Raycom Media

Raycom Media, Inc. Was an American television broadcasting company based in Montgomery, Alabama.  It is owned by its employees.

 History 
Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications, which eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations.

In 1994, Ellis bought Raycom Sports, a 15-year-old sports marketing firm.  Two years later, Ellis sold Raycom to a media group funded by Retirement Systems of Alabama, who had bought Aflac's broadcast division and Federal Broadcasting's TV Group a few months earlier. The three groups merged to form Raycom Media. In 1998, Raycom merged with Malrite Communications, owner of five stations in the South and Midwest.

In August 2005 it acquired The Liberty Corporation and in the process sold a dozen of its stations to Barrington Broadcasting."Barrington and Raycom Announce Completion of Transaction for Twelve Television Stations"  (press release) on the Raycom Media website The merger closed at the start of 2006.

On November 12, 2007, Raycom announced its intention to acquire the television broadcasting properties of Lincoln National Corporation's Lincoln Financial Media—three television stations (see table below), plus Lincoln Financial Sports—for $583 million.  As of January 1, 2008, Lincoln Financial Sports was officially merged into Raycom Sports.

On November 20, 2013, Raycom and WVUE announced that a Shared Services Agreement would take effect, allowing Raycom to manage the operations of the New Orleans Fox network affiliate, which is owned by Tom Benson's Louisiana Media Company.

On August 10, 2015, Raycom announced that it would purchase stations owned by Drewry Communications for $160 million. The sale was completed on December 1. Raycom Media Completes $160 Million Acquisition of Drewry Communications Broadcasting & Cable, Retrieved 1 December, 2015.

 Operations 

Raycom currently owns and/or operates nearly 60 television stations, Raycom Sports in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sacramento, California and Mobile, Alabama, Broadview Media, Raycom Post Production in Los Angeles, California and CableVantage in Columbia, South Carolina.

Raycom owns a 20% stake in Frankly, a San Francisco-based social media company that owns Raycom's digital provider WorldNow.

Raycom Sports

 Stations 
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.

