Get After It Media

Last updated

Get After It Media LLC
Company type Private
Industry Broadcast television
Founded2008;16 years ago (2008) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
FounderHenry Luken III
HeadquartersChattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Area served
United States (Nationwide)
Key people
Joel Wertman
Products
OwnerHenry Luken III
Number of employees
50 (2010)
Subsidiaries
Website getafteritmedia.com

Get After It Media LLC, formerly known as Luken Communications and Reach High Media Group, is a privately owned American broadcast holding company, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which owns or operates around 80 television stations in the United States and six digital television multicast networks.

Contents

History

Luken Communications was formed in 2008 by Henry Luken III, formerly president and CEO of Equity Media Holdings. Luken Communications agreed to purchase six TV stations from Equity Media for $17.5 million and paid a $5 million installment with the rest pending on regulatory approval. In June 2008, Equity sold to Luken Retro Television Network for $18.5 million and $8.05 million Equity warrants for $1.5 million. [1]

On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications interrupted RTN programming on many of its affiliates with Luken alleging that Equity had left many obligations to RTN's creditors, including programming suppliers, unpaid. As a result, Luken restored a national feed of the network from its Chattanooga headquarters. [2] As a result of this dispute, Luken pulled out of a deal to purchase Equity's stations in southwestern Florida.

In June 2009, Luken and Seals Entertainment Company LLC launched the male-oriented digital multicast channel Tuff TV. [3] On March 22, 2011, Luken became part-owners of My Family TV in a joint venture with existing owner ValCom [4] (the network later rebranded as The Family Channel after ValCom and Luken Communications ended their partnership). In June 2011, Luken Communications announced the purchase of 78 low-power translator stations from the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council for $390,000; the purchase was made in order to expand coverage of its ten existing and planned digital multicast networks with hopes to eventually acquire 400 low-power stations. [5] In late summer 2011, Luken and Classic Media launched PBJ, featuring classic children's programs from the Classic Media library. [6] With Frost Cutlery's shopping network and outdoor shows, Luken launched in 2011 the Frost Great Outdoors network. [7]

On April 16, 2012, Luken Communications and Jim Owens Entertainment announced that the companies had teamed to relaunch The Nashville Network as a digital broadcast television network set for a late summer 2012 launch (TNN previously existed as a cable channel started by Gaylord Entertainment Company in 1983). The network was rebranded the next year as Heartland.

On June 21, 2013, an Arkansas jury awarded a $47.4 million verdict against Luken Communications for a claim of fraudulent transfer of the ownership of RTV six years prior. In order to appeal, Luken Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a protection measure. [8] The appeal spanned more than a year but was ultimately successful, and in October 2014, the company announced it was emerging from bankruptcy protection and continued to grow and expand its network offerings. [9] In December 2014, Luken Communications launched a new digital network, Rev'n, with a focus on automotive enthusiasts.

In December 2019, Luken Communications rebranded as Reach High Media Group, as Joel Wertman had by then taken over as president and CEO of the company from Luken. [10] It again rebranded in early 2021 to Get After It Media, with Wertman remaining as president. [11]

Assets owned by Get After It Media

Digital multicast networks

Broadcast television stations

Notes: All stations are owned by Digital Networks, LLC. Many of these stations were former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) translators, unless specified.

