Coastal Television Broadcasting Company
American media company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coastal Television Broadcasting Group LLC (also known simply as Coastal Television) is an American television broadcasting, radio broadcasting and digital marketing company based in Cumming, Georgia. It was founded in 2007 by Bill Fielder. The company owns and/or operates television stations in thirteen markets in nine states; from as large as Tupelo, Mississippi, to as small as the fourth-smallest media market, Juneau, Alaska.[3] It also operates stations owned by Vision Alaska and Big Horn Television, both also based in Cumming.
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Bill Fielder |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Area served | United States (nationwide) |
| Key people |
|
| Services | |
| Owner | Bill Fielder |
| Website | coastaltvgroup |
History
Beginnings and starting presence in Alaska (2007–2014)
Coastal Television Broadcasting Group LLC was founded as in 2007 by Bill Fielder in Cumming, Georgia.[4] On August 29, 2007, Coastal announced that it intended to acquire KTBY in Anchorage, Alaska for $3,242,500.[5] The sale was completed on May 7, 2008.[6]
In 2010, Vision Alaska LLC acquired all three of Alaska's ABC affiliates: KYUR in Anchorage, KATN in Fairbanks, and KJUD in Juneau for $5.75 million.[7] The sale was completed on May 13, 2010[8] and soon after, Coastal agreed to operate KYUR under a shared services agreement and joint sales agreement,[9][10] and KATN and KJUD under time brokerage agreements.[11][12][13]
In October 2013, however, Coastal was fined $4,200 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for failing to update ownership information about KTBY's antenna structure; which was eventually updated.[14][15]
Expansion to the Continental U.S. and growth (2014–present)
On October 7, 2014, Coastal announced its intent to acquire WLOV-TV in Tupelo, Mississippi for an undisclosed price with hopes for the deal to be approved by the FCC in early 2015. This was concurrent with the sale of WTVA from the Spain Family to Atlanta, Georgia—based Heartland Media.[16] WTVA had been in local marketing agreements with WLOV-TV since 1992. The sales were completed on February 11, 2015[17] and the local marketing agreement was preserved; allowing Coastal to expand outside of Alaska and into the Continental U.S.. Allen Media Broadcasting later acquired 11 Heartland stations, including WTVA, in 2020[18]; and renewed the LMA with WLOV-TV.
On October 8, 2019, Coastal announced its intent to acquire Casper, Wyoming station KFNB (as well as its satellites in Rawlins and Riverton) in addition to Cheyenne, Wyoming station KLWY from Wyomedia Corporation. This was concurrent with the purchase of KTWO-TV and KKTQ-LD by Vision Wyoming, LLC (a subsidiary of Vision Alaska) from Silverton Broadcasting; and the purchase of KGWC-TV (as well as its satellites in Lander and Rock Springs) by newly-founded Big Horn Television (led by Michael Hogan) from Mark III Media.[19] The sale was completed on June 1, 2020 for an undisclosed price.[20]
Throughout 2020, Coastal began cutting local newscasts and staff from its Alaska and Wyoming stations and replacing them with anchors and content from NewsNet, based in Michigan.[21] Coastal later stated that this was due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]
In July 2021, Coastal announced that it would acquire nine television stations from Waypoint Media for $48.9 million.[23] Coastal would also acquire six Lafayette, Indiana TV and radio stations from Star City Broadcasting as part of the deal.[24] The sale were completed on January 4, 2022; giving Coastal television stations in eleven markets in seven states; and radio stations in one market in one state.[25]
In addition to the large amount of television and radio stations acquired from Waypoint, Coastal also acquired News Hub (based in Little Rock, Arkansas) and the NuLogic digital marketing agency.[24]
In December 2023, Coastal announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire the stations owned by Red River Broadcasting for $18.1 million.[26][27] This includes KVRR and its satellite stations, and KQDS-TV. The sale was completed on April 5, 2024.[28]
Assets
Television stations
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and city of license.