Notes:
 (**) – built and signed-on by Raycom Media.
 (§§) – owned by Aflac and Ellis Communications prior to the formation of Raycom Media in 1996.
 (≈≈) – owned by Federal Communications prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 1997.
 (¤¤) – owned by Malrite Communications prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 1998.
 (##) – owned by Waitt Media prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 2003.
 (++) – owned by The Liberty Corporation prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 2006.
 (~~) – owned by Lincoln Financial Media prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 2008.
 (∆) - owned by Drewry Communications Group prior to its acquisition by Raycom Media in 2015.
 Current owned television stations 
 City of license / Market Station ChannelTV (RF) Owned Since Network Affiliation  WBRC 6 (50) 2009Local TV Closes on WTVR Fox Bounce TV (DT2) Grit (DT3) Dothan - Ozark WDFX-TV ## 34 (33) 2003 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Huntsville - Decatur WAFF §§ 48 (48) 1996 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Montgomery - Selma WSFA ++  12 (12) 2006 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Jonesboro KAIT ++  8 (8) 2006 ABCNBC (DT2) Tucson - Douglas - Sierra Vista KOLD-TV §§  13 (32) 1996 CBSMeTV (DT2)Grit (DT3) KMSB  11 (25) 1 FoxThis TV (DT2) KTTU 18 (19) 2 MyNetworkTV Panama City WPGX ## 28 (9) 2003 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) West Palm Beach - Fort Pierce WFLX ¤¤ 3 29 (28) 1998 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Albany WALB ++  10 (10) 2006 NBCABC (DT2) Augusta WFXG 54 (51) 2003 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Columbus WTVM §§ 9 (11) 1996 ABCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) WXTX 4 54 (49) 2003 FoxMovies! (DT2)Escape (DT3) Savannah WTOC-TV §§ 11 (11) 1996 CBSBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Honolulu - Hilo - Wailuku - Maui - Lihue - Kauai KGMB 5 (23) 2000 CBSThis TV (DT2)Escape (DT3) KHNL 13 (35) 1999 NBCAntenna TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) KHBC-TV 2 (22)  1999 NBCCBS (DT2) KOGG 15 (16) 1999 NBCCBS (DT2) KFVE 5 9 (22) 2009 MyNetworkTV KGMD-TV 5  9 (9)  2009 MyNetworkTV KGMV 5 3 (24) 2009 MyNetworkTV Caldwell - Boise KNIN-TV 3 9 (10) 2015Raycom closes On KNIN Boise Purchase - TVNewsCheck FoxHeroes & Icons (DT2) Evansville WFIE ++  14 (46) 2006 NBCMeTV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Louisville WAVE ++ 3 (47) 2006 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit TV (DT3) Baton Rouge WAFB §§  9 (9) 1996 CBSBounce TV (DT2)MyNetworkTV (DT4) WBXH-CD 39 (39) MyNetworkTVGrit (DT2)Escape (DT3) Lake Charles KPLC ++  7 (7) 2006 NBCGrit (DT2)Bounce TV (DT3) New Orleans WVUE-DT 6 8 (29) 2013  FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Shreveport - Texarkana KSLA §§  12 (17) 1996 CBSGrit (DT2)Bounce TV (DT3) Biloxi - Gulfport - Pascagoula WLOX ++  13 (39) 2006 ABCCBS (DT2)Bounce TV (DT3) Jackson WLBT ++  3 (30) 2006 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Escape (DT3) WLOO 35 (41) 7 MyNetworkTVThis TV (DT3) WDBD 4 40 (40) 2012 FoxCOZI TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Laurel - Hattiesburg WDAM-TV ≈≈  7 (7) 1997 NBCABC (DT2)Bounce TV (DT3) Cape Girardeau - Paducah - Harrisburg KFVS-TV §§  12 (12) 1996  CBSThe CW/MeTV (DT2) WQTV-LP  24  The CW/MeTV WQWQ-LP 9 The CW/MeTV Charlotte WBTV ~~ 3 (23) 2008 CBSBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Wilmington WECT §§  6 (44) 1996 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Escape (DT3) WSFX-TV 4 26 (30) 2003 FoxThis TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Cincinnati, OH - Newport, KY WXIX-TV ¤¤  19 (29) 1998 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Cleveland - Shaker Heights - Lorain, OH WOIO ¤¤ 19 (10) 1998 CBSMeTV (DT2) WUAB 43 (28) 2000 MyNetworkTVBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Toledo WTOL ++ 11 (11) 2006 CBSMeTV (DT2)Grit (DT3) WUPW §§ 4 36 (46) 2012 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Escape (DT3)Lawton, OK – Wichita Falls, TX KSWO-TV ∆ 7 (11) 2015 ABCTelemundo (DT2)This TV (DT3) KAUZ-TV 4 6 (26) 2015 CBSThe CW (DT2) Charleston WCSC-TV ~~ 5 (47) 2008 CBSBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Columbia WIS ++ 10 (10) 2006 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Myrtle Beach - Florence WMBF-TV **  32 (32) 2008 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Knoxville WTNZ §§ 43 (34) 1996 FoxBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Memphis WMC-TV §§  5 (5) 1996 NBCBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Amarillo, TX – Clovis, NM KFDA-TV ∆ 10 (10) 2015 CBSIndependent (DT2)Weather (DT4) KZBZ-CD ∆ 26 (26) 2015 Independent KEYU ∆ 31 (31) 2015 TelemundoLATV (DT2) Lubbock KCBD ++  11 (11) 2006 NBCThis TV (DT2)Grit (DT3) Midland – Odessa KWES-TV ∆ 9 (9) 2015 NBCThe CW (DT2)   KWAB-TV ∆ 9 (33) 2015 NBCThe CW (DT2) KTLE-LP ∆ 20 (20) 2015 Telemundo Tyler - Longview - Jacksonville - Lufkin - Nacogdoches KLTV ++  7 (7) 2006 ABCBounce TV (DT2)Telemundo (DT3) KTRE ++ 9 (9) 2006 ABCTelemundo  (DT2) Waco – Temple – Bryan KXXV ∆ 25 (26) 2015 ABCWeather (DT3) KRHD-CD ∆ 40 (40) 2015 ABC KSCM-LP ∆ 18 (32) 2015 Telemundo Richmond - Petersburg - Ashland, VA WWBT ~~ 12 (12) 2008 NBCMeTV (DT2)Escape (DT3) WUPV 4 65 (47) 2006 The CWBounce TV (DT2)Grit (DT3)

Other Notes:
1 Owned by Sander Media, LLC. Raycom operates by KMSB through a shared service agreement.
2 Owned by Tucker Operating Co., LLC. Raycom operates by KTTU through a shared service agreement.
3 While KNIN-TV and WFLX are owned by Raycom, it are operated through a shared services agreement by the E.W. Scripps Company.
4 Owned by American Spirit Media, Raycom operates the stations through a Local Marketing Agreement. 
5 Owned by MCG Capital Corporation, Raycom operates KFVE and its satellites through a shared services agreement.
6 Owned by Louisiana Media Company, Raycom operates WVUE through a shared services agreement.
7 Owned by Tougaloo College, Raycom operates WLOO through a shared services agreement.

