Cite news |date=April 10, 1972 |title=Program notes |pages=94 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/72-OCR/1972-04-10-BC-OCR-Page-0094.pdf |access-date=November 2, 2023}} In 1973, Taft sold WNEP-TV in Scranton to its management, called NEP Communications.{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=November 26, 1973|page=28}}

In 1974, Taft acquired Top 40 station KQV and rock outlet WDVE, both in Pittsburgh, from ABC Radio.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft in, ABC out of Pittsburgh radio|magazine=Broadcasting|date=April 1, 1974|page=22}}

In 1975, a second theme park based on Kings Island, Kings Dominion, opened outside of Richmond. Rhodes Productions was renamed to Taft, H-B Program Sales while Taft, H-B International was established as the new overseas television distribution arm for the company.{{Cite magazine|title=Fates & Fortunes|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 19, 1975|page=68}} Rhodes was eventually revived two weeks later under Filmways.{{Cite magazine|title=Rhodes under Filmways flag|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 26, 1975|page=33}} Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina was acquired by the company in 1975 from the Carowinds Corporation.

In 1979, Taft purchased WDCA-TV in Washington, D.C. from the Superior Tube Company.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft's turn to buy WDCA-TV; price this time is $13.5 million|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 1, 1978|page=50}}{{Cite magazine|title=FCC stays on course, just barely, with top-50 policy; grants waiver for Taft buy of WDCA-TV|magazine=Broadcasting|date=August 20, 1979|pages=25–26}} Around this same period, Taft also acquired independent distributor Worldvision Enterprises (formerly a division of ABC) and production company QM Productions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117475065/taft-broadcasting-acquires-qm/|title=Taft Broadcasting acquires QM Productions (Page 1)|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=1 February 1979|pages=55|accessdate=17 March 2023|via=newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117475180/taft-broadcasting-acquires-qm/|title=Taft Broadcasting acquires QM Productions (Page 2)|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=1 February 1979|pages=56|accessdate=17 March 2023|via=newspapers.com}}

In 1980, Taft acquired Sunn Classic Pictures and two additional Schick divisions. Sunn Classic was reincorporated as Taft International Pictures.{{Cite news |date=July 14, 1980 |title=Bottom Line |pages=54 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/80-OCR/1980-07-14-BC-OCR-Page-0054.pdf |access-date=October 22, 2023}} In 1981, two Taft executives launched Jensen Farley Pictures to purchase the company's distribution assets, while in 1982, the company name was reverted back to Sunn Classic Pictures.{{Cite news |last=Hollinger |first=Hy |date=November 18, 1982 |title=Jensen Farley Pictures Wants To Fill Niche Once Held By Avco and Filmways |pages=1, 22 |work=Daily Variety}}{{Cite news |date=April 26, 1982 |title=Monitor |pages=83 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-04-26-BC-OCR-Page-0083.pdf |access-date=October 22, 2023}}

In 1981, Taft acquired Ruby-Spears Productions from Filmways. Around this time, in the early 1980s, Taft split its operation into two "subdivisions": the "Taft Entertainment Company" (which included Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears, Worldvision, the theme parks, Taft International Pictures, and Taft Entertainment Television), which was headed by Sy Fischer. The other was the "Taft Television & Radio Co, Inc.". Also in 1981, Taft, in partnership with The Great-West Life Assurance Company of Winnipeg, opened Canada's Wonderland, a theme park near Toronto.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/24/travel/a-theme-park-called-wonderland-opens-near-toronto.html|title=A THEME PARK CALLED WONDERLAND OPENS NEAR TORONTO|date=1981-05-24|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-08-10}} Taft also bought television producer Titus Productions, run by Herbert Brodkin later that year as part of the Taft Entertainment Company.{{Cite news |date=February 17, 1986 |title=When it was good, it was very, very good (A Herbert Brodkin bio) |pages=93 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-02-17-OCR-Page-0093.pdf |access-date=October 8, 2023}}

In 1982, KQV in Pittsburgh was sold to its general manager Robert W. Dickey and newspaper publisher Richard Mellon Scaife, under the "Calvary, Inc." banner.{{Cite magazine|title=Changing hands|magazine=Broadcasting|date=April 12, 1982|page=98}}