| City of license / Market | Station |
|
Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, Alaska | KTBY | 4 (20) | 2008[A] | Fox |
| KYUR | 13 (12) | 2010[B][a] | ||
| Fairbanks, Alaska | KATN | 2 (18) | 2010[B][a] |
|
| Juneau, Alaska | KJUD | 8 (11) | 2010[B][a] |
|
| Jonesboro, Arkansas | KJNB-CD | 39 (16) | 2022[C] |
|
| K22PF-D[α] | 42 (22) | 2022[C] |
| |
| Lafayette, Indiana | WPBI-CD | 16 (17) | 2022[C] | |
| WPBY-CD | 35 (35) | 2022[C] |
| |
| Duluth, Minnesota | KQDS-TV | 21 (18) | 2024[D] | Fox |
| Thief River Falls, Minnesota (part of the Grand Forks, North Dakota market) | KBRR[β] | 10 (10) | 2024[D] | |
| Meridian, Mississippi | WGBC | 30 (31) | 2022[C] |
|
| WMDN | 24 (24) | 2022[E][b] |
| |
| Tupelo, Mississippi | WLOV-TV | 27 (16) | 2015[F][c] |
|
| Elmira, New York | WYDC | 48 (30) | 2022[C] |
|
| WJKP-LD | 39 (14) | 2022[C] | MyNetworkTV | |
| WECY-LD[γ] | 48 (19) | 2022[C] |
| |
| Fargo, North Dakota | KVRR | 15 (19) | 2024[D] | Fox |
| Jamestown, North Dakota | KJRR[β] | 7 (7) | 2024[D] | |
| Pembina, North Dakota (serving the southern Manitoba market including Winnipeg) | KNRR[β] | 12 (12) | 2024[D] | |
| Jackson, Tennessee | WNBJ-LD | 39 (16) | 2022[C] |
|
| Casper, Wyoming | KFNB | 20 (20) | 2020[G] |
|
| K27PT-D[δ] | 20 (27) | 2020[G] |
| |
| KTWO-TV | 2 (17) | 2020[H][a] | ABC | |
| KGWC-TV | 14 (14) | 2020[I][b] |
| |
| Cheyenne, Wyoming | KLWY[ε] | 27 (27) | 2020[G] |
|
| KKTQ-LD[ζ] | 16 (16) | 2020[H][a] |
| |
| Lander, Wyoming (part of the Casper, Wyoming market) | KGWL-TV[η] | 5 (7) | 2020[I][b] |
|
| Rawlins, Wyoming (part of the Denver, Colorado market) | KFNR[θ] | 11 (9) | 2020[G] |
|
| Riverton, Wyoming (part of the Casper, Wyoming market) | KFNE[θ] | 10 (10) | 2020[G] |
|
| Rock Springs, Wyoming (part of the Salt Lake City, Utah market) | KGWR-TV[η] | 13 (13) | 2020[I][b] |
|
Radio stations
| AM Station | FM Station |
|---|
| City of license / Market | Station | Owned since | Current format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, Indiana | WSHY 1410[ι] | 2022[C] | Talk radio |
| WBPE 95.3 | 2022[C] | Adult hits | |
| WYCM 95.7 | 2022[C] | Country music | |
| WAZY-FM 96.5[κ] | 2022[C] | Contemporary hit radio |
Other assets
Notes
- Most sources say the company based in Cumming, Georgia, while others say Anchorage, Alaska.[1]
License ownership/operational agreements
- Owned by Vision Alaska, LLC.
- Owned by Big Horn Television, LLC.
- Operated by Morris Multimedia.
Mergers and acquisitions
- Acquired from Piedmont Television.
- Acquired from Smith Media.
- Acquired from Waypoint Media.
- Acquired from Red River Broadcasting.
- Acquired from Wade Threadgill.
- Acquired from Tupelo Broadcasting.
- Acquired from Wyomedia Corporation.
- Acquired from Silverton Broadcasting.
- Acquired from Mark III Media.
Satellites, semi-satellites, and translators
- Translator of KJNB-LD.
- Satellite of KVRR.
- Translator of WYDC.
- Translator of KFNB.
- Semi-satellite of KFNB.
- Semi-satellite of KTWO-TV.
- Satellite of KGWC-TV.
- Satellite of KFNB.
- Utilizes an FM translator, W282CJ, on 104.3 MHz in Lafayette, Indiana.
- Utilizes an FM translator, W222AS, on 92.3 MHz in West Lafayette, Indiana.