 Current owned radio stations 
Radio stations
 City of License/Market Station Owned since Current format Amarillo, Texas KEYU-FM 102.9 FM∆ 2015 Spanish adult hits Lamesa – Midland, Texas KTXC 104.7 FM ∆ 2015 Regional Mexican

 Former owned stations 
 City of license / Market Station ChannelTV (RF) Years Owned Current Ownership Status Colorado Springs - Pueblo KXRM-TV 21 (22) 2000–2006 Fox  affiliate owned by Media General KXTU-LD 57 (20) 1999–2006 The CW affiliate owned by Media General Albany WFXL ##  31 (12) 2004–2006 Fox affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group Savannah WSAV-TV §§ 3 (39) 1996–1997 NBC affiliate owned by Media General Cedar Rapids - Waterloo - Iowa City - Dubuque KWWL §§  7 (7) 1996–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Quincy Newspapers   Marquette - Escanaba WLUC-TV 6 (35) 1997–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television Traverse City - Cheboygan - Cadillac - Sault Ste. Marie WPBN-TV 7 (47) 1997–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group WTOM-TV 4 (35) 1997–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group Jackson WJTV §§ 12 (12) 1996–1997 CBS affiliate owned by Media General Hattiesburg - Laurel WHLT §§ 22 (22) 1996–1997 CBS affiliate owned by Media GeneralKirksville - Ottumwa KTVO 3 (33) 1997–2006 ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group KYOU-TV 15 (15) 1 Fox affiliate owned by American Spirit Media Reno, Nevada KAME-TV §§ 21 (20) 1996–1997 MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Deerfield Media  Albuquerque - Santa Fe KASA-TV 2 (27) 1999–2007 Fox affiliate owned by Media General Syracuse WSTM-TV ≈≈  3 (24) 1997–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group WSTQ-LP  14 2003–2006 The CW affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group  Washington - Greenville - New Bern WITN-TV §§ 7 (32) 1997 NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television Wilmington WWAY ++ 6 (34) 2006 ABC affiliate owned by Morris Multimedia Toledo - Findlay WNWO-TV  ¤¤  24 (49) 1998–2006 NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group  Columbia WACH §§  57 (48) 1996–2006 Fox affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group  Sioux Falls - Mitchell - Aberdeen - Pierre KSFY-TV §§ 13 (13)  1997–2004 ABC affiliate owned by Gray TelevisionKABY-TV §§ 9 (9) 1997–2004 ABC affiliate owned by Gray TelevisionKPRY-TV §§ 4 (19)  1997–2004 ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television Harlingen - Weslaco - Brownsville - McAllen - Pharr - Reynosa - Matamoros KGBT-TV ++ 4 (31) 2006 CBS affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group Richmond - Petersburg WTVR-TV 6 (25) 1997–2009 CBS affiliate owned by Tribune Broadcasting  Yakima - Pasco - Richland - Kennewick KNDO ≈≈ 23 (16) 1997–1999 NBC affiliate owned by Cowles Publishing Company KNDU ≈≈  26 (25) 1997–1999 NBC affiliate owned by Cowles Publishing Company  Caguas - San Juan - Ponce WLII-DT 2 11 (11) 1996–2005 Univision owned-and-operated (O&O)   WSUR-DT 2 9 (9) 1996–2005 Univision owned-and-operated (O&O)  

Raycom also owned two radio stations in Memphis, WMC-AM–FM, from 1996 to 2000.

Other Notes:

1 The company had never owned the station but operates it under a Local Marketing Agreement for Ottumwa Media Holdings.
2 The company continuously owned the two stations after Univision began operating them under a Local Marketing Agreement in 2002. Univision later bought the stations outright. Also, WORA-TV in Mayagüez which repeats 95% of WLII/WSUR's programming but operates under a separate owner. WLII & WSUR also operate locally-owned WSTE under an LMA. Like all Univision owned and operated stations, WLII and WSUR-TV opted to add/change the "-DT" suffix to their callsigns after the digital transition and eliminate the "-TV" suffix.

See also
Raycom Sports

References

 External links 
Raycom Media Corporate Website

Category:Television broadcasting companies of the United States

Category:College sports television syndicators
Category:Companies based in Montgomery, Alabama
Category:Employee-owned companies of the United States