City of license / Market StationChannelSubchannels
Birmingham, AL WSWH-LD 22
  • 22.1: Heartland
  • 22.2: Retro TV
  • 22.3: Rev'n
  • 22.4: Action Channel
  • 22.5: The Family Channel
HuntsvilleDecaturFlorence, AL WNAL-LD 27
  • 27.1: Heartland
  • 27.2: Retro TV
  • 27.3: Rev'n
  • 27.4: Action Channel
  • 27.5: The Family Channel
  • 27.6: Revival Ministries
  • 27.7: Jewelry Television
Phoenix, AZ K23PL-D 23Silent
Little Rock, AR WPYM-LD 38Silent
ChicoRedding, CA KXCH-LD 19
  • 19.1: Heartland
  • 19.2: Retro TV
  • 19.3: Rev'n
  • 19.4: Action Channel
  • 19.5: The Family Channel
  • 19.6: Revival Ministries
Denver, CO KAVC-LD 48
  • 21.1: Heartland
  • 21.2: Retro TV
  • 21.3: Rev'n
  • 21.4: Action Channel
  • 21.5: The Family Channel
  • 21.6: Revival Ministries
  • 21.7: Inspiration TV
Jacksonville, FL WJVF-LD23
  • 23.1: Heartland
  • 23.2: Retro TV
  • 23.3: Rev'n
  • 23.4: Action Channel
  • 23.5: The Family Channel
  • 23.6: Revival Ministries
Tampa, FL WDNP-LD 36
  • 36.1: Heartland
  • 36.2: Retro TV
  • 36.3: Rev'n
  • 36.4: Action Channel
  • 36.5: The Family Channel
Columbus, GA WXVK-LD 30Silent
Savannah, GA W31FE-D 23Silent
Idaho FallsPocatello, ID KPTO-LD 41Silent
PeoriaBloomington, IL WSIO-LD 51Silent
Indianapolis, IN WSWY-LD21
  • 21.1: Heartland
  • 21.2: Retro TV
  • 21.3: Rev'n
  • 21.4: Action Channel
  • 21.5: The Family Channel
  • 21.6: Revival Ministries
  • 21.7: Jewelry Television
Davenport, IARock IslandMoline, IL W35DY-D 19Silent
Des Moines, IA K31PO-D 44Silent
Wichita, KS KSMI-LD 1, 330
  • 30.1: Heartland
  • 30.2: Retro TV
  • 30.3: Rev'n
  • 30.4: Action Channel
  • 30.5: The Family Channel
  • 30.6: Revival Ministries
  • 30.7: HSN
Paducah, KYMount Vernon, IL K27OY-D 27Silent
Baton Rouge, LA WRUG-LD 50Silent
Shreveport, LA KVPO-LD30
  • 30.1: Heartland
  • 30.2: Retro TV
  • 30.3: Rev'n
  • 30.4: Action Channel
  • 30.5: The Family Channel
Minneapolis, MN KKTW-LD19
  • 19.1: Heartland
  • 19.2: Retro TV
  • 19.3: Rev'n
  • 19.4: Action Channel
  • 19.5: The Family Channel
  • 19.6: Revival Ministries
RochesterAustin, MNMason City, IA K27OW-D 40Silent
ColumbusTupeloWest Point, MS WLMS-LD 25Silent
GreenwoodGreenville, MS WPYM-LD 138Silent
Kansas City, MO K26PI-D 15Silent
Springfield, MO KSFZ-LD 41Silent
Las Vegas, NV KVGA-LD 51
  • 51.1: Heartland
  • 51.2: Retro TV
  • 51.3: Rev'n
  • 51.4: Action Channel
  • 51.5: The Family Channel
AlbuquerqueSanta Fe, NM K26PL-D 36Silent
K33OB-D 50Silent
Buffalo, NY WBUO-LD 3030.1: Retro TV
RaleighDurham, NC WDRH-LD 16
  • 16.1: Heartland
  • 16.2: Retro TV
  • 16.3: Rev'n
  • 16.4: Action Channel
  • 16.5: The Family Channel
  • 16.6: Revival Ministries
  • 16.7: Jewelry Television
FargoValley City, ND KFGX-LD 35Silent
MinotBismarckDickinson, ND K21GQ-D 21Silent
K28QQ-D 40Silent
Omaha, NE K36QD-D 21Silent
Zanesville, OH WOOH-LD29
  • 29.1: Heartland
  • 29.2: Retro TV
  • 29.3: Rev'n
  • 29.4: Action Channel
  • 29.5: The Family Channel
  • 29.6: Revival Ministries
Oklahoma City, OK KWRW-LD 33
  • 33.1: Heartland
  • 33.2: Retro TV
  • 33.3: Rev'n
  • 33.4: Action Channel
  • 33.5: The Family Channel
  • 33.6: Revival Ministries
Tulsa, OK KTUO-LD 22
  • 22.1: Heartland
  • 22.2: Retro TV
  • 22.3: Rev'n
  • 22.4: Action Channel
  • 22.5: The Family Channel
  • 22.6: Revival Ministries
  • 22.7: Inspirational Ministries
Scranton, PA WSRG-LD 59Silent
Charleston, SC WLOW-LD19
  • 19.1: Heartland
  • 19.2: Retro TV
  • 19.3: Rev'n
  • 19.4: Action Channel
  • 19.5: The Family Channel
  • 19.6: Revival Ministries
SpartanburgGreenville, SC WASV-LD 50
  • 50.1: Heartland
  • 50.2: Retro TV
  • 50.3: Rev'n
  • 50.4: Action Channel
  • 50.5: The Family Channel
WNGS-LD50
  • 50.1: Heartland
  • 50.2: Retro TV
  • 50.3: Rev'n
  • 50.4: Action Channel
  • 50.5: The Family Channel
  • 50.6: Revival Ministries
  • 50.7: Shop LC
Rapid City, SD KRPC-LP 33
  • 33.1: Heartland
  • 33.2: Retro TV
  • 33.3: Rev'n
  • 33.4: Action Channel
  • 33.5: The Family Channel
  • 33.6: Shop LC
Sioux Falls, SD KSXF-LD 56Silent
Chattanooga, TN WOOT-LD 1, 26
  • 6.1: Heartland
  • 6.2: Retro TV
  • 6.3: Rev'n
  • 6.4: Action Channel
  • 6.5: The Family Channel
  • 6.6: HSN
Knoxville, TN WKXT-LD 61
  • 61.1: Heartland
  • 61.2: Retro TV
  • 61.3: Rev'n
  • 61.4: Action Channel
  • 61.5: The Family Channel
  • 61.6: Revival Ministries
San Antonio, TX K24OJ-D 15Silent
KRTX-LP 20
  • 20.1: Heartland
  • 20.2: Retro TV
  • 20.3: Rev'n
  • 20.4: Action Channel
  • 20.5: The Family Channel
  • 20.6: Shop LC
Wichita Falls, TXLawton, OK KTWM-LD 49Silent
CharlestonHuntington, WV WHWV-LD 45Silent
Green Bay, WI K18NQ-D 18Silent
W21EF-D 8Silent
WausauRhinelander, WI K18NQ-D 32Silent