In 1983, Taft exchanged WGR-TV in Buffalo to General Cinema Corporation's Coral Television subsidiary in return for WCIX in Miami.{{Cite magazine|title=$110 million deal for Miami independent|magazine=Broadcasting|date=August 2, 1982|page=24}} In 1984, the Taft Entertainment Company was reorganized, in order to set up various theatrical projects that was made by the studio, such as On Wings with Eagles.{{Cite news|last=Loynd|first=Ray|date=1984-02-08|title=Taft Entertainment Reorganized; Consolidates, Sets New Projects|page=24|work=Variety}} Also that year, it formed a partnership with Keith Barish to start out a joint venture, with a worldwide distribution alliance at 20th Century Fox to distribute the films.{{Cite news|date=1984-05-02|title=Taft Entertainment, Barish Form Pact|page=4|work=Variety}} During that year, Taft decided to rename the former QM Productions unit as Taft Entertainment Television, with The Lucie Arnaz Show being the first show to be produced under that name.{{Cite news |last=Hastings |first=Julianne |date=April 15, 1984 |title=Here's Lucie's TV new comedy |pages=157 |work=New York Daily News}}

On August 20, 1986, Taft/Barish Productions, the feature film joint venture between the broadcasting group and Keith Barish Productions had inked a ten-picture distribution deal with Tri-Star Pictures for $200 million, to handle domestic distribution of the films at a rate of four to six films per year.{{Cite news|last=Tusher|first=Will|date=1986-08-20|title=Taft/Barish Pacts With Tri-Star For 10 Pics, With More Possible|page=7|work=Variety}}

In 1985, Taft purchased Gulf Broadcasting, which included KTXA in Fort Worth; KTXH in Houston; WTSP in St. Petersburg, Florida; KTSP-TV (now KSAZ-TV) in Phoenix; KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, California; and WGHP in High Point, North Carolina.{{Cite magazine|title=Taft buys Gulf|magazine=Broadcasting|date=February 4, 1985|page=38}}{{Cite magazine|title=In brief|magazine=Broadcasting|date=June 3, 1985|page=128}} As a result, Taft sold several radio stations to CBS to comply with FCC rules.{{Cite magazine|title=CBS's audio concentration|magazine=Broadcasting|date=May 6, 1985|page=40}} KESQ-TV was spun off to former Gulf Broadcasting executive E. Grant Fitts.{{Cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook, 1987|page=353}}

In October 1986, WTAF-TV in Philadelphia and WCIX in Miami became charter affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Company.{{cite magazine |title=Fox network begins to take shape |magazine=Broadcasting |date=August 4, 1986 |page=44}} One month later, Taft announced the sale of both of those stations along with its three independent stations (WDCA-TV, KTXA, and KTXH) to the TVX Broadcast Group; the sale was completed in April 1987.{{cite magazine |title=Taft's TV's go to TVX for $240 million |magazine=Broadcasting |date=November 24, 1986 |page=41}}{{cite magazine |title=McDonald paints a bright picture for TVX |magazine=Broadcasting |date=May 11, 1987 |page=37}} Taft also sold WGR radio and WRLT-FM (the former WGR-FM) in Buffalo to Rich Communications, a subsidiary of Buffalo-based Rich Products.{{cite magazine |title=Changing hands |magazine=Broadcasting |date=February 23, 1987 |page=64}} In 1987, Taft, wanting to purchase more network-affiliated television stations, is looking to sell Taft Entertainment Group, the entertainment subsidiary of the Taft Broadcasting company to a different buyer, with estimates cost $300 million, and the group had a record production year in 1986 out of 334 animated half hours and 63 live-action half hour programs, to the three networks, to the cable networks, to first-run syndication.{{Cite news|date=1987-02-04|title=Taft Out to Shed Entertainment Unit; Eyes TV Stations|pages=43, 148|work=Variety}}

Taft Broadcasting Company was purchased by TFBA Limited Partnership, which included Robert M. Bass as a partner, in April 1987 for $1.43 billion, taking the company private.{{cite news|last1=Applebome|first1=Peter|title=TEXAS DEAL MAKER: Robert M. Bass; A Younger Brother Steps Out on His Own|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/05/business/texas-deal-maker-robert-m-bass-a-younger-brother-steps-out-on-his-own.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=July 3, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=June 5, 1988}}

