American television and radio company
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
).
History
[
edit
]
The 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]
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
|
Calumet
-
Marquette, MI
|
WBKP
|
5 (5)
|
2023
|
CW+
|
Ishpeming
-
Marquette, MI
|
WBUP
|
10 (10)
|
2023
|
ABC
|
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
[A]
**
|
42 (27)
|
1970
|
ABC
|
La Crosse
?
Eau Claire, WI
|
WKBT-DT
|
8 (8)
|
2000
|
CBS
|
Madison, WI
|
WISC-TV
**
|
3 (11)
|
1956
|
CBS
|
- ^
Semi-satellite of KAPP.
Former television stations
[
edit
]
Other properties
[
edit
]
Idaho
[
edit
]
Radio
[
edit
]
Michigan
[
edit
]
Radio
[
edit
]
Wisconsin
[
edit
]
Radio
[
edit
]
Print
[
edit
]
Washington
[
edit
]
Radio
[
edit
]
- Queen B Broadcasting (
Spokane
):
- 700
KXLX
- Sports
- 920
KXLY
- News/Talk
- 92.9
KZZU
- Adult Top 40
- 94.5
KHTQ
- Active Rock
- 96.9
KEZE
- Rhythmic Top 40
- 99.9
KXLY-FM
- Country
References
[
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
.
External links
[
edit
]