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References

  1. Marich, Robert (June 26, 2008). "Equity Media Sells RTN to Ease Crunch". Broadcasting & Cable . Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  2. Jessell, Harry A. (January 5, 2009). "Financial Dispute Disrupts RTN Diginet". tVNewsCheck. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  3. "New TUFF TV Network Scheduled For Launch". April 29, 2009.
  4. Frank, Judy (March 22, 2011). "Chattanooga's Luken Communications Enters Joint Venture With ValCom Entertainment Company". Chattanoogan. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  5. Jessell, Harry A. (June 16, 2011). "RTN Parent Buys 78 TV Translators". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  6. "Luken, Classic Media To Debut New Network". TVNewsCheck. May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  7. Flessner, Dave (June 10, 2012). "Chattanooga businessman Henry Luken goes country". ChattanooganTimes Free Press. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  8. Luken Communications files bankruptcy after Arkansas jury verdict against company, June 23, 2013
  9. "Luken announces plan to exit bankruptcy". timesfreepress.com. September 19, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  10. Courter, Barry (December 12, 2019). "Chattanooga-based television hub adds programming, national streaming access". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  11. Miller, Mark K. (March 24, 2021). "Get After It Media To Launch 'It's Real Good TV' Streaming Platform" . Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  12. "Jim Owens Entertainment ends licensing deal with Luken". Radio-TV Business Report. October 31, 2013.
  13. The Action Channel website
  14. Marcucci, Carl (October 31, 2012). "Luken RTV affiliate losses not a big hit". Radio-TV Business Report. Streamline RBR, Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2015.