Granite Broadcasting Corporation
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Granite Broadcasting Corporation (OTCBB: GBTVQ) is an African-American-owned broadcasting holding company which owns or operates (via local marketing agreements) 14 television stations in the United States, largely centered in the midwest with a cluster in New York state. The company was founded in 1988 and was the first African-American owned chain to be considered a "major" group to exist in the United States (though not the first minority-owned chain, a distinction held by the Aleut-owned Cook Inlet Broadcasting).
The company is based in New York City, lead by W. Don Cornwell.
Granite declared Chapter 11 (reorganization) bankruptcy on December 11, 2006.[1]
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[edit] Stations Owned by Granite Broadcasting
Current DMA# | Market | Station | Channel (DT) | Current Affiliation | Acquired | Notes |
5. | San Francisco, California | KBWB | 20 (19) | Ind. | 1998 | [1] |
11. | Detroit, Michigan | WMYD | 20 (21) | MyNetworkTV | 1997 | [1] |
49. | Buffalo, New York | WKBW-TV | 7 (38) | ABC | 1995 | |
WNGS | 67 | Retro Television Network | LMA | |||
55. | Fresno, California | KSEE-TV | 24 (38) | NBC | 1993 | |
79. | Syracuse, New York | WTVH-TV | 5 (47) | CBS | 1993 | |
106. | Fort Wayne, Indiana | WISE-TV | 33 (19) | NBC | 2004 | Combined operations with WPTA MyNetworkTV on 33.2 NBC Weather Plus on 33.3 |
WPTA | 21 (24) | ABC | NA | owned by Malara Broadcasting The CW on 21.2 |
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116. | Peoria, Illinois | WEEK-TV | 25 (57) | NBC | 1989 | Controls WAOE |
WAOE | 59 (39) | MyNetworkTV | NA | Owned by Four Seasons Broadcasting | ||
137. | Superior, Wisconsin Duluth, Minnesota |
KBJR | 6 (9) | NBC | 1989 | Combined operations with KDLH
My 9 (MyNetworkTV) on 6.2 |
Duluth, Minnesota | KDLH | 3 (33) | CBS | NA | owned by Malara Broadcasting The CW on 3.2 in September 2006 |
|
Chisholm, Minnesota | KRII | 11 | NBC | 2000 | Satellite station of KBJR | |
157. | Binghamton, New York | WBNG | 12 (7) | CBS | 2006 | |
WBXI | 12.2 | The CW | 2006 |
- a On May 2, 2006, Television Week magazine, an industry trade publication, reported that Granite will be selling WDWB (which became WMYD 13 days later) and KBWB to DS Audible, LLC, a holding company owned by and/or affiliated with Canyon Capital Advisors, D.B. Zwirn & Co., Fortress Investment Group and Ramius Capital Group, among others. Part of the payment will be used towards closing the deal for Granite's purchase of WBNG-TV, with the remainder being used towards meeting their June interest payment. However, on July 18, 2006, Granite cancelled the sale after DS Audible failed to close on the stations by June 30. [2] In July Granite secured a $70m bridge loan which matures at the end of the year and which provides it the liquidity to meet its June interest obligation, the purchase price of WBNG-TV, and some working capital. The bridge loan required Granite to submit a restructuring plan by the end of August.[update needed]
[edit] Former Stations
Market | Station | Channel | Affiliation(s) | Owned by Granite | Current Owner | Notes |
San Jose, California | KNTV | 11 | ABC;WB;NBC | 1989-2002 | NBC O&O | Was ABC for Monterey-Salinas until 2000, WB until end of 2001, now is NBC for San Francisco |
Fort Wayne, Indiana | WPTA | 21 | ABC | 1989-2004 | Malara Broadcasting | Transferred to Malara upon Granite's purchase of WISE |
Kalamazoo, Michigan | WWMT | 3 | CBS | 1995-98 | Freedom Communications | |
Lansing, Michigan | WLAJ | 53 | ABC | 1996-98 | Freedom Communications | |
Austin, Texas | KEYE-TV | 42 | Fox;CBS | 1992-99 | CBS O&O (Pending sale to Cerberus Capital Management) |
Was KBVO and Fox until 1995 |
[edit] References
- ^ Granite Broadcasting Corporation (2006-12-11). Granite Broadcasting Voluntarily Files Petition for Reorganization. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-12-12.
- ^ Granite Broadcasting Corporation (2006-07-18). Granite Broadcasting Corporation Announces Termination of Sale Agreements for Detroit and San Francisco Television Stations. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-12-12.