The Evening Telegram Company, d/b/a Morgan Murphy Media, is an American television and radio company based in Madison, Wisconsin. The company is named for publisher Morgan Murphy, who expanded the business after he took over from his grandfather, who founded the Superior Evening Telegram (now owned by Forum Communications).
 | |
| Morgan Murphy Media | |
| Formerly | Morgan Murphy Stations |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Broadcast media |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Television stations |
History
editThe company traces its roots to the founding of the Superior Evening Telegram in 1890 by John T. Murphy. He died in 1932, and the business passed to his son John Morgan Murphy, who acquired several other newspapers in the Upper Midwest and also expanded into broadcasting. The company sold off its print interests in 2003, leaving only its former broadcasting division. Nevertheless, it is still legally incorporated as the "Evening Telegram Company."[1]
The company was known as Morgan Murphy Stations until 2007, when its trade name was slightly changed to Morgan Murphy Media. [2]
On May 10, 2017, the company announced that it would acquire Saga Communications' television clusters in Joplin, Missouri, including KOAM-TV, and Victoria, Texas, including KAVU-TV. Saga will additionally acquire the assets of Fox affiliates in each market owned by Surtsey Media and operated by Saga under local marketing agreements, including KFJX in Joplin, Missouri and KVCT in Victoria, Texas. Those stations' license assets were acquired by SagamoreHill Broadcasting.[3] The sale was completed September 1.[4][5]
In September 2018, it was announced that the company would invest in Good Karma Brands to back its acquisition of the Milwaukee radio stations WKTI and WTMJ.[6]
On October 13, 2021, the company dropped its channels from Dish Network due to a programming dispute. This dispute is in addition to Dish's dispute with Tegna and is the 2nd time that a satellite TV company was involved with such conflicts (DIRECTV had a conflict with the companies' stations in December 2020). [7] [8]
In September 2023, the company acquired The Marks Group's Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million.[9] The deal was closed on December 4.[10] Morgan Murphy subsequently took over operations of WJMN-TV, owned by Sullivan's Landing, LLC (following its acquisition from Nexstar Media Group), via joint sales and shared services agreements;[11] WJMN-TV merged its operations into, and was converted into a satellite of, WBUP.[12][13]
Television stations
edit
Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
(**) - Indicates a station built and signed on by Morgan Murphy Media (then known as the Evening Telegram Company).
| City of license / Market | Station | Owned since | Network affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin, MO–Pittsburg, KS | KOAM-TV | 7 (7) | 2017 | CBS |
| KFJX | 14 (13) | [a] | Fox | |
| Alpena, MI | WBKB-TV | 11 (11) | 2023 | CBS / NBC / ABC / Fox |
| Marquette, MI | WJMN-TV[A] | 3 (32) | [b] | ABC / CW+ |
| WBKP | 5 (5) | 2023 | CW+ | |
| WBUP | 10 (10) | 2023 | ABC / CW+ | |
| Victoria, TX | KMOL-LD | 17 (17) | 2017 | NBC |
| KVCT | 19 (11) | [a] | Fox | |
| KUNU-LD | 21 (27) | 2017 | Univision | |
| KAVU-TV | 25 (15) | 2017 | ABC | |
| KQZY-LD | 33 (33) | 2017 | Cozi TV | |
| KXTS-LD | 41 (26) | 2017 | CBS | |
| KVTX-LD | 45 (15) | 2017 | Telemundo | |
| Spokane, WA | KXLY-TV | 4 (13) | 1961 | ABC |
| KXMN-LD | 4 (9) | 2007 | ABC | |
| Yakima, WA | KAPP ** | 35 (14) | 1970 | ABC |
| Kennewick, WA | KVEW[B] ** | 42 (27) | 1970 | ABC |
| La Crosse–Eau Claire, WI | WKBT-DT | 8 (8) | 2000 | CBS |
| Madison, WI | WISC-TV ** | 3 (11) | 1956 | CBS |
- ^ a b Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting and operated by Morgan Murphy Media.
- ^ Owned by Sullivan's Landing, LLC, and operated by Morgan Murphy Media.
Former television stations
edit| City of license / Market | Station | Owned from | Network affiliation | Sold to | Currently owned by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, North Dakota | KTHI/KVLY-TV | 11 (36) | 1968–1995 | ABC, then NBC after 1983 | Meyer Broadcasting | Gray Television |
Other properties
editIdaho
editRadio
edit- 1080 KVNI - adult contemporary (Coeur d'Alene, run by Queen B Broadcasting of Spokane, Washington)
Michigan
editRadio
editWisconsin
editRadio
edit- Platteville (serving Dubuque, Iowa)
- Lancaster
- Milwaukee (as a silent partner with Good Karma Brands)
- Madison Magazine
Washington
editRadio
editReferences
edit- ^ Company history
- ^ "Morgan Murphy Stations Rebranded as Morgan Murphy Media - Station News Story - WISC Madison". Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
- ^ "Morgan Murphy Buying 6 Saga Stations". TVNewsCheck. May 10, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ^ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved September 5, 2017.
- ^ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved September 5, 2017.
- ^ "Morgan Murphy Media Invests In Good Karma Brands' WTMJ-WKTI/Milwaukee Purchase". All Access. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ "Viewers will continue to receive KAPP-KVEW TV while DISH negotiations continue". October 11, 2021.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Dish Network Update about Tegna blackout (October 12-November 8, 2021)". YouTube.
- ^ Venta, Lance (September 14, 2023). "Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ "Done Deal: Morgan Murphy Media Completes Purchase Of Marks Media Group Stations". Insideradio.com. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
- ^ "Nexstar Sells WJMN-TV to Illinois Broadcaster". Michigan Association of Broadcasters. April 12, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ "WBUP and WJMN combine, rebrand and expand local newscasts in Marquette". UPMatters. August 26, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ Perkins, Schyler (September 16, 2024). "Rescan your TV to take advantage of My UP's over-the-air signal improvements". MyUPNow.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.