Later in 1987, Cincinnati-based businessman Carl Lindner, Jr. became Taft's majority stockholder in a hostile takeover and renamed the company Great American Broadcasting (also known as Great American Communications) following a major restructuring of its operations. The new name came from Linder's insurance company, Great American Insurance. The FCC considered this restructuring to be an ownership change, and told Lindner he could not keep both WTVN-TV and WKRC-TV. As a result, Great American spun off WTVN-TV to Anchor Media, a new firm composed of former Taft Broadcasting board members led by Robert Bass. (The two stations have since been reunited under the Sinclair Broadcast Group, with cross-ownership rules having since been relaxed.) Another new company, led by former Taft Broadcasting president Dudley S. Taft Sr., took the Taft Broadcasting name. This new company retained WGHP and later purchases another Philadelphia station, WPHL-TV.{{cite magazine |title=Taft Broadcasting now Taft-less |magazine=Broadcasting |date=February 2, 1987 |page=43}}{{cite magazine |title=Green light expected for Taft sale |magazine=Broadcasting |date=September 28, 1987 |pages=36–37}}

In 1988, Great American Broadcasting sold Worldvision to Aaron Spelling Productions. Included with Worldvision were outright ownership of all of Great American's programming assets (including the remnants of Taft International Pictures and Taft Entertainment Television), except for the Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears libraries, which remained owned by Great American for the time being. However, Worldvision continued to hold syndication rights until the two animation studios found new owners.

In 1991, Hanna-Barbera, along with much of the original Ruby-Spears library, was acquired by Turner Broadcasting System, which became part of Time Warner in 1996. As part of this deal, syndication rights to the libraries were passed to Turner Program Services (via Turner Entertainment Co.) prior to Time Warner's purchase of Turner. Eventually, TPS was folded into Warner Bros. Television Distribution. The Ruby-Spears studio was spun off and bought back by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, and operated as an independent operation from then forward.Shostak, Stu (01-16-2013). "[http://www.stusshow.com/archives.php Interview with Joe Ruby and Ken Spears]". Stu's Show. Retrieved 03-18-2013.

In 1992, KECO Entertainment, Great American's theme park division, was sold to Paramount Communications (the parent of Paramount Pictures; the parent company was formerly known as Gulf+Western) and became Paramount Parks, later to be acquired by Viacom. (These parks were sold to Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. by CBS in 2006.) Great American also reacquired WGHP from Dudley Taft.

In 1993, Great American filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and renamed to Citicasters Communications. It also sold WKRC radio to Jacor and shut down Electra, a teletext service operated as a joint venture between Taft, Zenith, and Turner Broadcasting's WTBS (now WPCH-TV) in Atlanta.

In 1994, Citicasters sold most of its TV stations, including WDAF-TV and KSAZ-TV to New World Communications, and WBRC and WGHP to the News Corporation's Fox Television Stations unit, which would later acquire the New World chain. Around the same time, when two of the markets switched to ABC via Scripps, Citicasters agreed to a two-station deal with CBS to affiliate with WTSP and WKRC.

In 1996, Citicasters, by then the owner of two television stations, five AM radio stations and 14 FM radio stations, merged with Jacor, which became a subsidiary of Citicasters. Three months after the merger was completed, Jacor exchanged WTSP to Gannett in return for Gannett's radio stations in Los Angeles, San Diego and Tampa. In 1997, as a condition of the merger, Jacor sold WKRQ and the original WDAF-FM (by then KYYS, now KCKC) to American Radio Systems, which would become acquired by Infinity Broadcasting (later renamed CBS Radio) in 1998. Also in 1997, Jacor sold WDAF (AM) (now KCSP) to Entercom.

In 1997, the Worldvision properties that had previously been under Taft and Great American (with the exception of the Hanna-Barbera and most of the Ruby-Spears material) were incorporated into Republic Pictures (today part of CBS Studios).

In 1999, Clear Channel Communications acquired Citicasters and Jacor. The Citicasters name lived on as a holding company and licensee under the Clear Channel corporate structure; the two subsidiaries with the name were eliminated at the end of 2020 as part of a reorganization of iHeartMedia's subsidiaries.

• Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
• Two boldface asterisks appearing following a station's call letters (**) indicate a station built and signed on by Taft.

{{notelist}}

• [http://www.earlytelevision.org/wtvn.html WTVN-TV History Page] at the Early Television Foundation

{{Clear Channel}}

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